Church of the Holy Cross

The Holy Cross at Nin is a small pre-Romanesque church of the ninth century, built on a cross plan in white stone, and it is often called the smallest cathedral…The Holy Cross at Nin is a small pre-Romanesque church of the ninth century, built on a cross plan in white stone, and it is often called the smallest cathedral in the world because the bishops of Nin used it as their seat. It stands more or less as it was built, which is rare for a building of that age on this coast.

It is also a calendar. The church is aligned so that light through its openings marks the solstices and equinoxes, and the shadow of the doorway tracks the time of year. Nin is a half hour drive up the coast from Zadar, and the church sits in the small walled town on its island, a few minutes from the salt pans.