Cathedral of St Lovro

The glory of the town is the three-naved Venetian Cathedral of St Lovro, built from the 13th to 15th centuries and one of the finest architectural works in Croatia. Note first the Romanesque portal (1240) by Master Radovan. The sides of the portal depict lion figures (the symbol of Venice) with Adam and Eve above them, the earliest example of the nude in Dalmatian sculpture.

The outer pilasters show saints, the centre scenes represent the calendar months and the small posts feature hunting scenes. Overhead is the Nativity of Christ. At the end of the portico is another fine piece of sculpture - the baptistry sculpted in 1464 by Andrija Aleši. Enter the building through an obscure back door to see the richly decorated Renaissance Chapel of St Ivan, created by the masters Nikola Firentinac and Ivan Duknović from 1461 to 1497. Within the sacristy there are paintings of St Jerome and John the Baptist. Be sure to take a look at the treasury, which contains an ivory triptych and several medieval illuminated manuscriptsA sign informs you that you must be 'decently dressed' to enter the cathedral, which means that men must wear tops (women too, of course) and shorts are a no-no. You can even climb the 47m cathedral tower (if it's open) for a delightful view. To be sure of visiting the cathedral, it's best to come in the morning. Its hours can be irregular and it is often closed in the afternoon.