Orthodox Church of St. John in Benkovac
The Church of St. John is in the eastern part of the town. It was built near the end of the 19th century in the historicist Neo-Byzantine style.
There is a house nearby, in which the Dalmatian Orthodox bishop Simeon Končarević resided.
There is an iconostasis from the 19th century in the church. Today’s Church of St. John (sv. Jovan Preteca) was built in 1885, as it stands on the inscription above the side entrance, during the ruling of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor and King Franz Joseph I.
There used to be an old church consecrated to St. John (sv. Ivan), and beforehand even an older church of St. Vid at the locality Vukovic.
Location
Benkovac
The first traces of human life in the Benkovac area were found around the village of Smilčić that belonged to the Danilo culture. Before Roman conquest the area was inhabited by the Illyrian tribe of Liburnians. During the Roman Civil war the Liburnians sided with Caesar. The Romans mention the following Liburnian settlements: Nedinum (Nadin), Carinium (Karin), Varvaria (Bribir) and Asseria (Podgrađe). In 7th century the area was settled by Croats. The area of Benkovac was at the crossroads of four Croatian župas – Novljanska, Sidraška, Bribirska and Karinska. Near the village of Šopot, an inscription from the 9th century was found that mentions Branimir as a Croatian Duke.
ExploreNeo-Byzantine
The Neo-Byzantine style popped up in Croatia around the mid-19th century, and you’ll mostly see it in buildings connected to the Serbian Orthodox Church or the Greek Catholic Church, like churches, parish buildings, and municipal halls.
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