Imperial Fountain in Zadar
This circular structure covers a freshwater well that supplied ships as far back as the Middle Ages
Known as the “Fontana” or “Imperial Fountain,” this monumental, domed Renaissance building stands on the shore of the Zadar Channel, in the Kolovare area.
Zadar’s city captain, Agostino Canal (1546-1547), initiated the building of the well and later had it covered by the very brick pavilion we see today.
The fountain’s walls facing the sea feature nine arches on pylons. The dome measures 8.8 meters in diameter and stands 7.95 meters high.
The well itself is shaped as a slightly irregular octagon, and the stone pier in front of the pavilion was built in 1790.
Location
Zadar
Zadar is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar serves as the seat of Zadar County and of the wider northern Dalmatian region. The city proper covers 25 km2 (9.7 sq mi) with a population of 71,000 in 2025, making it the second-largest city of the region of Dalmatia and the fifth-largest city in the country.
ExploreRenaissance
In the 15th century, Croatia was divided between three states – northern Croatia was a part of the Austrian Empire, Dalmatia was under the rule of the Venetian Republic (with the exception of Dubrovnik), and Slavonia was under Ottoman occupation. Dalmatia was on the periphery of several influences, equidistant from Italy, Ottoman Bosnia, and Austria, so it drew influence from all. In those circumstances in Dalmatia flourished religious and public architecture with clear influences of the Italian Renaissance, but still original.
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