Petrizio Palace in Zadar
The Petrizio Palace is nestled between the Ghirardini Palace and the Church of St. Simeon, one of Zadar’s four patron saints.
The Petrizio palace stands as a three-story building within a row of others, its main facade revealing that the third floor was added later.
The building exhibits a distinct Renaissance rhythm, with its street-facing facade articulated by three vertical axes of openings. At the ground level, centrally positioned, is a Gothic-Renaissance doorway adorned with the coat of arms of the Petrizio family.
The inner courtyard is partially enclosed by a series of arcades. The centerpiece of this space is a richly decorated Gothic-Renaissance wellhead. Reliefs of two putti (chubby male child figures) holding a wreath with the family coat of arms embellish this historical feature.
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.
ExploreGothic
Gothic appeared relatively late in Croatia. In addition to the 13th and 14th centuries, as long as it lasted in Europe, its influence is also visible in the 15th and 16th centuries – for example, on the Trogir and Sibenik cathedrals. Also on the territory of Croatia, you can often see admixtures of Romanesque and Renaissance in Gothic buildings. Gothic influence from European countries adapted to its possibilities and needs and thus created a “domestic artistic expression”. This mixture of styles is most pronounced in Dalmatia. The northern regions were exposed to the influences of Central Europe, while the coastal regions tied their artistic expression to Italian models.
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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