Okay, so I didn’t pay much attention during mass at the Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir, Croatia. I mean, I sat quietly still and was passably respectful, but my face surely resembled that of a flounder:
The reason for my flounder face? I was straining with all my power to get a look at the Chapel of the Blessed Giovanni Orsini.
My plan all along was to spend a lavish amount of time exploring the Cathedral of St Lawrence. We were visiting off season and I found it impossible to find out the churches’ opening hours in advance. (Confidential to the tourist office of Trogir: you might try putting this information on your website, or at least reply to emails from prospective visitors). We ended up arriving in Trogir around noon, to learn to my annoyance that the cathedral was open only from 8:00 am to noon. Alrighty then, we’d just have to postpone our bus trip the next day, and in the meantime, go to mass so we could at least get an idea of the interior.
Here’s what my left eye strained towards during mass (and both eyes took in the next morning). Created in 1468 – 72 by Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino and Andrija Alesi, the Chapel of the Blessed Giovanni Orsini is a Renaissance masterpiece.
There are some decent statues of the apostles along the side niches of the chapel, and a Coronation of the Virgin over the carved casket of the first bishop of Rome, Giovanni Orsini.
But who cares about those old guys? It’s the putti who steal the show in the Orsini chapel.
These are no ordinary putti. People, these are torch bearing putti.
Putti with flowing scarves and chubby legs.
These putti are busting through marble doors like tubby super heroes of the Renaissance.
And you know what? These bad boys are even holding up the cornices!
Bit of a flasher vibe here….
And to top it all off: on the ceiling—-bowling God and his disembodied putti head entourage.
The exterior of St Lawrence is Romanesque-Gothic. Who could guess that a Renaissance surprise hides inside to reward the side eye of a curious traveler?
How we got to Trogir: bus from Zadar.
Where we slept: Villa Carrara. Price: the going price is €69 for a double, but since we were moved here due to a mix-up with another B&B, we paid €40. Recommended: yes.
Picnic at the Cathedral 
Awesome!
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The most awesome putto is the little guy holding up the ceiling corner with both arms. He’s like, “Don’t worry, I got this!”
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Oh wow the *faces*! The torch-bearing ones honestly look like baby arsonists – the chapel is in danger I tell you!
…Thank you. I don’t usually laugh this hard at architecture. ^_^
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Baby arsonists….you’re killing me!
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Thank you so much for this post! When I studied at Frankfurt/Main in the mid-1970, the Jewish Museum did not yet exist and plans for it’s construction were not easily accepted at all among many citizens who preferred “to close the Holocaust chapter for once and all. When the museum was opened a couple of years later, I visited it twice, but when the Memorial wall was erected we had already left Germany and I never heard or read about it even on a number of stopovers or short stays at Frankfurt/Main. Now husband + I will shortly be going to Germany once again and this time we’ll add a stopover in Frankfurt in order to visit the Holocaust Memorial Wall. From the images themselves I feel it is a very impressive monument, which should make it clear to every visitor that these plates tell the terrible fate of real people of all ages and status, and aren’t just imaginations – as many of these idiotic holocaust-deniers claim.
Most probably we would have missed the visit to the Memorial Wall this time too without your post – that’s why thanks once again, and I wish you will be able to travel a lot more in future and post many more of your travel experiences.
D.M.
On 4 February 2016 at 08:32, Picnic at the Cathedral wrote:
> The Wife of Bath posted: “Okay, so I didn’t pay much attention during mass > at the Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir, Croatia. I mean, I sat quietly > still and was passably respectful, but my face surely resembled that of a > flounder: The reason for my flounder face? I was str” >
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment tcrdora. You were fortunate to have a chance to study in Frankfurt back in the day–it seems like a wonderful place to live. I hope you do have a chance to visit the memorial wall and the Jewish museum. Best wishes!
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Absolutely marvelous poses, especially from the cornice holding putti
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Little dude’s been holding up that cornice for 500 years!
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