• placement: superzone
  • path: destinations/pois/hero
  • containerId: gpt-ad-933269044264
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "points-of-interest/st-simeon-s-church/476852",
  "destination": "Zadar",
  "title": "zadar",
  "type": "City",
  "city": "Zadar",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "country": "Croatia",
  "refresh": 30,
  "refresh_limit": 3
}

St Simeon’s Church

Historic center of the Croatian town of Zadar at the Mediterranean Sea, Church of St.Simeon, Europe.; Shutterstock ID 698125786; Your name (First / Last): Anna Tyler; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: destination-image-southern-europe

Shutterstock / Viliam.M

While this 17th-century baroque church is pretty enough, it's what lies inside that makes it truly noteworthy. Taking pride of place above the main altar, the sarcophagus of St Simeon is a masterpiece of medieval goldsmithery. Commissioned in 1377, the coffin is made of cedar and covered inside and out with finely executed gold-plated silver reliefs.

The middle relief, showing the presentation of Jesus to Simeon at the temple, is a copy of Giotto’s fresco from Cappella dell’Arena in Padua, Italy. Other reliefs depict scenes from the lives of the saints and King Ludovic’s visit to Zadar. The lid shows a reclining St Simeon.