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Island of Koločep, Church of St. Michael
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The Church of St. Michael is situated on Island of Koločep, dated in the 11th century. Some researchers believe the ktetor was
Queen Helen (Jelena) wife of King Zvonimir and sister of Hungarian King Ladislav. Today it is left in ruins.
Its a single nave building with three bays, probably with a dome and an apse that is semicircular inside and rectangular on the outside. Its facade was dissected by shallow blind niches. Side walls probably had lesenes connected by a series of blind arcades.
After collecting fragments all over the island, the altar screen was finally reconstructed showing, in relief, an image of Archangel Michael and a partially preserved inscription. Most researchers recognized Byzantine influence.
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Island of Koločep, Church of St. Nicholas (St. Vitus)
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The Church of St. Nicholas is situated on a small plateau, halfway between Donje and Gornje Čelo. It was probably built between the 9th and the 11th century. Judging by the archival documentation from the 13th century, the Church was dedicated to Saint Vitus. On the other hand, fresco decoration indicates othervise.
Its a single nave edifice with a dome on pendantives, an apse which is semicircular inside and rectangular on the outside and has facade divided by lesenes. Inside, the edifice is divided with two lesenes in three bays. Fragments of the original doorpost decorated with a motif of double three-bar knots have been found, and were later used as building material. Parts of the altar screen, that probably belonged to the original Church, are decorated with various braided motifs of geometric design.
Remains of early medieval frescoes, that date to the end of the 11th century, represent figures of saints and have been preserved on the walls and on the vaults of the Church. Some researchers have found stylistic similarities with frescoes of the Church of St. John (Ivan) on the Island of Šipan.
On the Western side of the Church is a bell-tower with a bronze bell made in the 16th century by Ivan Krstitelj Rabljanin, which was brought from the Church of St. Mary in Donje Čelo in the 20th century.
Thorough conservation and archeological works were carried out in the 20th century so the Church of St. Nicholas is still in use, primarily as a cemetery church.
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Island of Šipan, Church of St. John
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The Church of St. John is located in Šilovo Selo, in the vicinity of Sundjurdje. The original pre-Romanesque Church was expanded in the 15th century and a new renaissance Church of flat surfaces and much larger dimensions was built. The original Church became a presbytery.
The original Church of St. John was a single nave edifice built probably in the 11th century. The interior had a semicircular vault intersected by two girdles and divided into three aisles.The facade walls feature a rhythmical alteration of decorative lesenes and niches (four on each side of the building) that are deeper than on other buildings on Šipan, of the same period. The apse was semicircular inside and rectangular on the outside.
Fresco decoration, with inscriptions in Latin, can be found in the apse and on the South wall, indicating that once the entire interior was painted.
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Island of Šipan, Church of St. Peter
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The Church of St. Peter on the Island of Šipan is situated on Velji vrh, near the abandoned village Govedjari. It was built probably in the 11th century.
Its a rectangular single nave edifice divided into three bays, with a dome placed on squinches. Apse is semicircular inside and rectangular on the outside.
The facade of the lateral walls feature a rhythmical alteration of lesenes and niches of approximately equal width. The Eastern wall is divided by two narrow blind niches. The Western wall was divided by lesenes framed by a single arch.
Conservation and restoration works in the 20th century completely restored the building.
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