Romanesque Art Between the Sava and the Drava Rivers and European Culture

The project is part of the long-term study of the architectural heritage of territory between the Sava and Drava in the Romanesque period (12th-13th centuries), and determining its place in the culture of the European West.

They propose three phases of research:

1. Reconstruction of the monumental landscapes (territorial organization, settlements, fortifications, communications);
2. Analysis of existing cultural heritage (including archaeological finds and reconstructions based on descriptions, illustrations, etc.);
3. Rating material within the Central European and general western European culture.

This project in the first stage includes a detailed study of the proposed area based on history, art history, archaeological and ethnological knowledge, determining network of settlements (cities, villages, farms, forts), and communication, including evaluation of their hierarchy, and their role in spatial organization. This also includes inventorying of cultural heritage. The aim is the reconstruction of the artistic and cultural landscape, i.e. more knowledge of possible intersections of such simultaneous landscapes (e.g., urban – rural), which establishes the context for the next (2nd) research phase. With intensive field character the theme also has a study-cabinet aspect of reading data from the existing literature, particularly close cooperation with the archeology and analysis of archival materials. Checking of the results will be done through comparison with the materials of the neighboring countries (Eastern Alps, the Carpathian Basin), with an emphasis on the outskirts of the Hungarian-Croatian communities (e.g. Erdelj), and in consultation with experts in this area. The application of this research can be assumed in various fields – science (history of science, art history, archeology), environmental and cultural ecology (joint action of man and nature), in protection of monuments and cultural heritage, in spatial planning, reconstruction and development of the Republic of Croatia, in tourism, transport and communications.

The project is led by prof. Vladimir Peter Goss, PhD.