PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
COVER PAGE
Name of heritage asset
The Roman Catholic Saint Mary Church at the Rock in Beram
Type of heritage asset
Immovable Cultural Heritage , Sacral Architectural Heritage, Object
Global coordinates (X, Y, Z)
+45° 15' 24 N, +13° 54' 26 E; Elevation: 250m
Country
Istria, Croatia
Data compiled by
Name
Vlatka Rajčić
Affiliation
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Zagreb, Croatia
e-mail address
vrajcic@grad.hr
Date of compilation
08. 10. 2012
Characteristic photography
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PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
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SUMMARY
Historic background
The Church of St. Mary of the Rocks (Škrilje) is a tiny chapel in the woods outside Beram in Istria. Originally built
in 13th century as single nave cemetery church. Surface of about 200 m2 of interior walls is covered in frescoes.
The frescoes, so most are dedicated to the lives of Mary and Jesus which were commissioned by Beram
Confraternity of St. Mary and painted mostly by Vincent of Kastav in 1474. they are showing the Triumphal Entry
into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, a portrait of Saint Martin and Dance Macabre.
The original altar placed in the single nave church was covered by saddle-type roof. Façade above the portal was
painted niche with motif of Holly Mary, but painting almost completely decayed because it was not protected by
roof.
After Council in Trent (1545-1563) the frescoes were plastered. In 1907 the church was radically changed by
replacement of gothic vault by wooden ceiling. The altar was replaced with the new one made of marble. In
front of entrance the portico was added. In side walls the pointed gothic arch windows were replaced with
windows having semi-circular arch. The gothic arch of main entrance was replaced by semi-circular arch.
Rectangular windows were added to each side of main entrance.
Brief description
In 1912 Austrian conservator Anton Gnirs, manager of Central Commission for Heritage Protection
(Zentral Kommission) in Istria, discovered and restored frescoes that has been plastered since 16th
century. During restoration works in 1912 the Sacristy was also added.
In 2011 the experts of Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb and Croatian Conservation
Institute inspected the current state of church and discovered structural cracks in painted walls that
developed because of uneven settlements of foundations. The expertise stressed the need for
strengthening of foundations and systematic repair of walls.
PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
Illustrations
Location and entrance of the church
Layout of church
Interior of church covered by frescoes and detail of »Dance Macabre«
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PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
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1.0 Names and References
No.
Data Subfield
Received Information
1.1
Type of heritage asset
Immovable Cultural
Heritage
Sacral Architectural
Heritage; Object
1.2
Name of heritage asset
The Roman Catholic Saint
Mary Church at the Rock in
Beram (Škrinje)
1.3
Unique reference numbers of asset
N-6; Z-858
1.4
Dates compilation
1.4.1
Date of initial compilation
1962
1.4.2
Date of last update
8.10.2012
1.5
Record originator
Ministry of Culture of R
Croatia
1.6
Cross-reference to related asset record
1.6.1
Related record reference number
none
1.6.2
Qualifier of Relationship
none
1.6.3
Originator of Reference
none
1.7
Cross-reference to records of fixtures, fittings
collections and artifacts
1.7.1
Reference number
none
1.7.2
Originator of Reference
none
1.8
Cross-reference to documentations
1.8.1
Reference number
HRZ-151
1.8.2
Type of documentation
Current condition record,
reports on wall painting
restoration, geotechnical
reports
1.8.3
Originator of Reference
Croatian Conservation
Institute
1.9
Cross-reference to archaeological
records/events
1.9.1
Reference number
none
1.9.2
Originator of Reference
none
1.9.3
Start date of recording event
none
1.9.4
End date of recording event
none
1.10
Cross-references to environmental records
none
Standards
PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
2.0 Location
No.
Data Subfield
Received Information
2.1
Administrative
location
2.1.1
Country
Croatia
2.1.2
Geo-political unit
Istria county
2.1.3
Administrative
subdivision
Pazin municipality
2.2
Address
2.2.1
Postal name
Beram
2.2.2
Name of
street/road
Beram
2.2.3
Number in the
street/road
B/A
2.2.4
Locality
Beram
2.2.5
Town/city
Beram
2.2.6
Postal or location
code
52000
2.3
Cartographic
reference
2.3.1
Spatial referencing
system
HTRS96, E=296493.4, N=5016223.9
2.3.2
Global coordinates
(X, Y, Z)
+45° 15' 24 N, +13° 54' 26 E; Elevation 250 m
2.4
Cadastral
reference/land unit
Cadastral municipality Beram/109
Standards
3.0 Functional Type
No.
Data Subfield
Received Information
3.1
Generic
Church
3.2
Usage
3.1.1
Dates of usage
Occasional tourists and pilgrims visits
Standards
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PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
4.0 Dating
No.
Data Subfield
Received Information
4.1
Date range
Date of construction: 13th century
Plastering of frescoes: after Council in Trent
(1545-1563)
Restoration and enlargement by portico: 1709.
Restoration of frescoes and construction of
sacristy: 1912
Date of frescoes creation: 15th century,
finished 1474, Vincent de Kastav
4.2
Method
Art historical, historical interpretation, critical
sources analysis
Standards
5.0 Structure
No.
Data Subfield
Received Information
5.1
Type of structure
B1 churches
Gothic single-nave church.
5.2
Structural material
Lime stone masonry
5.2.1
Foundation
stone blocks
5.2.2
Walls/pillars
lime stone
5.2.3
Interstorey
structure
timber
5.2.4
Roof
timber
5.3
Finishing material
5.3.1
Foundation
none
5.3.2
Walls/pillars
Interior: Lime plaster, frescoes
Façade: Lime plaster; not entirely plastered
5.3.3
Interstorey
structure
Painted wood (tabulatum)
5.3.4
Roof
Clay roof tiles
Standards
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PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
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6.0 Current Physical Condition
No.
Data Subfield
Received Information
6.1
Date of assessment
2011
6.2
Assessment
originator
Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of
Zagreb and Croatian Conservation Institute
6.3
General condition
Visible cracks in walls
6.4
Condition of critical
elements
Due to settlements, foundations need to be
strengthened and walls repaired
Standards
7.0 Protection / Legal Status
No.
Data Subfield
Received Information
7.1
Type of protection
Protected cultural heritage
7.2
Grade of protection
National importance
7.3
Date of protection
grant
1962
7.4
Reference number
N-6; Z-858
Standards
8.0 Major Risks
No.
Data Subfield
Received Information
Standards
8.1
Long-term
environmental
impact
A7: Long term loading
A2: Climate conditions fluctuations
A1: Bio-attack
According to the EU-CHIC
methodology (Table 1)
8.2
Sudden
environmental
impact
B1: Wind storm
According to the EU-CHIC
methodology (Table 1)
Anthropogenic
impact
C4: Vandalisms
8.3
B4: Earthquake
C3: Improper decisions
C1: Economic activities (tourism)
According to the EU-CHIC
methodology (Table 1)
PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
Data acquisition methods
No.
Data Subfield
Method
1.0
Names and
References
Documentation survey
2.0
Location
Documentation survey
3.0
Functional type
Documentation survey
Archival research
4.0
Dating
Art historical interpretation,
Critical source analysis
5.0
Structure
In-situ visual inspection
6.0
Current physical
condition
In-situ visual inspection,
Photographic report
Visual inspection
Structural assessment
Diagnostic/Measured survey
7.0
Protection / Legal
status
Documentation survey
8.0
Major Risks
Risk estimation
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PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
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Table 1. The list of major risks that influence heritage asset
A&B: Environmental Risks
C: Anthropogenic – Social
Risks
A: Long term influence
B: Sudden events
A1: Bio-attack
B1: Wind storm
C1: Economic activities
A2: Climate conditions fluctuations
B2: Fire
C2: Accidental events
A3: Aeolic impact
B3: Flood
C3: Improper decisions
A4: Water (Ground, Atmospheric)
B4: Earthquake
C4: Vandalisms
A5: Solar radiation
B5: Landslide
C5: Riots
A6: Particle matter& aerosols
B6: Avalanche
C6: Wars
A7: Long term loading
B7: Tsunami
A8: Geological conditions
(including local particularities)
B8: Volcano
PROTOCOL LEVEL 1: GENERAL DATA
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Table 2. Typology of heritage assets developed within FP7 project PERPETUATE
Class
Description
Assets
A
Architectonic assets with two main bearing structural elements:
vertical walls and horizontal floors. If they are properly
connected, mutual cooperation between the structural elements
allows the building to behave as a single box.
A1
A2
A3
A4
A5
palaces,
castles,
religious houses,
caravansaries,
madrasas
B
Architectonic assets, which are characterized, by wide spaces
without intermediate floors and few inner walls. An independent
damage mechanism occurs in the different parts of the building,
and it is often possible to recognize specific structural macro
elements (façade, triumphal arch, apse, dome, transept,).
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
churches,
mosques,
temples,
baptisteries,
mausoleum,
hammam
theatres
C
Architectonic assets in which the vertical dimension prevails on
the other ones. Since usually, these buildings are characterized
by significant slenderness, their seismic response may be
assumed as a global flexural behavior.
C1
C2
C3
C4
C5
towers,
bell towers,
minarets,
lighthouses,
chimneys
D
Architectonic assets in which the main structural element is an
arch or a vault. Both single arches and much more complex
constructions based on this basic structural element are
included.
D1
D2
D3
D4
triumphal arches,
aqueducts,
bridges,
cloisters
E
Massive constructions in which the wide thickness of walls, if
compared to other dimensions, doesn’t allow the idealization as
plane structural element. Local failure occurs as detachment of
external leaf.
E1 fortresses,
E2 ramparts
F
Single, isolated architectonic assets, which does not delimit an
interior space.
F1
F2
F3
F4
G
Historical centers composed of ordinary buildings’ aggregates,
which assume the relevance of cultural heritage asset as whole
in the urban context. Seismic response considers the interaction
among adjacent buildings.
columns,
trilithons,
obelisks,
ruins