St. Elijah in Metković
The original church of St. Elijah in Predolac was built in the late 17th or early 18th century. It was expanded twice (in 1780 and 1830), and due to the increased number of believers, construction of a new church soon began. Based on the floor plan from the Austrian land cadastre map (1836) and a comparison with other sacral buildings of that time in the Neretva valley, it can be concluded that this is a standard type of single-nave church of rectangular shape with an apse on the rear, eastern side.
Construction of the new church began in 1867 according to a design by engineer Juraj Marcocchi. The new St. Elias belongs stylistically to historicism, which appeared in Europe in the first half of the century, and after 1860 in Dalmatia. Historicism imitates historical European artistic styles, and the most prevalent styles in sacral construction are neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic.
The structural elements of St. Elias are a version of the Neo-Romanesque. The church belongs to the basilica type because the main nave is higher than the two side ones. In the interior, the naves are separated from each other by alternating one pillar and a staircase. The longitudinal volume of the church is interrupted at a right angle by the transverse nave – the transept. Windows with semicircular arches are arranged along the side walls of the side naves, on the walls of the transept and apse, and on the bell tower. The bell tower with a pyramidal top is located on the northeast side. The Neo-Romanesque stylistic expression is also present in the lunette and pediment above the portal on the west side and in the decoration of the upper outer edges of the walls of the main nave and transept with arcades. The small towers above the west facade and transept are reminiscent of Gothic phials and represent a version of the Neo-Gothic style.
The church was completed in 1874, and then the interior began to be furnished with altars and church furniture. The main altar and three side altars, which are works of the Split workshop of Pavle Bilinić, are noteworthy, and were made in the neo-Baroque style. The sculptures of St. Cyril and Methodius were later added to the main altar. The church underwent its most important renovation in 1995.
In front of the parish church of St. Elijah in Metković in 1990, on the second anniversary of his death, a monument to Father Ante Gabrić was unveiled, the work of academic sculptor Nina Sedlar.
Elijah in Metković
The original church of St. Elijah on Predolac was raised at the end of the 17 th or beginning of the 18 th century. It was expanded on two occasions (in 1780 and 1830); due to an increased number of believers, the construction of a new church was soon started. Based on the floor plan from the map of the Austrian land cadastre (1836) and by comparison with other sacral buildings of the time in the Neretva valley, one can conclude that this is the standard type of a single-nave church of a rectangular shape with an apse at the back, on the Eastern side.
The construction of a new church started in 1867 according to the design of engineer Juraj Marcocchi. With regard to the style, the new St. Elijah belongs to historicism emerging in the first half of the century in Europe and after 1860 also in Dalmatia. The historicism mimics the historic European art styles, while the sacral building is largely defined by the Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic styles.
The structural elements of St. Elijah are a version of the Neo-Romanesque style. The church belongs to the basilica types because the main nave is higher than the two side naves. Inside, the naves are divided by an exchange of pillars and stairs. The longitudinal volume of the church is interrupted at the right angle by a transverse nave – a transept. The windows with their semi-circular arches are positioned along the sidewalls of the secondary naves, on the walls of the transept and the apse and on the bell tower. The bell tower with a pyramidal ending is located to the Northeast. The Neo-Romanesque style expression is also present in the lunette and gable over the portal on the Western side and the decoration of the upper external edges of the wall of the main nave and transept with small arcades. The small bell towers above the western front and transept remind of Gothic pinnacles and represent a version of the Neo-Gothic style.
The church was completed in 1874, when the furnishing of its interior with altars and church furniture began. Standing out are the main and three side altars, works of Pavao Bilinić's workshop from Split, performed in the Neo-Baroque style. Later added to the main alter were the sculptures of St. Cyril and Methodius. The most significant renovation of the church took place in 1995.
In front of the parish church of St. Elijah in Metković in 1990, on the second anniversary of his death, a monument to father Ante Gabrić was uncovered, work of Nina Sedlar, an academic sculptor.