Illyrian Seminary

The Illyrian Seminary in Omiš was founded by the Archbishop of Split, Pacifik Bizza, in 1750 with a clear goal: to educate future Glagolitic priests who would celebrate mass in the Old Church Slavonic language. The building is located on Prik, directly opposite the pre-Romanesque Church of St. Peter, and it is interesting that it was built on the foundations of even older Benedictine and Franciscan monasteries. The seminary operated until 1879 and was one of the few places where the Glagolitic tradition was systematically preserved and transmitted. At the entrance you will find a plaque from 1761, which marks the completion of the complex's decoration. The building itself bears recognizable late Baroque elements – the porch and facade immediately catch the eye, and such architecture was a rarity in Dalmatia at the time. Today, part of the seminary has been converted into a chamber theater, while the rest is used for various cultural events, including performances at the famous Dalmatian Klapa Festival. The building is protected as an immovable cultural property, which further confirms its importance for the history and architecture of Omiš. One interesting fact that many people do not know: it was precisely thanks to this seminary that Omiš was one of the key places in Dalmatia where the Glagolitic script and the Old Church Slavonic liturgy were preserved, despite the strong Turkish and Orthodox influences in the region. The seminary thus became a symbol of the Catholic Church's persistence in preserving national identity.