Description:
Despite all the changes to the traditional way of life, a !arge number of traditional villages with unique wooden architecture is preserved in northern Croatia. Wooden chapels on natural hills, safely located above the surrounding flood areas of local rivers, also belong to this group. The wooden chapel of St. Martin in Stari Brod is a rare example of a traditional Baroque folk architecture with a completely preserved painted interior. Before the conservation and restoration, the chapel was in a dilapidated state: planks of painted wooden paneling were partially rotted, bent and cracked due to Iong-term exposure to high humidity, while deposits of tannin, binder, pigment and dirt were visible in the form of dark spots on the painted sides of the planks. The proper conservation and restoration of the chapel enabled the preservation of all of its important traditional and historical features. lts preservation is of the utmost importance for the local community since the chapel represents the main gathering site during funerals and processions, and, because of its age, it represents a strong symbol of multi-centennial survival of the village in spite of all the wars and floods.