Nin is a picturesque town in central Dalmatia, near Zadar. The old city center was created on an island with a diameter of about five hundred meters. It is connected to the mainland by stone bridges from the 16th century.
The wider part of the city stands in the lagoon and is surrounded by sandy beaches. In the immediate vicinity of the upper city gate, right next to the medieval walls, stands the one-nave church of St. Ambrose from the 13th century. It is a simple stone building with Romanesque-Gothic features. It is built of carved white stone. It got its current appearance through multiple renovations through a colorful historical past. The church is used for Sunday masses and, because it is very acoustic, also for occasional concerts. It used to belong to a Benedictine monastery. The head of the monastery was abbot Teodobert, whose name is mentioned on a precious epigraphic monument – a fragment of the altar wall, decorated with woven ornaments and an inscription with the name of Prince Branimir (879-892).
Part of the inscription was found during the demolition of the medieval church of Saint Michael in Nin, on the present site of the Roman temple. The inscription reads: "In honor of Lord Branimir, Prince Slaven, Abbot Theodobert, I had this altar made, for the salvation of my soul." Whoever reads this should pray for me, a sinner." The monastery of St. Ambrose is the second Benedictine monastery in Croatia. The facade of the church emphasizes the characteristics of Romanesque construction with a simple entrance portal above which there is a cross-shaped opening and above it a narrow Romanesque window. Remains of the foundations testify that the church had a semicircular apse. The one-nave part was vaulted with a partially cylindrical ceiling made of tuff.
Today's rectangular apse, which measures 5 by 4 meters, was built later. In the 15th century, the church was renovated and the church space was enlarged. The church got its current appearance after a renovation in 1992.