The organ was handcrafted by Eisenbarth, one of the world’s finest traditional organ workshops, based in the German diocesan city of Passau. The previous cathedral organ, which had been in use since 1977, was damaged during the Croatian War of Independence. On the same day as the fall of Škabrnja, November 18, 1991, a projectile struck the organ. In the summer of 2007, the process of acquiring a new organ began with a meeting with Mr. Eisenbarth. Further consultations were held with other experts in Croatia, whose suggestions were best understood and implemented by mo. mr. Ante Knešaurek. He designed the organ’s disposition, and in 2008, a contract was signed with Eisenbarth for the construction of the new organ, which was subsequently crafted in their workshop.
The organ consists of 4,100 pipes, with a total value of €915,000. It is made from oak, pine, red cedar, walnut, and black spruce. Maestro mo. mr. Ante Knešaurek:
"This is a large French Classical-style organ, with a powerful yet refined sound, featuring highly sophisticated labial pipes. What makes Zadar unique—not just in Croatia but even beyond—is that this organ has three manuals (three rows of keys), a pedalboard, and as many as 56 registers. It is the third-largest church organ in Croatia but the finest in terms of craftsmanship and mechanical tracker action." Organ Builder Wolfgang Eisenbarth: "The organ was designed to meet the highest musical and technical standards while harmoniously integrating into the church’s architecture. The façade incorporates key architectural elements such as columns and arches while also keeping the cathedral’s rose window unobstructed. The orientation of the instrument follows the French 19th-century musical style, particularly its reed registers." In 2010, the German Eisenbarth company completed the construction of the new cathedral organ. The instrument follows a French-style disposition and includes the following registers:
I. manual (Grand Orgue) C–c4
Principal 16′
Principal 8′
Flûte majeure 8′
Bourdon 8′
Prestant 4′
Flûte 4′
Quinte 2 2/3′
Doublette 2′
Cornet V 2 2/3′
Gross Fourniture IV-V 2 2/3'
Gross Cymbale IV 1 1/3′
Bombarde 16′
Trompette 8′
Clairon 4
II. manual (Positif expressif) C–c4
Bourdon 16′
Principal 8′
Flûte à cheminée 8′
Salicional 8′
Quintatön 8′
Octave 4′
Flûte douce 4'
Nazard 2 2/3′
Flageolet 2′
Tierce 1 3/5′
Larigot 1 1/3′
Plein jeu III-IV 1 1/3′
Clarinette 16′
Cromorne 8'
Voix humaine 8'
Tremblant
III. manual (Récit expressif) C–c4
Bourdon 16′
Diapason 8′
Flûte d'orchestre 8′
Cor de nuit 8′
Viol de Gambe 8′
Voix céleste 8′
Flûte harmonique 4′
Viole 4′
Nazard harmonique 2 2/3′
Octavin 2'
Tierce harmonique 1 3/5′
Piccolo 1′
Plein Jeu harmonique II-V 2′
Basson 16'
Trompette harmonique 8'
Hautbois 8′
Clairon harmonique 4′
Tremblant
Pédale C–g1
Untersatz 32′
Principalbass 16′
Contrabass 16′
Subbass 16′
Octave 8′
Flûte 8′
Octave 4′
Contrabombarde 32′
Bombarde 16′
Trompette 8′
Zimbelstern
Mechanical couplings: II-I, III-I, III-II, I-P, II-P, III-P. Electric couplings: Sub III, Super III, Sub III-I, Super III-I, Sub III-II, Super III-II. 4,000 free combinations and two crescendo rollers.