the brochure About Rovinj

Gratis
Romantic Mediterranean
Tourist guide
Rovinj Rovigno
English
Ruvigni, Rovegno, Rovigno, Rovinj
On the magnificent coast of Istria (Croatia), right below the Lim Fjord, is the most romantic
place in the Mediterranean! The town of Rovinj is the right destination for all of you seeking
a sentimental atmosphere of the times that have forever gone by. In the Mediterranean,
you can find it here, in the town that has begun its romantic life on an island, its restricted
area resulting in crowded houses, narrow streets and small squares, still untouched by modern urbanism. On the seaside, the town is protected by a high rocky shore and house walls
built on cliffs, while the mainland side is protected by solid walls. The town is dominated by
the baroque St. Euphemia’s Church, its 60-meter tower providing a view of grey and red
rooftops and chimneys, streets and squares, the port and pier with ships and boats, and the
marina harboring yachts.
This unique old town core, the 67-kilometer shoreline, 2,289 ha of protected green surfaces
and improved park forests, 22 islands, islets and reefs, make this town unique. Built upon
a rich fishermen’s tradition, it has become distinctive for its unique boat called batana and
its songs bitinada. Its beauty was particularly appreciated by artists who have painted the
most beautiful motifs here and exhibited them on Grisia, the street of artists.
This is place providing endless options – walks in wonderful nature, sport and recreation
activities, sailing, diving, climbing, biking, discovering hidden beauties, cultural antiques,
archeological sites and culinary specialties, all combined with accommodation in high-quality hotels, tourist resorts and camps providing numerous possibilities for a pleasant holiday,
wellness delights, business conferences and sporting activities.
Romantic and mysterious, yet full of options for an unforgettable time, Rovinj has become
and will remain a town you want to revisit.
1
ROVINJ – FACTS AND FIGURES
Population: 14,294
Town Area: 80 sq km
Population Density: 178.68 inhabitants per sq km
Official Language: Croatia and Italian
Geographic Position: latitude: 45°01‘; longitude: 13°38‘; east of Greenwich
Climate: Mediterranean (January 5°C to 9°C, August 22°C to 25°C)
Sea Temperature: above 20°C (June – September)
Average Annual Sea Temperature: 16.6°C
Sunny Hours per Year: 2,393.3
Archipelago: 22 islands
Coastline Length: 67 km
Protected Area: 2,289 hectares (coastal area and the islands)
MEET ROVINJ
CULTURAL AND
HISTORICAL SIGHTS
ISLAND - PENINSULA
Rovinj’s life started on what used to be the
island of Mons Albanus. The first archeological traces of life date back to the Bronze
Age, and the old city started developing in
the 3rd century. At the beginning of the 18th
century, the city started expanding outside
the city walls to the mainland. The channel
between the island and the mainland was
filled with earth in 1763. And so, the old part
of the city found itself on a peninsula. The
old city bears witness to the times gone
by and the diligence of local masters. The
limited space conditioned the construction
of narrow houses, narrow streets and small
squares. The characteristically built chimneys are a special feature of the old city as
well. Thanks to the above-mentioned special features, the old city was proclaimed a
monument of culture in 1963.
CITY PALACE WITH THE
OLD CITY HALL
The seat of the City mayor and the entire
city administration, once this was the Praetorian Palace whose “foundations” date
back to 1308. In one part of the ground
floor there was also a prison while on the
upper floor there was City Council Hall, offices and the file room. The front and the
atrium were restored in 1850 and 1860
and in 1935 when the coats of arms were
placed there representing Venetian and
Rovinj families and the City.
Matteotti Square 2, www.rovinj.hr
TOWN CLOCK
It is located on the main town square in
Rovinj. It once represented the tower on
the south corner of the former town walls.
Built in the 17th century, the tower was
extended several times. There used to be
a prison below the tower for minor offenders. The town clock with its Venetian lion,
the symbol of Serenissima dating back
to mid-19th century, was situated on the
town gate fort near the Califfi Palace.
TOWN WALLS AND GATES
As early as in the 7th century, Rovinj was
surrounded by city walls that were subsequently strengthened by towers. The
city had seven gates, three of which have
been preserved to this day: The Gate of St.
Benedict, The Portica and The Gate of the
Holy Cross.
BALBI’S ARCH
The Balbi Arch stands on the site of the
main gate to the fortified town of Porton
della pescheria. The old gate was pulled
down in 1678/79 and the Balbi Arch, a stone-coated Venetian structure, was built in
its place. The upper part of the arch is decorated with a sculpted head. On the outer
side of the arch the head is sculpted in the
Turkish, and the on the inner side in the
Venetian style. About one hundred years
later, the architrave of the Balbi Arch was
decorated with two emblems of the Balbi
family, in between which there is a stone
tablet with an inscription and above it a
sculpted Venetian lion. The stone lion is
unique by its open book inscription which
reads: VICTORIA TIBI MARCE EVANGE5
LISTA MEVS. The lion’s open book marks
the time when the town fell under Venetian rule without struggle.
CENTRE FOR HISTORICAL RESEARCH
OF THE ITALIAN UNION
Founded in 1968, it is situated in the immediate vicinity of the city palace. The
Center disposes with a large library (more
than 80.000 works) that has had the status of „Biblioteca depositaria del Consiglio
d´Europa“ since 1995 – the library where
the European Council’s material, related to
the issues from human rights and minority
rights, is archived. From 15th to 18th century, this was the location of St. Damjan’s
public granary and then in 1872 it became
the location of the first tobacco manufacture in Rovinj.
Mateotti Square 13 , tel. 00385/52/811-133,
www.crsrv.org
THE ANTONIO GANDUSIOTHEATER
Is a visionary legacy of one of Rovinj’s
mayors from the late 19th century, Nicolo
Church of St. Euphemia
6
de Califfi. It is interesting to know that he
prepared the drawings for it himself and
the building was completed in 1854. With
its baroque grace and perfect integration
in the original environment, its elegant and
functional interior design with a special
emphasis on detail, the Antonio Gandusio Theater deserved to be called a true
attraction of both Rovinj and the Croatian
cultural heritage. The theater was named
after one of the greatest theater and film
comedians, an Italian ‘’novocento’’ born in
Rovinj in 1873.
Since these times to date, the popular
Gandusio has never stopped being a gladly
visited home of drama burlesque, operas
and operettas, political and other conventions and events, as well as true musical &
theatrical rarities such as the Calvachino,
a masked dance to the beat of mazurka,
gallop, waltz and polka.
Valdibora 17, tel. 00385/52/811-588,
00385/52/830-099
MEET ROVINJ
CHURCHES
CHURCH OF ST. EUPHEMIA
This Venetian Baroque building and the
largest monument in the city was restored
between 1725 and 1736. The outside length of the church is 51.11 m and its width is
30.26 m. The central nave is 17.71 m high,
whereas the other two are 10.11 m high. At
the site where this impressive church stands today, the Chapel of St. George (Sv. Juraj)
had been located until the 10th century. St.
George remained the co-patron of the parish. His statue decorates the main altar of
the parish church. When in 800 the sarcophagus containing the body of the Christian
martyr Euphemia was brought into the city,
the citizens of the surrounding settlements
came to visit the tomb of St. Euphemia. The
construction of the bell tower started on
December 3, 1651 when the founding stone
was placed. It was constructed according to
the architectural design by Milanese architect Alessandro Monopola. It should have
been just like the one of the Church of St.
Mark in Venice. The construction lasted 26
years. The large copper statue of St. Euphemia, by the Vallani brothers from Maniago,
was set up at the top of the bell tower in
1758 where a wooden statue destroyed by
thunder in 1756 used to be. The statue was
fixed so that it turns on its bearings around
its axis by the strength of wind. It was restored thoroughly in 1834 after being severely
damaged by thunder.
ROMANESQUE CHURCH
OF THE HOLY TRINITY
The most important and best preserved
Romanesque building. It is located at Trg
na lokvi, near the Bus Station. It is a sevenangle building containing in its interior a
circular space with seven niches and a
dome. It has all the features characteristic
of the transition from the Romanesque
into the Gothic style. A true authentic architecture gem is the beautifully preserved
Early Romanesque transenna presenting
Golgotha and the images of the Holy
Mary, Mary Magdalene, St. Peter, St. John
the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. No
masses are held at the church today. It has
been turned into a gallery.
Trg na lokvi bb
CHURCH OF OUR
MOTHER OF MERCY
It is located in Carducci Street. The exact
date of its construction is unknown, however it is known that it was consecrated in
1487. Based on the inscription ‘Scip. Benz.
P. 1584.’, i.e. Scipione Benzon Podesta 1584
that includes a nobility coat of arms, we
can conclude that it was restored in 1584.
The church contains valuable carved wooden benches made in the Late Baroque
style and numerous votive gifts hanging
on the walls of the church, bearing significance to the history of maritime activity in
Rovinj. According to the tombstone on the
floor, Countess Elisabetta Angelini-Califfi,
known as ‘the mother of the poor’, was buried in this church on December 13, 1762.
CHURCH OF ST. BENEDICT
This small church is located at a small
square surrounded by high buildings. This
square and the street bear the same name
Pod lukovima. The Gate of St. Benedict,
known today as Vrata na obali, is located
close by. The church was built in the 14th
century and the monks from the monastery situated on St. Catherine’s Island
(Otok Sv. Katarine) came to serve in this
church. The holy mass is held once a year,
on the occasion of St. Benedict’s Day.
CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS
This small church from the 14th century is
located in Holy Cross Street, close to the
Gate of the Holy Cross (Vrata Sv. Križa).
The year 1592 is inscribed on the doorpost
of the entrance door because that is when
the porch was raised and the facade put
7
up. The legend says that the sarcophagus
in which the remains of St. Euphemia were
carried had rested there for a while. The
inscription written on the pole at the foot
of the church, set up on a rock by the sea,
bears witness thereto.
CHAPEL OF ST. THOMAS
THE APOSTLE
The Chapel of St. Thomas the Apostle is a
wonderful monument of medieval architecture. It was mentioned in the 14th century
and expanded in 1723 – the street area with
a fresco displaying the crucifix was roofed.
Built in 1388, this is a very interesting building: the entrance is accessible by stairs,
it was partially built in the same arch/gate
and it has a small bell tower on the top. It
belonged to the Fraternity of St. Francis.
CHURCH OF ST. CHRISTOPHER
It is situated one kilometer east of Valalta
at the edge of a fertile plain called Bazilika.
This is parallelogrammic building with a
semicircular protruding apside that is somewhat narrower than the central nave.
The exterior side of the walls contains
shallow column parts conencted with
arches on the upper side. The walls were
built quite rustically, which indicates they
were made by an unskilled builder, and
plastered inside and outside. The roof of
the church consists of a wooden structure
covered by channels, while the roof of the
apside is covered by slate. According to
the styling characteristics, it dates back to
the Romanesque era.
CHAPEL OF THE LADY OF HEALTH
Erected in 1779, the Chapel of the Lady of
Health is situated on the left side at the end
of Švalba Street. The chapel contains valuable paintings on canvass and the altar painting is a copy of the painting from the famous Church of the Lady of Health in Venice.
CHURCH OF ST. THOMAS
It is located 4 km from Rovinj, right next
to the old Rovinj-Kanfanar railroad. The
layout is the shape of a cross, with subsequently added bell tower on the north
side. In the 16th century, radical construction works were performed in the church,
completely changing its original form. The
lateral arches were closed off so it became
a single-nave building. The west part of the
building was significantly shortened and a
new façade with two rectangular windows
was built. During the most recent research, they found some ten fragments of
pre-Romanesque architectural plastic and
parts of church furniture – fragments of
transoms, parapets, altar divider pilasters,
columns with capitals… Based on the previoius knowledge about the church, it was
probably built in the late 8th or early 9th
century. The Church of St. Thomas is a
nice example of sacral architecture during
the Carolinian era in Istria.
CHURCH OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW
It is located by the edge of a plain beneath Valalta Bay. These are the remains of
a Romanesque church missing the façade
and the roof.
CHURCH OF ST. DAMIEN
This small church is halfway between Palud
Wetlands and St. Damien’s Cape. It was
largely devastated so it now looks like a
parallelogrammic building with no roof and
ORATORY OF OUR LADY
OF SORROWS
The church, popularly called Oratorio, can
be entered from two sides, from S. Chiurco
Street and from Švalbina Street. In medieval times, the building included a shelter
for foreign and poor people, and a church
in one section of the upper floor.
A statue of Our Lady of Sorrows stands
at the altar, in a niche with a glass door.
In many ways Oratorio complements and
substitutes the Church of St. Euphemy.
Church services are therefore held daily.
8
MEET ROVINJ
facade. According to its styling characteristics, it was created between the 11th and
12th centuries, during the Romanesque era.
FRANCISCAN MONASTERY
The construction of this beautiful Baroque
building started in 1702. The monastery
belongs to a type of claustral city monasteries and, according to its integral parts,
it is traditional and adjusted to the life of
the monks and the wider community.
It combines work, worship, habitation,
feeding, entertainment and activities important for our environment. The church
was finished in 1710 and consecrated to
St. Francis of Assisi. The monastery library
stores a collection of about twelve thousand books, mainly of theological content,
some of which date from the 16th, 17th
and 18th centuries and are true rarities.
The library was annexed to the monastery in 1878. The monastery also has a
monastery collection of over 250 exhibits
representing various and diverse evidence
of human creativity, knowledge and achie-
vement. The objects were made applying
traditional art and craft techniques and
using various materials. Let us mention
some: Herbarium from 1756; Reliquary of
the Holy Cross and the Torture Pole from
the 18th century; Icon of the Holy Mary
and Child from the 16th century; and other.
DeAmicis 36, tel. 052/830-390
MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES
ROVINJ – A CITY OF PAINTERS
The Rovinj Art Colony and a number of
exchanges of exhibitions, organized in cooperation with other museums and galleries, take place in exhibition spaces of the
Rovinj Native Museum in July. A special
treat for the eyes and the soul is The Grisia,
a traditional art event that has been organized for decades on the second Sunday in
August along the street bearing the same
name. The old city abounds in numerous
medieval churches, many of which are
Native Museum
9
used by painters as their exhibition spaces
and ateliers.
NATIVE MUSEUM
It is located in a Baroque palace of the counts of Califfi from the 17th/18th century.
It was established in 1954 at the initiative
of Rovinj fine artists. Their idea was to
establish a place where cultural wealth could be stored, as well as a place where numerous exhibition activities could be held.
The first director of the museum was artist
Zora Matić. The wishes of the founders
have determined its contents and activities
to these days. The museum operates in the
public interest in a twofold role - as a city
gallery and a place where more valuable
items from the rich museum collection are
permanently exhibited: archaeological exhibition, maritime section, collection of works
by old masters, contemporary Croatian art
and Alexander Kircher’s room. During its
50-year-long existence, rich and valuable
collections were created: collection of contemporary art (about 1500), collection of
Batana House Eco Museum
10
works by old masters, collection of archaeological findings, etnological items, books,
documents and photographs presenting the
activities of the Pino Budicin Partisan Battalion, and other. Because of the scarcity of space and the rich gallery activity program, only
a small fragment of the museum wealth is
available for the visitors today.
Working hours: 01.06.-30.09.: from 10,0014,00 and 18,00-22,00; Saturdays and
Sundays from 10,00-14,00 and 19,00-22,00;
01.10.-31.05.: from 10,00-13,00; Sundays and
Mondays closed.
Trg Maršala Tita 11, 052/052/816-720, www.
muzej-rovinj.hr
BATANA HOUSE ECO MUSEUM
The House of Batana is an interpretation
and documentary center of the eco-museum opened to the public in 2004. The fact
that it stretches on two floors of a typical
Rovinj multi-storey house established at
the end of the 17th century on the coast of
the peninsular town center, indicates how
the eco-museum is integrated into the daily
life of Rovinj and its citizens. For centuries,
the present-day House of Batana served as
home to families of fishermen, sailors and
craftsmen. There is a family living above the
museum even today. It is truly an unforgettable sight when you see freshly washed
clothes fluttering in the wind above the
entrance to the House of Batana, inviting
visitors to a completely different museum
experience from all they have had so far!
The permanent exhibition, called Muòstra
in the Rovinj dialect, stretches on as little as
100 sq meters encompassing three gallery
spaces and an entrance desk with a souvenir shop. The exhibition is multimedial: the
short and conscise accompanying texts are
complemented by various visual material
(museum objects, drawings, archival and
contemporary photographs, films, slide
projections and interactive exhibits). A
unique example of innovative use of new
technologies (digital camera and compu-
MEET ROVINJ
ter) for the purpose of documenting the
traditional art of shipbuilding, resulting in
a compressed 15 minute slide show presenting, as part of the permanent exhibition, the two month process of building the
batana called Oûn rìgno (Kingdom). More
than 90% of the exhibts were donated by
citizens who also participated in the entire
process of creating the exhibition. The sounds of typical Rovinj fishermen’s songs
called bitinade are heard in the background;
the visitors are guided in three languages:
Rovinj dialect, Croatian and Italian; and there are brochures in English and German.
Working hours: 01.06.-30.09.: from 10,0014,00 and 19,00-23,00; In the other months
from 10,00-13,00 and 16,00-18,00 Mondays
closed. In January and February the museum
can be visited with prior notice.
Obala Pina Budicina 2, tel. 052/812-593,
www.batana.org
TRANI GALLERY, WORKSHOP AND
ETHNO COLLECTION – A STORY
TOLD BY OLD ROVINJ FISHERMEN
In his gallery space located in the very heart of the city the author and owner Mr.
Trani makes wooden models of batanas
in various sizes. The visitors can see here
over 100 exhibits – from paintings and
sculptures dedicated to the fishermen and
the sea, models of batanas and other vessels, to the old tools Rovinj shipbuilders
used when making these characteristic
boats. Certain tools date from over 200
years ago and are considered priceless
exhibits bearing witness to the times past.
Working hours: every day during the evening
Mazzini 1
BATANA CENTER OF VISUAL ARTS
The Batana Center of Visual Arts has operated since 1951 when it was known as the
Rovinj -Rovigno Film Club. Through its activities, education and exhibitions, it popularized photography. Since 1990 it has been
operating as the Batana Center of Visual
Arts. The association of photographers of
the Batana Center of Visual Arts organizes
public performances, exhibitions, as well
as educational and promotional programs
through photography, projections of films,
videos and information media. The Batana
Photo Art Gallery operates as part of the
Center, as the holder of the cultural program respected throughout Europe and the
world, namely the Mundial Photo Festival.
Trg brodogradilišta 2, tel. 052/830-711
ADRIS GALLERY
The Gallery was opened in 2001 and since
then it has hosted the exhibitions by many
eminent artists such as Edo Murtić, Vlaho
Bukovac, Oton Gliha, Dušan Džamonja
and others.
Obala Vladimira Nazora 1, tel. 052/801-122,
www.adris.hr
ST. TOMA GALLERY
It is located on Bregovita street and is the
second gallery facility operated by the Native Museum of the Town of Rovinj.
GALLERIES AND ATELIERS
The tradition of painting and the beauty
of the city have always drawn artists to
spend the summer in Rovinj or to permanently stay here. Today, several eminent
contemporary artists live and work in the
city. They are the members of Croatian
associations of painters and have gained
their reputation on numerous Croatian
and international art competitions. Some
of them open their work areas to public, so
you can visit them and get to know them
and feel the air of the creative atmosphere
that surrounds them. Find the addresses of
atelier-galleries on the list, also check out
the web sites of these artists.
THE LIST OF ATELIERS –
GALLERIES IN ROVINJ:
Kolarić Branko, “A®TELIER”, S. Chiurco 1
working hours:
11
from 01. 05. to 30.09.: 10–13 and 18-23
from 01. 10. to 30.04.: by appointment
tel. 00385/98/911-7986
[email protected], www.wix.com/brankokolaric/brankokolaric
Luketić Lada, Grisia 16
working hours:
from 10. 06. to 30.10.: 11–15 and 19-23
from 01. 11. to 01.06.: by appointment
tel. 00385/98/180-8677
[email protected]
tel. 00385/91/889-0586,
00385/52/830-995 [email protected],
[email protected]
Pavlović Stevan – Atelier „S“,
Savičentska 42, tel. 00385/52/815-139
www.stevanart.net ,
[email protected]
Mina Puškarić – Atelier Nature,
Natorijev prolaz bb, tel. 00385/91/794-4691
Rapaić Davor, “atelier dr”, Calnova 7
working hours:
from 01. 05. to 30.09.: 10–14 and 18-22
from 01. 10. to 30.04.: by appointment
tel. 00385/91/576-2695
If you are interested in the sightseeing
of the city and its cultural and historical
attractions, contact the Tourist Guide
Association, tel. 00385/91/927-2709, email: [email protected].
Ražov Nikola, Atelier “3R”, Montalbano 13
working hours:
from 01. 05. to 30.09.: 10–13 and 18-23
from 01. 10. to 30.04.: by appointment
tel. 00385/92/231-6507 (Jovana Ražov)
PROTECTED NATURAL
HERITAGE SITES
[email protected],
www.davorrapaic.com
[email protected]
Svilar Rajko, prof. painter and graphic artist, Atelier “ARS”, Grisia 48
working hours:
from 01. 05. to 30.09.: 10–14 and 18-24
from 01. 10. to 30.04.: 10-16 and on call
Island Sv. Ivan na Pučini
12
ROVINJ ISLANDS AND
THE COASTAL AREA
These natural landscapes belong to the
category of ‘landscapes of outstanding value’ because of 2.289 ha protected green
areas. 22 islands and islets. One should
MEET ROVINJ
not be surprised to learn this, as the indented coast, holm oak, Alpine and Bruce
pine forests and the special agricultural
spaces amaze and capture by their beauty
and level of preservation. This ‘landscape
of outstanding value’ stretches from St.
John’s Cape (Rt Sv. Ivana) to Barbariga and
encompasses all twenty or so Rovinj islands and islets and the coastal area up to the
distance of 500 m from the coastline. The
St Andrew Island (Otok Sv. Andrija), occupying an area of 23 hectares, is the largest
island of the Rovij archipelago, followed by
the beautiful St. Catherine’s Island (Otok
Sv. Katarine), a true rarity in terms of vegetation. Botanists have recorded as many
as 456 plant species there.
serve’ in Istria. Ornithologists have recorded here more than 200 bird species. Since hunters are not allowed into the park,
there are also a lot of pheasants, partridges and quails here. Various types of wild
duck, water-hens, grebes and common
snipes, garden warblers, golden orioles,
woodpeckers, tawny pipits and shrieks live
and nest here continuously. Besides thick
authentic forests with beautiful specimens
of pubescent and holm oak, the northern
part of the wetlands includes a real rainforest with huge willow trees. The gulls nest
on the Two Little Sisters Islands (Dvije
sestrice), whereas the Gustinja Cape is a
unique ‘forest vegetation reserve’ due to
the very precious holm oak.
GOLDEN CAPE FOREST PARK
Golden Cape (Zlatni rt) is the most significant park area on our side of the Adriatic
coast. Apart from a thousand indigenous
and naturalized plant species, such as the
holm oak and Alpine pine communities,
many other species have been brought
to this centuries-old shade – cedar trees,
stone pine trees and ten types of cypress
trees that contribute to the Mediterranean
atmosphere of the forest park. Free sample of Golden cape brochure You can get
at the Tourist Board of the Town of Rovinj.
SALINE
Saline is located right next to the Valalta
area – this is a sort of a lagoon, muddy
grounds with particularly interesting flora,
where numerous and diverse birds stop by.
THE PHANTASY QUARRY
This is a ‘protected geological natural site’.
There is no better example or clearer indicator of geological occurrences in the
karst, of the structure and forces that had
shaped this former quarry. It is located in
Monfiorenzo (at the very exit from Rovinj,
on the road leading from Rovinj to Pula).
PALUD WETLANDS AND THE
DVIJE SESTRICE ISLANDS
(TWO LITTLE SISTERS)
In the Palud Cove, located eight kilometers
southwest of Rovinj, there is the first, and
so far, the only ‘special ornithological re-
LIM BAY
It is situated on the western coast of Istria,
a 20 minute drive from Rovinj. The length of
the bay from the coastal edge on the western
coast of Istria to the most distant part of the
sea-filled valley is 12.8 km. With the dry part
of the Lim Bay extending from the valley,
the total length reaches about 35 km. It was
proclaimed a protected geomorhological
and hydrogeological site in the category of
protected landscapes in 1964, and a special
sea reserve in 1980. The Lim Bay originated
as the estuary of the Pazinčica River (a seafilled river estuary) that is today sinking into
the Pazin Cave near Pazin, while it used to
flow into the sea through the Lim Bay. The
sea forced its way into the old riverbed, thus
forming the present-day Lim Bay. Its name
is derived from the latin word limes, which
means a boundary (this is the area where
the border between the provinces of Italy
and Dalmatia used to be in Roman time).
The bay is a protected landscape and its si13
des are covered in various types of macchia,
honey oak and cedars. Such vegetational diversity on a relatively narrow area represents
a unique phenomenon and a special ecological value. At its northern entrance, the bay
coast reaches 26, on its southern side 67,
and in the center 95m in height.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
MONKODONJA – MUŠEGO
Hill-fort settlement Monkodonja is situated about 5 km south-east of Rovinj and
was discovered in 1953 when the first
excavations were carried out. Since 1997
comprehensive research has been carried
out as well as the partial reconstruction of
the architecture. The settlement, girded by
strong dry walls, is located on the leveled
top and wide terraces that originate back
to the period when stone blocks were dug
out and used for construction. It was inhabited in the period from 2000 to 1200 B.C.
The grave tumuli on Mušeg are situated
1.5 km from Monkodonja. Grave monuments such as grave-mounds, with differently constructed details, with the radius
of 11 meters and above, were constructed
with large stone blocks. In the middle of
every tumulus, there is a stone chest built
with carefully carved and composed slabs.
Their covering slabs were broken by grave
thieves. The remains of amber pearls and
faiences were left behind, as well as the
parts of bronze jewellery.
VILLA RUSTICA
The remains of the ancient Villa Rustica
can be found in Cisterna Bay, around 1 km
south of the Veštar Bay. Many fragments
of ancient ceramics are spread across the
area, especially along the shore (amforae,
siphons, oil lamps…), while the remains of
ancient walls disappearing into the ground
in the coastal belt can be seen in several
14
places along the shore. In the ancient times, there was an outhouse in the area
surrounding the villa, that was used for
processing of olives and grapes grown on
the fertile plains of the hinterland. In 1991,
an ancient grave dating back to the 2nd –
4th century was found right on the shore.
ST. DAMIJAN QUARRY
The remains of an ancient quarry can be
found on the Cape of Sv. Damijan on the
north side of Sv. Paul Bay. It is situated right
by the shore and stretches over 300 m2.
Its lower level is almost at sea level, while the highest point is at around 7 meters,
indicating that around 1000 m3 of stone
blocks was extracted from the quarry.
INTERESTING HISTORICAL
FEATURES
THE LEGEND OF ST. EUPHEMIA
In the year 800, the church bells began
to ring excitedly in the early morning. The
residents all flocked down to the sea. A
marble sarcophagus floated in like a stone ship. The awestruck residents of Rovinj
tried to pull the stone tomb into town by
using horse and ox carriages, but in vain.
Neither the strong muscles nor the human
wit helped – it took an act of God. The saint only presented herself to a small boy
and said: „I am Euphemia of Chalcedon
and I have engaged Jesus with by blood.
You will take out the stone ark with your
body“. And indeed, the boy harnessed his
week calves before the amazed crowd and
pulled the sarcophagus up to the church
on the top of the town hill. They opened
it there and saw the motionless body of
a beautiful girl. Next to her was a scroll of
parchment paper with these words written
on it: Hoc est corpus Euphemiae Sancte!
This is the body of Saint Euphemia, a virgin
martyr of Chalcedon born for the heaven
MEET ROVINJ
on 16 September of the year of our Lord
304. Amazingly, every story about Rovinj
still begins with the tale of St. Euphemia,
over 1200 years after its creation. Not only
is the martyr of Chalcedon still a celebrated guardian of the town, but the legend of
St. Euphemia is associated with the search
for hidden meaning of the beginning of tourism in Rovinj. As it happens, on her day,
16 September, Rovinj has always become
the greatest meeting point of Istria.
CLIMATE RESORT MARIA
THERESA SEEHOSPITZ
The resort was opened in 1888, which is considered to be the official beginning of tourism
in Rovinj. Children from across Austro-Hungary, Germany, Russia and other countries
came here for treatment and rehabilitation.
The site of the resort was determined after
careful studying of the location, climate, flora
and fauna. Research has shown that Rovinj
has the best microclimate and the crucial fact
was that it had been spared from the malaria
epidemic that devastated Pula and Brijuni
Island in the second half of the 19th century.
The chosen construction site was the intact area of the Muccia peninsula with a big
sandy beach next to it, which is still used for
treatment. In the late 1885, a company was
established that was to build and arrange
the resort and on New Year’s Eve, Archduchess Maria Theresa von Österreich began
to manage it and launched the initiative for
construction. A fund raising campaign was
launched soon afterwards. Both the state
administration and numerous figures from
the Viennese aristocracy became involved
and the executive design of the building was
commissioned. As early as 1888, a resort
with 210 beds was built on Muccia and sick
children from all parts of the Monarchy began to arrive.
GEORG HÜTTEROTT
In 1890, Georg H tterott, a successful entrepreneur of German origin bought four
islands and in the years to come added
land in the broader region of the present
Golden Cape - Zlatni Rt , which he slowly
proceeded to enrich with both Mediterranean and exotic plant species.
In 1908, he personally published a booklet,
actually a project as he referred to it, entitled ‘’Climate Resort Cap Aureo near Rovinj, Istria “. After construction of a railway
all the way to Pula, with an exit for Rovinj
in Kanfanar, the center of the Monarchy,
Vienna, was finally connected with its southern province.
Having improved the islands of St. Andrija
and Maškin and received respectable guests there, Hütterott acquainted the public
with his plans for Golden Cape - Zlatni Rt.
A mere glance at the map within the Project revealed his ambitious plan to build
hotels, villas and bathing resorts in the area
already provided with pathways, tree lines
and landscaped meadows. The modern
climate resort was to provide first-class
accommodation in a heavenly part forest.
The small red visionary booklet raised the
value of the land previously purchased
in Zlatni Rt, offers began to come in, but
Hütterott did not even consider selling. In
1910, only two years after the booklet was
published, the premature death of Georg
Hütterott forever erased the vision of Zlatni Rt as it was intended to be. Only a part
of the landscaped area was implemented
and we can leave project completion to
our imagination. After careful consideration, the project being implemented to a
minor extent is actually a better outcome
because an undeveloped oasis of quiet
was inherited almost in the town center. In
these times of excessive construction, this
oasis is priceless and has every right to be
referred to as the Golden Cape – Zlatni rt.
COUNT MILEWSKI
Count Milewski was a nobleman of Polish-Lithuanian origin. He had a connection with the history of Rovinj since 1905
15
when he purchased the island of St. Katarina. Tired of his turbulent living, he
sought peace in Rovinj on the island of
St. Katarina where he began his peculiar
solitary lifestyle. He wanted to create his
own heaven on earth, but also planned
to transform the island into a glamorous
tourist spot, build his own residence and
provide an array of amenities for rich customers. He got to work seriously: he rented a tugboat and tow ships and brought
enormous amounts of soil from the areas
around Rovinj and Vrsar, spread them
around the karstic terrain on the island
and then enriched it by systematic foresting. It is worth mentioning that there
was certain rivalry with Baron Hütterott –
thanks to them, Rovinj now has one of the
most beautifully wooded environments
with an abundant 100-year forest on the
entire Croatian coast. As he grew old, Milewski began to pave all pathways around
the island to be able to enjoy pleasant
strolls or cart rides around the island. He
built four piers on the island and several
rainwater tanks, only to proceed to build a spacious, elegant and magnificent
castle in the middle, at the lowest point
of the island, as well as a separate building with guestrooms in the place of the
former hospice and monastery near the
bell tower of St. Katarina’s Church. The
plan also provided for a real casino in the
castle. Milewski never planned to share
his island with the residents of Rovinj and
restricted their access to the island, but
did, however, began to build a separate
bathing resort for them where the present Delfin swimming pool is. He died of
a heart attack in 1926 at the age of 81.
Island St. Katarina
Georg Hütterott
16
Maria Theresia Seehospitz
MANIFESTATIONS
MANIFESTATIONS
AND EVENTS
AND EVENTS
Regatta of Boat with Latin Sails
During the year you can take part in numerous entertaining and cultural manifestations. You can get detailed information
in the brochure Calendar of events (you
can get a free sample of the Brochure in
the Tourist Board) and we single out the
following:
- Regatta of boats with Latin sails (June)
- Rovinj Photodays (June)
- Summer Sensual Days (June)
- Croatian Summer Salsa festival (June)
- Fisherman’s Tradition Evenings (July)
- The Festival Sete Sois Sete Luas – festival
of mediterranean music (July)
- BaRoMus – Baroque Music Festival
(June/July)
- The Rovinj Summer Festival (July/August/September)
- Grisia exhibition (August)
- The Night of St. Lawrence (August)
- Rovinj’s Night (August)
- St. Euphemia Day Celebrations (September)
- Batana Procession with Lanterns and
Dinner in Spaccio (June/July/August/Sepbember)
- Weekend Media Festival (September)
- Festival of Argentinean Tango (October)
Concerts
27
GASTRONOMY
Relax and enjoy the hospitality, kindness
and expertise with which your hosts will
guide you through the gastronomic experience of Istria, a unique blend of authentic
Mediterranean and the richness of fruits
of the tame interior, our interpretation of
the best traditions of European and world
cuisines.
Enjoy the abundance of gastronomic offer
and memorable tastes:
- Mediterranean and Istrian cuisine based
on the use of fresh seasonal ingredients
- fish dishes prepared from freshly caught
fish
- dishes with self-grown asparagus
- Istrian prosciutto, pancetta, sausage and
ombolo, game
- Istrian truffle
We also shouldn’t forget olive oils, famous Istrian wines and the unique Rovinjski
Pelinkovac - wormwood wine from Rovinj
(bitter liqueur of a natural colour, aromatized with a natural wormwood aroma - Arthemisia Absinthium) prepared according
to the original homemade recipe.
RESTAURANTS
Al mare
A. Rismondo 20
tel. 00385/52/817-328
Al Gastaldo
Iza kasarne 14
tel/fax. 00385/52/814-109
Balbi
Trg Matteotti 6
tel. 00385/52/817-200
Basilica
Valalta bb
Bellavista
Obala V.Nazora bb
tel. 00385/52/811-177
Blu
Val de Lesso 9
tel. 00385/52/811-265
[email protected]
www.blu.hr
Bonaca
TN Villas Rubin
tel. 00385/52/801-463
Bošket
J Tankovića bb
tel. 00385/52/813-150,821-242
Brancin
Trg G.Pignatona 8
tel. 00385/52/811-530
Bura
TN Amarin
tel. 00385/52/802-000
Burin (hotel Eden)
tel. 00385/52/800-400
Calisona
Trg Trg na mostu 1
tel. 00385/52/815-313
Cocaletto
Cocaletto bb
tel. 00385/52/829-010
29
Dario
Pulska 3
tel. 00385/52/830-555
Dream
J.Rakovca 18
tel. 00385/52/830-613
[email protected]
www.dream.hr
Fortuna
Obala A.Rismonda 3
tel. 00385/52/813-450
Fjord
Sveti Lovreč Lim (Marasi)1
tel. 00385/52/448-222
Feral
Kamp Polari
tel. 00385/52/801-538
Galeb
Obala A.Rismonda 23
tel. 00385/52/816-663
Galeb
Driovier 24
tel. 00385/52/814-328
Giovanni
S. Radića 10
tel. 00385/52/830-910
Graciano
Obala Palih boraca 4
tel. 00385/52/811-515
www.graciano.hr
La Perla
E.Belušić 2
tel. 00385/52/811-801
fax. 00385/52/812-004
[email protected]
www.perla.hr
Levante
I. Ronjgova bb
tel. 00385/52/800-000
Lovor
Obala V.Nazora bb
tel. 00385/52/815-964
Lovor
Punta Corrente bb
tel. 00385/52/813-336
Maslina
S.Radić 29
tel. 00385/52/812-571
Massimo
Žminjska 6
tel. 00385/52/812-291
Maestral
Obala P. Budicin bb
tel. 00385/52/815-088
Masera
Polari 14
tel. 00385/52/494-391
[email protected]
www.masera.hr
Kantinon
Obala A. Rismonda bb
tel. 00385/52/816-075
Mediterraneo
Hotel Monte Mulini
tel. 00385/52/636-013
fax. 00385/52/636-001
[email protected]
Lanterna
Otok Sv. Andrija
tel. 00385/52/802-580
Monte
Montalbano 75
tel/fax.00385/52/830-203
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GASTRONOMY
Orca
Gripole 70
tel. 00385/52/816-851
[email protected]
www.orca-rovinj.com
Paštrik
V.Nazora 9
tel. 00385/52/811-207
Polari
Polari bb
Porton Biondi
Porton Biondi bb
tel. 00385/52/821-040
Puntulina
Sv.Križ 38
tel. 00385/52/813-186
Seoski dvor,
Rovinjsko Selo 49d
tel. 00385/52/848-545
Stancia Jole
Valčarezi 2
Školjka
N. Quarantotto 16
tel. 00385/52/811-696
Wine Vault
Hotel Monte Mulini
tel. 00385/52/636-017
fax. 00385/52/636-001
[email protected]
www.winevault.com.hr
INNS
Bravo
Rovinjsko Selo bb
tel. 00385/52/817-014
Cisterna
Trg Matteotti 3
tel. 00385/52/811-334
Da Piero
A.Rismondo 35
tel. 00385/52/813-050
Figarola
Val deLesso 5
tel. 00385/52/813-149
Giannino
A.Ferri 38
tel. 00385/52/813-402
fax. 00385/52/815-975
Ladonja
Rovinjsko Selo bb
Škver
Obala Vladimira Nazora bb
tel. 00385/52/811-460
La Vela
Mazzini 1A
tel. 00385/52/841-616
Torkolo
R.Daveggia bb
tel. 00385/52/815-654
Lili
Garibaldi 4
Valbruna
Valbruna II sjever
Maestral
Polari bb
tel. 00385/52/830-002
Viking
Sveti Lovreč
Lim Marasi bb
tel. 00385/52/448-119
Maestral
V. Nazora bb
tel. 00385/52/830-565
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Marina
A.Rismondo 2
tel. 00385/52/811-063
Pineta
Istarska 36
tel. 00385/52/813-053
Santa Croce
Sv.Križ 11
tel. 00385/52/842-240
Da Mauro
Cademia 22
tel. 00385/52/813-397
tel. 00385/98/886-517
Dub Polari
Polisoi
El Niro
Obala P.Budicina 10
Toni
Polari bb
Feral
Cocaleto 27
tel.00385/52/829-070
Tri volte
D.Medelina 12
tel. 00385/95/800-3933
Lampo
Sv.Križa 22
tel. 00385/52/811-186
Scuba
Obala P.Budicina 6
tel. 00385/98/219-446
Lastavica
Monte Ricco bb
tel. 00385/98/367-414
Stancia Jole
Valčarezi 2
Mezza Brenta
Polari bb
tel. 00385/52/811-304
TAVERNS
Agroturist
Val Mala 6
Aquarium
Zagrebačka 7
Aurora
Rovinjsko Selo bb
Bizzara
Kuvi 4
tel: 00385/91/328-0383
Cuvi
Cuvi 2
Da Baston
V. Švalbe 3
tel. 00385/52/811-978
32
Miro
Monpaderno bb
tel. 00385/52/830-854
Mofardin
Veštar 4
tel. 00385/52/829-044
Nada
Monpaderno bb
tel. 00385/52/821-188
Ranch Fortuna
Piccola Valtida 1
tel. 00385/52/816-841
Sial
Valsavie 6
München
AUSTR
Udine
ITALIA
Ljub
SLOVEN
Trieste
Venezia
Milano 524 km
Budapest 595 km
München 592 km
Wien 570 km
Amsterdam 1424 km
Airport
Pula 40 km
Rijeka 120 km
Trieste 171 km
Ljubljana 209 km
Zagreb 251 km
Venezia 260 km
96
Pula
Wien
Bratislava
RIA
Budapest
Graz
HUNGARY
bljana
NIA
BOSNA I
HERCEGOVINA
97
Valalta
Konč
Borik
Rovinj
Monsena
Stari grad
Otok
98
Kokuletovica
Gripole
Veštar
Štanga
četa
Villas Rubin
Lamanova
Valbruna
Centener
- Rovigno
- Città vecchia
k Sv. Katarina
Kuvi
Monte Mulini
Zlatni rt - Punta Corrente
Otok Sv. Andrija
99
6
7
9
10
4
5
8
7
5
14
13
5
5
1
100
5
5
3
2
5
5
POINTS OF INTEREST
THROUGHOUT THE CITY
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5
12
17
15 16
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Rovinj – Rovigno Tourist Board
Port Authority & Customs Office
Pier for Island Boat Lines
Italian Comunity Pino Budicin
Bank
Emergency
Pharmacy
Marine Fuel Station
Post
Bus Station
Police
Fire-station
Green Market
Children’s Playground
Enterteinment Center Monvi
Night Club Lone
Adris Exhibition
3
101
20
8
14
7
17
5
18
15
12
13
4
11
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22
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10
102
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2
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21
CULTURE AND HISTORY
1.
2.
3.
4.
19
City Palace
Town Clock
Balbi’s Arch
Centre for Historical Research of the
Italian Union
5. The Antonio GandusioTheater
6. Church of St. Euphemia
7. Church of the Holy Trinity
8. Church of Our Mother of Mercy
9. Church of St. Benedict
10. Church of the Holy Cross
11. Chapel of St. Thomas the Apostle
12. Oratory of Our Lady of Sorrows
13. Chapel of the Lady of Health
14. Franciscan Monastery
15. Native Museum
16. Batana House Eco Museum
17. Trani Gallery
18. Batana Center of Visual Arts
19. Adris Gallery
20. Rovinj Aquarium
21. Multimedia Center
22. Grisia Street
103