Sights in Istria
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Roman Amphitheatre
Pula's most imposing sight is the 1st-century Roman amphitheatre overlooking the harbour northeast of the Old Town. Built entirely from local limestone, the amphitheatre was designed to host gladiatorial contests and could accommodate up to 20,000 spectators. The 30m-high outer wall is almost intact and contains two rows of 72 arches, but the stone spectator seats were removed for building materials in the Middle Ages.
On the top of the walls is a gutter that collected rain water and you can still see the slabs used to secure the fabric canopy, which protected spectators from the sun. Around the end of July a Croatian film festival is held in the amphitheatre, and there a…
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Euphrasian Basilica
The main reason to visit Poreč is to see the 6th-century Euphrasian Basilica , a World Heritage site and one of the finest intact examples of Byzantine art. Built on the site of a 4th-century basilica and 5th-century church, the complex includes a church, atrium and baptistry. Mosaics from the earlier structures are still visible on the floor of the northern nave but it is the glittering wall mosaics in the apse that packs in the crowds.
These 6th-century masterpieces feature Biblical scenes, archangels and Istrian martyrs.
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Cathedral of St Euphemia
The massive Cathedral of St Euphemia completely dominates the town from its hilltop location in the middle of the peninsula. Built in 1736, it's the largest baroque building in Istria, reflecting the period during the 18th century when Rovinj was its most populous town, an important fishing centre and the bulwark of the Venetian fleet.
Next to the side door of the church is a 14th-century marble relief of St Euphemia. Inside the cathedral, don't miss the tomb of St Euphemia behind the right-hand altar.
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Cathedral
The Cathedral traces its origins back to the 5th century. The main altar is even older, being a Roman sarcophagus from the 3rd century, and the floor reveals fragments of 5th- and 6th-century mosaics. The church was reconstructed following a fire in 1242 and again in the 15th century when the Renaissance southern portal was added. The Late- Renaissance façade was added in the early 16th century and the 17th-century bell tower was made of stones from the amphitheatre.
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Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum presents archaeological finds from all over Istria. The permanent exhibits cover prehistory to the Middle Ages, but the accent is on the period from the 2nd century BC to the 6th century AD. Even if you don't visit the museum be sure to visit the large sculpture garden around it, and the Roman theatre behind. The garden is entered through 2nd-century twin gates and is often the site of concerts in the summer.
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Regional Museum
The baroque Sinčić Palace houses the Regional Museum , which opened in 1884. It contains over 2000 exhibits spanning Poreč's tumultuous history from the Palaeolithic Age until the 20th century. In addition to furniture, paintings and artefacts, there are mosaic fragments from the 3rd century, crosses, choir stalls and altar paintings.
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Regional Museum
The Regional Museum contains a collection of 15th to 19th century paintings and works by contemporary artists in Rovinj, as well as several Etruscan pieces. Unfortunately, the small size of the museum means that only a small percentage of its collection is on display at any given time. Its opening hours are irregular in the low season.
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Chapel of St Mary of Formosa
The Chapel of St Mary of Formosa is all that remains of the 6th-century Benedictine abbey that once stood here. This Byzantine structure was adorned with mosaics, which are now in the city's Archaeological Museum. The chapel is only open for occasional art exhibitions in the summer.
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Franciscan Monastery
The baroque Franciscan monastery was built at the beginning of the 18th century and contains a valuable library as well as a small museum of 18th- and 19th-century paintings and sculptures. Neither the library nor the museum are currently open to the public.
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Museum of History
The Museum of History is in a 17th- century Venetian citadel. The museum is on a hill in the centre of the Old Town. The meagre exhibits deal mostly with the maritime history of Pula but the views of Pula from the citadel walls are good.
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Bishop's Palace
Adjacent to the Euphrasian Basilica, the Bishop's Palace was also built in the 6th century and contains a display of ancient stone monuments as well as many 4th-century mosaics. It's well worth a visit.
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Rovinj Aquarium
Established in 1891, the best museum is the Rovinj Aquarium. It exhibits a good collection of local marine life, from poisonous scorpion fish to colourful anemones.
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Nature Park
If you have your own wheels, head out to the Nature Park on the Premantura Peninsula 10km south of town.
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