Rovinj is a small town 30 km north of Pula and is situated on the shore of the Adriatic sea. Although technically a Croatian town for most of its history this was an Italian city. To this day Italian is spoken even by the Croats who live in Rovinj. Most of the old quarter is inaccessible to cars since streets are too narrow. This only adds to the charm of this pleasant town. Rovinj has many hotels and small restaurant with incredible pizza calzone that is the best you will ever taste. In the centre of the city stands church of Saint Euphemia from the 18th century. Her statue on the bell tower holds a ship wheel. Sailors and fisherman came here to pray for divine protection and names of those who did not return are engraved on some of the stones around the courtyard. It was the only consolation for families who did not receive the body from a sea. Other interesting buildings include Chapel of Holy Trinity (13th century) and Rovinj Town Hall build in Baroque style (17th century).
In the west and southwest, the city is surrounded
by the Adriatic Sea, in the north of the Limski Canal. Originally
Rovinj was a separate island, which was only in 1763 connected to
the mainland. To the east lies the suburb of Rovinjsko Selo and
about 25 kilometers further to the town of Kanfanar. In the
southeast is the suburb Kokuletovica and about nine kilometers
further the community Bale.
About one kilometer south of the
old town of Rovinj is Zlatni rt (Golden Cape), another peninsula
rising into the sea. On more than 70 hectares, a more than
100-year-old park, now under conservation, stretches out here.
Rovinj and its bays are surrounded by 22 smaller and larger islands.
The largest of these islands, the Sveta Katarina, is within sight of
the peninsula of the old town. Still further south behind Zlatni rt
lies Sveta Andrija. A dam connects the island with the smaller
neighboring island of Maskin.
You can take a boat from the center harbor to the islands nearby. They are different and fit different personalities. The closest is Katherine island that is located just near Rovinj. Snorkeling and diving is quiet popular here. Crveni Otok (Red island) is home to a beautiful Franciscan monastery from the 18th century.
Rovinj City Museum is located in the city hall, decorated with the Venetian loggia. It houses artifacts from the Ancient Roman times and Middle Ages. The museum also has a collection of paintings and sculptures from the 15th- 19th century.
This climbing area is half an hour of walking distance from the center of the city. You can get to Park Hotel and ask for further directions. It is not far from this Hotel. Other places are accessible by car that you can rent or take a taxi. Limski Canal and Dvigrad are one of the more popular places for climbing.
The first mention of the city dates back to the VII century, when
the work of Castrum Rubini was published Cosmography (Cosmographia),
but the geographical studies in it date back to the V century. As a
result, it is safe to say that the history of the city begins
between the III and V centuries. Archaeological excavations make the
history of the city even more ancient - according to their results,
the first settlements in these places appeared in the Bronze and
Iron Ages.
There are many interesting pages in the history of
the city - at different times it was under the rule of the Byzantine
Empire, under German feudal lords, the Venetian Republic, under
Austro-Hungarian, French and German rule, the city was burned and
devastated several times. For most civilizations, the location of
the city seemed very advantageous from the point of view of
geographical location. However, for many years the city gained its
independence and fought for its own autonomy - that is why he has
been looking for his own patron for so long, who will offer the most
favorable conditions for solving this problem.
In 1283
Rovinj, following Poreč, Novigrad and Umag, became part of Venice.
Having made such a choice, the city gained independence with some
restrictions. For example, the Venetian Republic reserved the right
to appoint a judge who, in accordance with his competence, conducted
all spiritual, political, administrative, commercial and other
affairs. Only privileged families were also admitted to the Council
of Citizens, and judges elected by this council decided exclusively
civil and criminal cases under the direction of a judge appointed by
Venice.
Socially, the townspeople were divided into two
classes - aristocrats and plebeians. The government, which included
the Council and the Assembly, also had a corresponding division.
Membership in the Council was inherited. The term of office of judge
and praetor was limited to one year, and in 1306 the Senate of
Venice extended it to 16 months.
Over time, a commodity
exchange appeared in Rovinj - merchants and sailors added to the
list of typical urban professions, the main of which were fishing
and farming. The development of navigation also brought its changes
to the city - the rivalry of port cities led to the conquest of
Rovinj by Genoa in 1379. Two centuries later (in 1579 and 1599) the
city was again captured.
At the end of the 15th century, the
population of the central part of the peninsula began to grow at the
expense of refugees from the central part of the peninsula, as well
as from Bosnia and Dalmatia, Greece and Albania, and Northern Italy.
In 1595 the population of the city was 2800 inhabitants, in 1650 -
5000 people, in 1741 - 7966, and in 1775 - 13788 people, which could
not but affect the urban architecture. The number of storeys of
buildings is increasing, and houses are beginning to crowd together.
In the 18th century, the city became an important seaport, and
the local sailors became famous for their skills and bravery,
repeatedly demonstrated in battles with the Turks in the 16th
century. In addition to the famous pages, the city had the flip side
of the coin - Rovinj was the largest center of smuggling. Many
uprisings were organized here (in 1767, 1769, 1774 and 1780) against
the Venetian intervention.
That town of Ruvin stands on the
seashore on a high rocky mountain. The structure of that city is all
stone. In that city the church of the holy martyr Euphemia the
Praiseworthy; in that church and her relics lie, which I also had
the opportunity to see; in the same church he saw the same holy
martyr's ring, made of silver with crystal, and the belt of the same
holy martyr, woven of silver wire. In the same city, that painted
church has a stone bell tower, very high, and on top of that bell
tower is the image of the holy martyr Euphemia, cast from copper as
a human age. In the same city, there are many olive trees on the
plantations and a lot of fruit on them.
- diary of P. AND.
Tolstoy, 1697
On May 12, 1797, self-government was established in the city - 18
representatives of the population, elected by the democratic
assembly, joined the government that ruled the city. However, as
early as 1809, the French rule of Napoleon's government was
introduced here, which lasted until the restoration of Austrian
sovereignty over these areas in 1813. In 1821, the city confirmed
its municipal status, and from 1825 to 1860 it was part of the
Istrian county.
Since 1819 in Rovinj there is an active
construction - the school building is constructed, in 1847 the steam
factory for manufacture of paste is constructed, in 1850 - the
chamber of commerce is established, in 1853 - the lighthouse on
island of St. Ivana, from 1854 to 1865 - a theater building was
built, in 1852 - a cement factory, in 1872 - a tobacco factory, in
1888 - a city hospital. In 1876 a railway connection with other
cities was opened, and from 1905 the city was illuminated by gas
lanterns. Since 1906, the city telephony begins.
With the
disappearance of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Rovinj came under
Italian influence, which lasted until the capitulation of Italy in
September 1943. Until the end of World War II, the city was ruled by
German invaders. As a result of the war, all of Istria became part
of Yugoslavia. The Italian population left the area en masse in
1947.
The disintegration of the SFRY began in 1990, as a
result of which on June 25, 1991, Croatia declared itself a
sovereign independent state. The city, like the entire Istrian
peninsula, continues its peaceful existence as part of Croatia.
1. Hotel Rovinj
2. Hotel and island of Katarina
3. Hotel Eden
4. Monte Mulini
5. Hotel Park
6. Hotel Montauro
7. Hotel Adriatic
8. Apartments and bungalows Villas Rubin
*Villa Baron Gautsch- not far from Hotel park. It is clean, cheap with friendly personnel. It costs 20 to 27 Euro per day. Their phone number is +385- 52- 840537