Rovinj
This town and port on the western coast is one of the most famous and attractive tourist destinations, not only in Istria, but on the whole Adriatic coast. The old part of the town is on the small peninsula and has two ports-northern and southern. It has Mediterranean climate and almost tropical vegetation. The coast is very indented with the row of green islands and numerous coves. The Red Island and the island of Katarina have rich vegetation and beautiful beaches. The railroad (kanfanar) and the airport (near Pula) is near the town. Rovinj was founded in the late antiquity on the small island near the coast. The historical sources mention it for the first time under the name Ruvigno, in the 8th century. It is the characteristic example of urban agglomeration of Mediterranean type. It was fortified with a double wall already in the Middle Ages, and in the 17th century the town spreads even behind the walls. In 1763, the small island was connected to the mainland. The baroque church of St. Eufemija (Fuma) with three naves, from 1736, built on the location of the older churches dominates the town. Inside, there are the late antique the 6th century, and a number of valuable paintings and abjects. The belfry was built in 1677 and has a sculpture of St. Eufemija on the top. On the sqare, near the port, there are: clock-tower, the Baroque Balbi's arch from 1680 at the location of the town gates and former town hall from the 17th century. There are a few Renaissance and Baroque palaces in the town. In the eastern part of the town there is the complex of the Franciscan monastery from 1710, and in the southern part there is the oldest monument in Rovinj: the Romanesque heptagonal tower of St. Trinity from the 13th century. At the Muntrav peninsula, south of town, there is a park of the English type with rare specimen of Mediterranean flora. There are also the old stone quarries that gave building material for the Doge's palace and other representative buildings in Venice. On the Red Island there are some traces of the Roman buildings and there is also the monastery, probably founded by the Benedictines in the 6th century, and kept by Franciscans from 1446 to 1820. The parts of the former monastery and church were in the 19th century incorporated in the private villa, present hotel.
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