Poreč Istria

The whole old city of Poreč is monument of culture. The old city has preserved the structure of old Roman castrum. The main streets, Decumanus and Cardo Maximus, are still preserved in their original forms. Decumanus connected the square Marafor in the western part of old city with city gates at its eastern end. Roman Forum with temples to Roman gods was located on the Marafor square. There is still today a Romanic house and a few beautiful Venetian gothic palaces. The Istrian Assembly Hall, originally a 13th century gothic Franciscan church, was remade in baroque style in the 18th century. Poreč was surrounded with fortification walls from 12th to 19th century. Three defense towers still exist at the entrance of the old city.

The most important cultural monument of Poreč is the complex of Euphrasian Basilica dating from the 5th century. The original church was extended in the 6th century under Byzantine Empire and bishop Euphrasius. The interior of the basilica is ornamented with unique mosaics. From 1997 Eufrasius basilica is protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site.