Also known as San Lorenzo
Sveti Lovreč is an inland village in Istria, but still close enough to the coast that it's a destination for tourists looking for a different summer holiday experience. There are various apartments and houses nearby, that can be rented out during the summer.
I came to know Sveti Lovreč through my mother who grew up in a nearby village. The village is walled and according to her, the walls were built to protect the villagers during the time of Attila the Hun. Not sure if this is true or local folklore, there are still remnants of the walls, sections were later used for building materials when the walls weren't needed for protection anymore. Very practical people the locals, why quarry new stone when you could just help yourself to a section of unused wall!
This gateway was built during the Venetian era, when this part of Istria was ruled by Venice. This is called the Velika vrata (literally the big door), there are coats of arms above the gateway belonging to the families of Grimani and Moro. In between is the Lion of St. Mark (I just know it as the Lion of Venice, and it can be found in different coastal towns in Istria). The Lion of St. Mark is holding a closed book which means the gateway was built during a time of war. (Research!)
Once through the gate you're in the main town square with the parish church of St. Martin's Basilica.
The loggia on the southern wall of the basilica. It was used as a gathering place for official gatherings and it can be still used for this purpose. Along the walls there are stone fragments from the town from Roman times to the 19th century.
In recent years something I've been really pleased to see is the amount of restoration of the local stone buildings that can be seen. One example from the old part of the village.
Parts of the walls and, they were higher! It's noticeable that layers were removed for local buildings.
Not sure what this building had been but it was important enough that it hasn't been torn down. It's quite substantial with a stone balcony just behind the tree, and old since it has stone gutters. It's been fenced off so perhaps there are plans for some sort of restoration?
The village is named after the church of St. Lawrence which dates back to the 8th century and is outside the walls. But the actual settlement is prehistoric and there were already walls and towers in the Byzantine era. They were restored and strengthen in later centuries, the main fortifications are from the Venetian era when Sveti Lovreč was the seat of military administration of Venetian Istria. (Research from the helpful Central Istria information site)
The historic centre of the village is circular in design it's quite easy to stroll around. The newer parts of the village are outside the walls and there's a pizza restaurant located in the village. It's an interesting little village and worth seeing if you're spending time exploring the local area.
Sveti Lovreč is an inland village in Istria, but still close enough to the coast that it's a destination for tourists looking for a different summer holiday experience. There are various apartments and houses nearby, that can be rented out during the summer.
I came to know Sveti Lovreč through my mother who grew up in a nearby village. The village is walled and according to her, the walls were built to protect the villagers during the time of Attila the Hun. Not sure if this is true or local folklore, there are still remnants of the walls, sections were later used for building materials when the walls weren't needed for protection anymore. Very practical people the locals, why quarry new stone when you could just help yourself to a section of unused wall!
This gateway was built during the Venetian era, when this part of Istria was ruled by Venice. This is called the Velika vrata (literally the big door), there are coats of arms above the gateway belonging to the families of Grimani and Moro. In between is the Lion of St. Mark (I just know it as the Lion of Venice, and it can be found in different coastal towns in Istria). The Lion of St. Mark is holding a closed book which means the gateway was built during a time of war. (Research!)
Once through the gate you're in the main town square with the parish church of St. Martin's Basilica.
The loggia on the southern wall of the basilica. It was used as a gathering place for official gatherings and it can be still used for this purpose. Along the walls there are stone fragments from the town from Roman times to the 19th century.
In recent years something I've been really pleased to see is the amount of restoration of the local stone buildings that can be seen. One example from the old part of the village.
The village is named after the church of St. Lawrence which dates back to the 8th century and is outside the walls. But the actual settlement is prehistoric and there were already walls and towers in the Byzantine era. They were restored and strengthen in later centuries, the main fortifications are from the Venetian era when Sveti Lovreč was the seat of military administration of Venetian Istria. (Research from the helpful Central Istria information site)
The historic centre of the village is circular in design it's quite easy to stroll around. The newer parts of the village are outside the walls and there's a pizza restaurant located in the village. It's an interesting little village and worth seeing if you're spending time exploring the local area.
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