Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As you soak in this scene, ponder how the town's history created its current shape. In
the Middle Ages, Rovinj was an island, rather than a peninsula, and it was surrounded by
a double wall—a protective inner wall and an outer seawall. Because it was so well-defen-
ded against pirates and other marauders (and carefully quarantined from the plague), it was
extremely desirable real estate. And yet, it was easy to reach from the mainland, allowing
it to thrive as a trading town. With more than 10,000 residents at its peak, Rovinj became
immensely crowded, which explains today's pleasantly claustrophobic Old Town.
Over the centuries—as demand for living space trumped security concerns—the town
walls were converted into houses, with windows grafted on to their imposing frame. Gaps
in the wall, with steps that seem to end at the water, are where fishermen would pull in to
unloadtheircatchdirectlyintothewarehousesonthebottomlevelofthehouses.(Lateryou
can explore some of these lanes from inside the town.) Today, if you live in one of these
houses, the Adriatic is your backyard.
• Now head into town. In the little park near the sea, just beyond the end of the parking lot,
look for the big, blocky...
Communist-Era Monument
Dating from the time of Tito, this celebrates the Partisan Army's victory over the Nazis in
World War II and commemorates the victims of fascism. The minimalist reliefs on the cere-
monialtombshowaslowprisoners'parade,thevictimsproddedbyaguninthebackfroma
figurewithaNazi-stylehelmet.NoticethatonesideofthemonumentisinCroatian,andthe
other is in Italian. With typical Yugoslav grace and subtlety, this jarring block shatters the
otherwise harmonious time-warp vibe of Rovinj. Fortunately, it's the only modern structure
anywhere near the Old Town.
