St. Euphemia's Basilica: the Baroque crown of Rovinj
St. Euphemia's Basilica (Crkva sv. Eufemije, known locally as Sveta Fuma) is a Baroque church on the hilltop at the heart of Rovinj's old town, in Istria. Built between 1725 and 1736, it keeps the relics of the town's patron saint in a sarcophagus and rises beside a bell tower modelled on the one in Venice. It is the best-known monument in Rovinj and an easy stop on any walk through the old town.
Rovinj's patron saint is said to have arrived by sea in a marble sarcophagus, pulled uphill by a boy with a team of young oxen. The church built for her now crowns the whole old town.
The history of St. Euphemia's Basilica
The hilltop at the heart of Rovinj was first marked by a small church of St George, which Croatian Wikipedia dates to the 7th century. Local tradition links the present church to the year 800, when a sarcophagus of Greek marble, dated to the 6th century, is said to have reached the town carrying the body of Euphemia of Chalcedon. Euphemia was a young Christian woman who, according to tradition, was executed on 16 March 303 under Emperor Diocletian after refusing to bow to a pagan god. The legend adds that a boy with a team of weak young oxen pulled the heavy sarcophagus out of the sea and up the hill, where it was set under a temporary roof before the church of St George.
A growing number of pilgrims came to see the miracle, and a larger church with three naves and three semicircular apses was completed around 950. The sarcophagus stood in its centre, and the church had three main altars. A papal bull of Alexander III in 1178 declared it a chapter church. Venetian rule over Rovinj began in 1288 and lasted until the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, and the 18th century is remembered as the town's prosperous age.
After a long series of repairs, with the domes in poor condition and ever more visitors, the town decided on 8 December 1720 to build a new and larger church. The present building was raised between 1725 and 1736 in the Venetian Baroque style, to a design by the Venetian architect Giovanni Scalfarotto. The citizens were not entirely satisfied with his plan, so it was completed by Giovanni Dozzi. The church is 51 metres long and 30 metres wide, and the central nave is 17 metres high. Its façade dates from 1883. The dedication was originally to Saint George, later to Saints George and Euphemia, and today to Euphemia alone, although Saint George is still a co-patron of the parish and his statue stands on the main altar.
The bell tower is older than the church: it was built between 1654 and 1680 to plans by Antonio Manopola and resembles the campanile of St Mark's Basilica in Venice. On its top stands a statue of Saint Euphemia that serves as a weather vane. Inside, the relics of the saint lie in the Roman-style sarcophagus of the sixth century, adapted in the 15th century. The church also holds Gothic statues of the 15th century and paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries, among them a Last Supper and a Christ in Gethsemane.
Curiosities about St. Euphemia's Basilica
- Locals call the church Sveta Fuma, a short, affectionate form of the saint's name.
- Although it is widely called a basilica, the church is not formally a basilica minor.
- The statue on top of the tower shows Saint Euphemia and works as a wind vane, turning with the breeze above the roofs of Rovinj.
- According to the local legend, the hill has been called the Hill of St Euphemia ever since the sarcophagus was hauled up from the sea.
- The legend, as recorded by the travel writer Alice Lee Moqué, says the relics were later stolen by the Genoese, lost to the Venetians, and returned to the town only in the 14th century.
- The tower, built in the 17th century, is older than the church that now stands beside it.
Tours near St. Euphemia's Basilica
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting St. Euphemia's Basilica
- The church stands at the top of the old town, so expect a climb along stepped streets from the harbour. The hill offers wide views over the islands of St Andrew and St Catherine.
- Look for the sarcophagus with the relics of Saint Euphemia and for the statue of Saint George on the main altar.
- The interior holds 15th-century Gothic statues and paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries; a marble altar and works by Giovanni Contarini are also mentioned in the sources.
- Check the current opening hours before you go, as the sources do not give them.
- The old town of Rovinj is compact, so the church combines easily with a stroll through the surrounding streets.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where St. Euphemia's Basilica is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of St. Euphemia's Basilica
_2006-08-28.JPG){kind=link}
Questions
Where is St. Euphemia's Basilica in Rovinj?
It stands on the hilltop in the middle of the historic part of Rovinj, on the Istrian coast. The bell tower is visible from far across the old town.
Who was Saint Euphemia?
Euphemia of Chalcedon was a Christian woman who, according to tradition, was executed on 16 March 303 under Emperor Diocletian for refusing to worship a pagan god. She is the patron saint of Rovinj.
When was St. Euphemia's Basilica built?
The present Baroque church was built between 1725 and 1736. Its façade dates from 1883, and the bell tower was built earlier, between 1654 and 1680.
What is inside the church?
The relics of Saint Euphemia rest in a sarcophagus dated to the sixth century. The church also holds Gothic statues of the 15th century and paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Why does the bell tower look like the one in Venice?
The tower was modelled on the campanile of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, reflecting centuries of Venetian rule over Rovinj, from 1288 to 1797.
Is St. Euphemia's Basilica worth a visit if you are staying in Rovinj?
Yes. It is the town's best-known monument and sits at the top of the old town, so it fits naturally into a walk through Rovinj.
Also nearby
Euphrasian Basilica
Poreč · 6th-century cathedral covered in gold mosaics
16 km away
Fort Punta Christo
Pula · vast Austro-Hungarian fort guarding the bay
25 km away
Temple of Augustus
Pula · Roman temple to Augustus on the old forum
29 km away
Porta Gemina
Pula · twin-arched Roman gate that survived burial
29 km away