There is a kind of beauty in imperfection.
Conrad Hall
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| Remains of the old Medieval City Wall |
Of all these various kingdoms, republics and empires,
the Romans governed Istria the longest – for over 650 years – from 177 BCE to
the downfall of their empire in 476 CE. During this period, the Romans had
plenty of time to leave their mark. They built tidy cities lined with grids of
stone-paved streets along with grandiose buildings and villas, and they planted
vast olive groves. They also constructed memorial arches, majestic temples and
open-air theaters.
The above historical summary from Lonely Planet.
Tucked away on a narrow peninsula only 1,640 feet (500m)
long and 656 feet (200m) wide, the Roman past of the old town of Poreč is
unmistakable. This seaside city was called Parentium during Roman times, when
it served as the capital of Istria.
The car-free old town’s grid of cobblestone lanes and
passageways was built according to the typical Roman street layout, with
Decumanus as its main thoroughfare running east-west, intersecting with the
north-south Cardo Maximus. Although
still in need of much restoration, it seems to have the right mixture of
historical monuments, charming, cobbled streets, beaches and restaurants.
As with any town, it has a main square. In Poreč, that square is known as Trg Marafor and
was the site of the Roman Forum, the ancient city’s central hub of Roman
activities where public gatherings took place.
Today it is taken over by sidewalk cafés and restaurants interspersed
with a few ruins. Strewn nearby lie the age-old remains and stone columns of
the Temple of Neptune, built in the 1st century CE and dedicated to
the God of the Sea. The original pavement has been preserved along the northern
part of the square.
Trg Marafor was the showcase square when the Emperor Augustus made this former fortified military camp a city in the 1st century CE. At that time, two temples stood here, one dedicated to Mars, the other to Neptune. Trg Marafor requires a little imagination to summon images of toga-clad citizens strolling around it, chatting – the former temples are now piles of undocumented rubble, with stubs of columns scattered around. The unkempt, balding grass on which they sit hardly adds to the experience. But Trg Marafor does give an idea of the design of this seafaring settlement of 2,000 years ago.
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| Back along the coast - peaceful, serene |
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| Always happy to be on a bike, especially by water |
When Bishop Euphrasius came to Poreč, then called
Parentium, he was unable to get accustomed to its humble existing church
and the lethargy of the small provincial town. Inspired by Byzantine art,
Euphrasius decided to build a basilica he would be remembered by.
Euphrasius was not narcissistic. By putting himself in
the foreground, he wanted to show his relationship with the pope, who
proclaimed the bishop was an apostate. The defiant Euphrasius thus created an
impressive work of enduring value that, to this day, distinguishes the small
town of Poreč.
On the remains of 4th and 5th century
Roman temples, is Poreč’s main attraction, this magnificent Episcopal Complex
of the Euphrasian Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, and one of
the finest and most intricate examples of Byzantine art and architecture in
Europe.
The complex is made up of an early Christian church,
atrium, baptistery and episcopal palace, and was built between 543 and 554. The basilica has nine naves, marble columns
imported from Constantinople, fine sculptures and superb mosaics.
The group of religious monuments in Poreč, where
Christianity was established as early as the 4th century,
constitutes the most complete surviving complex of its type. The Euphrasian Basilica,
built in the mid-6th century, atrium, baptistery and episcopal
palace are outstanding examples of religious architecture, while the basilica
itself combines Classical and Byzantine elements in an exceptional manner.
The Kanonika (Canon’s House) was added in 1257,
followed by the belltower in the 16th century, and by smaller
buildings such as the 15th century sacristy and chapels of the 17th
and 19th centuries.
The basilica has three aisles with a large central
apse flanked by two smaller ones. Its plain columns have carved capitals,
linked by arcading. Each pair of columns
carved with a slightly different motif of flowers, fruits, or birds.
Some remains of the earlier churches discovered in
archaeological excavations are on display. Only small traces of the 6th
century bishop’s palace survived.
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| Doorway to sixth century Euphrasian Basilica |
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| Belltower of the Euphrasian Basilica (from 1520) |
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| Courtyard of the Euphrasian Basilica |
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| Inside Euphrasian Basilica - beautiful mosaic work |
The Byzantine mosaics in the triumphal arch over the
apse represent Christ – holding an opened book with the text ‘Ego sum Lux
vera’ (I am the true light) with the twelve Apostles. The arch below
contains mosaic medallions with the Lamb of God and portraits of twelve female
martyrs. The vault over the apse is decorated with mosaics of Mary and Child,
sitting on the Heavenly throne, under a wreath held by a hand – symbol of God
the Father. This is the only surviving depiction of the Mother of God in an
early Christian western basilica. She is flanked by angels, Bishop Euphrasius,
holding the model of the church and the only one in a dark robe; also local
saints are depicted, including St. Maurus, the first bishop of Poreč and the
Istrian diocese.
Glittering gold leaf and sparkling semi-precious gems all feature amid the sumptuous mosaics, a pristine example of Early Byzantine architecture.
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| Close-up of mosaic, Christ and his twelve apostles (top row) Lamb of God & twelve female martyrs (middle row) Mary and child with angels, local saints and Bishop Euphrasius (in dark robe on left - bottom row) |
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| Each column pair carved with a slightly different motif - birds, fruits, flowers Euphrasian Basilica |
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| Euphrasian Basilica - looking up |
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| Euphrasian Basilica - ancient mosaic work from prior fourth century church on same site |
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| Unnamed sculpted head in Poreč |
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| Belltower at sunset |
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| Ruin of Temple of Neptune, first century - in Marafor Square Dedicated to the God of Sea |
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| Sunset over the peninsula |
Pljukanci is a traditional Istrian pasta made with
just flour, salt and water. Pljukanci pasta is gloriously chewy in the middle. They
are made with two types of flour (One is superfine, such as 00 pasta
flour. The other is coarser, such as semolina), the finer flour imparts some of
itself to the sauce, helping make it creamy.
This contrast gives pljukanci an al dente texture. But they also
turn soft and creamy around the edges as they cook… Perfect for catching that
wonderful truffle sauce.
Their shape is attractive. Slightly chubby in the
midsection and tapered at the ends, they resemble little pencils. But where
does their name come from? The word 'pljunuti' means to spit. The Istrians say that, in the old times, pljukanci were
made by spitting into your palms before rolling a piece of dough. Allegedly,
this made the process easier. It’s not made this way today, but the remembrance
stuck.
With pljukanci pasta, there is no machine and no shortcuts. Mixing, kneading, and shaping are all done by hand. Your best option is to make it a family or friends affair and work in batches.
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| Mostly handmade - Istrian pljukanci pasta |
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| Pljukanci with truffles |
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| One of few tunnels on the Parenzana Trail |
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| And over a viaduct on the Parenzana Trail |
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