Identification
Nomination
Location
State Party
Date
The episcopal complex of the
Euphrasian Basilica in the historic
centre of Porec
Istria
Republic of Croatia
19 July 1996
Justification by State Party
The Euphrasian Basilica
in Porec
is the most
integrally
preserved
early
Christian
cathedral
complex and unique by virtue of the fact that all the
basic components - church, memorial chapel, atrium,
baptistery, and episcopal palace - are preserved.
The Basilica,
including
its earlier phases (oratory,
basilica
gemina,
and basilica
proper),
is
a
characteristic example of 5th and 6th century
religious architecture, showing significant Byzantine
influence.
It
is a unique artistic
achievement,
especially because of its mosaics.
Criteria
i, iii, and iv
Category of property
In terms of the categories of cultural property set out
in Article 1 of the 1972 World Heritage Convention,
this is a group of buildings.
History and Description
History
Churches were established in Porec (the Municipium
Parentium of the Roman province of Histria) between
the early 4th and mid 6th centuries. No fewer than
four were built in succession on the north coast of the
low peninsula where the town was situated; only the
latest of these, the basilica of Euphrasius, has
survived.
The earliest phase, a simple oratory within a large
Roman private house in which the bones of the local
martyr, Maurus, were placed, is dated to around 313.
This was restored and enlarged with the addition of a
second hall (the basihcae geminae) later in the 4th
century, but remained a simple structure with a
rectangular plan. In the 5th century a new church was
built on the site. It took the form of a three-aisled
basilica without an apse, characteristic for Istria and
Noricum.
The present church was built in the mid 6th century
to the orders of the bishop whose name it retains,
Euphrasius. In his dedicatory inscription
in the apse
mosaic, Euphrasius comments that the church that he
found on this site w