Top 10 Churches & Cathedrals in Vodnjan, Istria

The Church of Our Lady of Health was built in 1854 on the remains of an older church from the 13th century, and is located on the road leading from Vodnjan to Bale. The churchyard is a beautiful spot with a spectacular view of the western Vodnjan, olive groves and Brijuni Islands.

The Church of St. James in Vodnjan is considered to be the oldest religious building in the city. The church is believed to have been built in the 9th century although there is precise data on its origin and original form. It is in the oldest part of Vodnjan, in the Old Town. The church is a single-nave structure without apse, with a simple façade without decorative elements.

The church of St. Catherine is dated from the 12th or 13th century and is considered one of the oldest sacral buildings in the city, given its preserved architectural and stylistic characteristics of the Romanesque. The church used to be located outside the inhabited area of the town and served as a place of pilgrimage, until the 17th century when the city limits expanded to include it. Inside the church there are wall paintings and various engravings and drawings.

The parish church of Galižana is dedicated to St. Roque. A bell tower (from the 17th century) next to the parish church, 36m high, is somewhat reminiscent of the one in Aquileia. Above the gate of the bell tower is the coat of arms with a lion. At the front of the church, above the main entrance, there is a carving of Greek cross, probably the remnant of a former sacral object. The five altars are embellished with finely carved wooden and marble pillars. In the niche of the apse there is a statue of St. Roque who has performed miracles in treating plague victims. On two sides of the sanctuary there are fine statues, St. Peter and St. Paul. The church is located in the center of the settlement.

Next to the village of Batvaci (Valmadorso), there is an impressive basilica of St.Foška. Although there are no written records as to when exactly it was built, due to its style of construction, it can be dated to the Romanesque period. Its external appearance is dominated by the floating arcades that surround the façade of the church. The structure is considered an important cultural and historical monument. At the beginning of the 21st century it was thoroughly restored to its original basilica appearance. It contains the most prominent examples of Romanesque wall paintings in Croatia.

The Church of the Holy Cross is located along the road leading to Svetvincenat, just before the roundabout where Trgovačka Street begins. The church features an inscribed date of 1468, but it is not clear whether it was the year of construction or the consecration of the church. This was also a residence for the bishops of Pula upon their arrival in Vodnjan. As soon as they got off the horse, the bishops would be included in a procession that would ceremonially usher them into the city.

The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is located in the historic center of Vodnjan, near one of its oldest and best-preserved streets, Contrada del asì. The church was built in 1630 in the shape of a Latin cross, it features an elegant façade of finely worked stone and a rosetta located above the coat of arms of the podestà Francesco Barbara. Alongside the left of the church rises a bell tower

Church of St. Madone Traversa is located east of the Vodnjan city center. Legend has it that this spot in the 12th century featured a small church of St. Maria of Spring. In 1229 St. Anthony of Padua visited here and founded a small monastery next to the church. Once a large cistern was located here that served as a water supply for monks and the people from the surrounding area.

The church was built in the 14th century, and it used to be the headquarters of the Inquisition court of Istria. Above the entrance door there is the following inscription: ECCLESIA INQUISIT. ISTRIAE.