Balbi Arch

The Balbi Arch is the main gateway into the old town of Rovinj, the Istrian port on the western coast of Croatia, and it is one of the best-known landmarks of Rovinj’s old town. It stands on the site of the original fortified gate, at the edge of the old centre, and leads from the harbour front and the square into the lanes of the Venetian Quarter that climb toward the church of St. Euphemia.

The arch was built in 1679, in the Baroque style that was fashionable in the Venetian Republic, and it replaced an older medieval gate. It honours Daniel Balbi, who held the post of Mayor in Rovinj and ordered its construction, and it commemorates his role. Rovinj spent several centuries under Venetian rule, and the arch is one of the clearest signs of that connection. The town then looked outward across the Adriatic to Venice, and its trade, language and architecture followed Venetian models.

Distinctive decoration rewards a close look. On the outer face, the winged Lion of St. Mark, the symbol of Venice, holds an open book, a sign of peace and prosperity, and the coat of arms of the Balbi family is carved nearby, added later. The arch also has two carved heads in a distinctive Turkish-style manner, a decorative touch that recalls the long contact and conflict between Venice and the Ottoman world and gives the structure a slightly exotic character. The stonework is of pale local limestone, and the proportions are balanced and elegant, with a round opening flanked by pilasters and a carved cornice above.

Passing beneath it is like crossing a threshold. On one side lies the open space of the harbour front, facing the Adriatic Sea, with fishing boats and café terraces, and on the other, a maze of narrow, stone-paved streets lined with tall houses, small shops, galleries and cafés. Grisia Street, with its artists and steps, begins close by. A short walk leads to the Municipal Palace and to the Church of St. Euphemia, and the Rovinj Heritage Museum, the Batana Eco-Museum, the market and the marina are all within a few minutes. The Punta Corrente forest park and Lone Bay offer a contrast of nature close to town.

The arch can be seen at any time and costs nothing. It is a good place to begin a walk, and it is particularly photogenic in the early morning, when the light is soft and the crowds have not arrived, and again in the evening. Mind the polished paving, which is slippery when wet. The arch suits anyone interested in Venetian history, architecture and the atmosphere of a historic Adriatic town.