Church of St. Rocco (Cerkev sv. Roka / Crkva sv. Roka)

The Church of St. Rocco, known in Croatian as Crkva sv. Roka, is a small chapel at the entrance to Oprtalj, a hill town in northern Istria in Croatia, which Italians call Portole. Chapels dedicated to St. Rocco, the pilgrim saint invoked against plague, appear across Istria and are often found at the edge of a town, where they were built as places of prayer in times of epidemic. This one follows that pattern, standing just before the old town gate, at the end of the approach road.

The building is modest in size and plain in outline: a single nave with a small bell gable, to which a Baroque portico was later added at the front. The portico shelters visitors from sun and rain and gives the façade a more graceful look than the rest of the chapel might suggest. The real value of the place lies inside, where the walls are covered with frescoes that are among the more important examples of late medieval wall painting in the area. The paintings, which show saints in the rich colours and flat, decorative style of the period, are attributed to a painter known as Anthony of Padua, who worked in several Istrian churches. Because the chapel is small, you can take in the whole decorative scheme in a few minutes, and the details repay a slow look.

Some visitors find that the church is open during the day, with a sign outside giving background information, although this can change and it is wise to check locally. The chapel is not used for regular services, but it occasionally hosts concerts and small cultural events, which suit its intimate size and good acoustics.

The setting adds to the visit. Oprtalj sits on a ridge with sweeping views over the Mirna valley and the hills of the interior, and the town is known for its quiet streets, its Loggia Square and its old houses, some of them empty and slowly returning to nature. The surrounding countryside is also truffle territory, and local farms offer tastings and guided hunts. The Church of St. Rocco is usually combined with a stroll through the old town and a look at Crkva Svete Marije and the Oprtalj Loggia.

A visit takes about half an hour, which makes it an easy stop on a drive between Motovun, Buzet and the coast. It suits art lovers, history enthusiasts and travellers who enjoy small, little-visited places.