Parish Church of St. Pelagius and Maximus

The Parish Church of St. Pelagius and Maximus stands in the centre of Novigrad, a small and quiet town on the west coast of Istria, built on a promontory that was once an island. It is the oldest and most important church in the town, and local people often call it simply the cathedral, because Novigrad, known in Italian as Cittanova, was the seat of a bishop for more than a thousand years, until the diocese was abolished in the nineteenth century. That history helps to explain why such a large church stands in such a small place.

The church is dedicated to two early martyrs, Pelagius and Maximus, who are the patron saints of the town. Its origins lie in the early Christian period, and tradition places the first building in the sixth century or, at the latest, a couple of centuries after that, which would make it one of the oldest basilicas of this type in the region. Over the centuries the church was altered and rebuilt several times, with works recorded in the fifteenth, sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, each leaving its imprint. The facade, in a restrained Neoclassical style, was finished in the twentieth century, and the interior is a three-aisled basilica, with rows of columns and a Baroque main altar.

Inside, there are traces of its older phases. Remains of medieval frescoes survive on the walls, and early Christian window frames have been found in the north wall, which show how the church looked in its first form. A Romanesque crypt lies beneath the building and holds early medieval church objects, though it is generally not open to the public. The bishop's palace and the baptistery that once stood beside the church were demolished in the nineteenth century, which makes the surviving church more important as the only physical witness of the old episcopal complex.

The church is a short walk from the other sights of the old town. The medieval town walls, which now form a promenade by the sea, the Venetian loggia, the Church of Our Lady and the small harbour are all within a few minutes, and a walk along the waterfront gives views over the bay. Novigrad is also known for its seafood and for the Mirna river estuary nearby, and the town is a calm base for exploring western Istria.

The church is an active parish church, so dress modestly and be quiet during services. Opening times may be limited outside the main season, so check locally. Allow fifteen to thirty minutes for the visit. It suits visitors interested in early Christian history, church architecture and the quieter towns of the Istrian coast.