Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church in Medulin is the parish church of this coastal town at the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula, and it stands a short walk from the main waterfront. Medulin is a holiday resort, with a long, sheltered bay, shallow water and many campsites and hotels, and most visitors come for the sea. The church offers a calm contrast to the beach scene, and visitors who have walked up to it describe it as a pleasant and restful stop. Historical detail on the building is limited in popular sources, so this description concentrates on its character and its setting.

Medulin, called Medolino in Italian, is a very old settlement. The peninsula was inhabited in prehistory, and the Romans were active in the area, with estates and a harbour serving the nearby city of Pula. The Vižula archaeological park, on a headland near the town and listed in this guide, preserves the remains of a Roman villa and later buildings, and gives a good idea of the scale of Roman life on this coast. The village that grew up in the Middle Ages and the early modern period was small, a collection of farming and fishing families, and the church was its centre, so it is likely to be older than the resort around it, though it has been altered several times.

Parish churches in this part of Istria are usually built of local limestone, with a plain rectangular plan, a single nave, a bell tower and a simple facade. The church in Medulin was renovated in recent years, and the scaffolding that surrounded it has been removed, leaving a clean and restored exterior. The interior is quiet and simple, with an altar and a few paintings and statues, and the light is soft in the morning and late afternoon. Opening hours depend on services, so the doors may be closed at other times, but the exterior and the small square around it can be enjoyed at any time.

The church lies close to the best natural sights of the area. The coast around Medulin is a mixture of rocky coves, pine woods and sandy stretches, which are unusual in Istria, and the beaches known locally as the sandy beaches are good for families. Skrape beach and Debeljak cove are listed in this guide, and the Kamenjak nature park, a wild peninsula with cliffs and coves, lies nearby at Premantura.

Plan about fifteen to thirty minutes for the church. Dress modestly when entering, keep your voice low and avoid visiting during services unless you are attending. The church suits travellers who like to find quiet places away from the beach, and it makes a pleasant objective for an early morning or evening walk.