Sveti Lovreč

Stretching from Poreč through Tinjan to Vrsar, along the coast of Limski Kanal, the municipality of Sveti Lovreč abounds with fortification features and a rich history dating back to prehistoric and Roman times. The earliest records of the settlement date back to 1030 when it was mentioned as Castrum sancti Laurenti. The fortifications visible today mostly date from the time of the Venetian Republic when Sveti Lovreč was a significant military center known as a "pazenatik."

Sveti Lovreč boasts cultural heritage, with its town walls representing one of the best-preserved medieval fortified towns in Istria. As the center of captaincies in the 14th century, the walls were expanded and upgraded, with impressive features such as the Funtanela tower, triangular tower and a beautiful bell tower that once served as a defensive tower with eastern entrance gates. The parish church of St. Martin is a basilica-style three-nave building with three apses, dating back to the 11th century and it houses the oldest organ in Istria, crafted by master Petar Nakić in 1735.

Near Sveti Lovreč, there are interesting places worth visiting such as Puč in Vošteni and Selina. The Vošteni Spring, which has never dried up, was crucial for the lives of locals for centuries and is now preserved as a place of historical significance. Legend has it that a cow was responsible for discovering the spring, making it a favorite gathering spot and the starting point for many love stories. Selina is a settlement located 3 km from Sveti Lovreč, dating back to prehistoric, ancient, and medieval times. Along with the Romanesque church of St. Lucy with a Glagolitic inscription from 1568, there is also a quarry from which the village got its name.

Sveti Lovreč, with its rich historical heritage, invites exploration of charming streets and the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.