Porec - Euphrasian Basilica

Altar Backdrop Mosaics

Declared a World Heritage Site in 1997, the Euphrasian Basilica forms the centre of Porec (pronounced porredge). It’s a stunning Byzantine Cathedral built in the 6^th Century, most famous for its mosaics. As with many Croatian churches if you dig deep enough you find Roman remains. This one has lavish Roman mosaics, many just a few feet beneath the chapel floor, remains of a Roman house that stood here, as well as earlier churches, some built before the acceptance of Christianity. A mosaic fish, representing Christ, is a relic of this time.

We entered the main church to find a glowing, gold-inlaid, altar backdrop, a mosaic that dates from when the Cathedral was built, and a work that rivals Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia. The highest part shows Jesus in the middle of the 12 apostles. Below him, in the centre of the arch, the Lamb of God centres portraits of 12 female martyrs. Below the Lamb, the hand of God is crowning the Virgin Mary, as she holds the baby Jesus; unnamed martyrs are depicted on either side of her, although they are likely local, recognisable by the objects they bear, including St Maurus bearing a martyr’s crown & St Eleutherius, both martyred by the Romans. Bishop Euphrasius, after whom the basilica is named, carries a model of the church. Below the arch, an ornate marble ciborium (canopy) stands over the altar.

Statuary in Bishop’s Palace

Reliquary

An octagonal baptistery forms a separate room within the walls. The font is set in the floor where converts descended to be baptised. A striking wooden-beamed roof covers this chamber. Stairs lead up from the baptistery to another feature common to Croatian religious sites; the bell tower with a questionable staircase. This one was rickety but after those we’d climbed earlier in our trip we took it in our stride. The views were worth the effort.

The Bishop’s Palace beside the Cathedral houses a museum featuring historic sacred carvings, religious paintings, Bishop’s cassocks and various Roman artefacts.

A sarcophagus holds the relics of Saints Maurus and Eleutherius, key figures in Porec’s Christian past, in a small, unadorned chapel to the side, having been here since the building was constructed. We didn’t go in…

Porec is a tourist town and despite showing all the elements of its Venetian era with its warm beige walls, red tiled roofs and the Lion of St Mark, hosts lots of trinkets for the sightseer: Croatian soccer shirts, decorative plates and more dubious wares. We bought gifts to take home although, typical of Croatia, there was a picture I really wanted; the store was open but no salesperson was there. I returned three times in an hour and no one had returned, so I gave up – I could have taken it and left the cash, but it just didn’t feel right…

Baptistery Ceiling

Basilica from the Atrium showing Four Martyrs killed with St. Maurus