Description of the attraction
The early Christian church is the ruins of a temple located very close to the Basilica of the Virgin Mary in Vrsar. Its unique feature lies in the fact that it has preserved the mosaic fragments of the 4th century, which adorn the floor.
This church is considered the oldest Christian building in Istria. According to historical data, the first Christians who settled in these lands in the period from the 2nd to the 3rd centuries, most likely, performed their services in all kinds of private buildings. Scientists suggest that the date of the construction of this basilica dates back to the 4th century, just at the time when Emperor Constantine proclaimed religious tolerance throughout the entire territory of the Roman Empire.
The first fragments of the church were found in 1935 by the Italian archaeologist Mario Mirabella Roberti. The building is typical of ancient Christian architecture, therefore it was originally a simple rectangular structure, which was supplemented by an apse in the 6th century. The church floor was decorated with multicolored mosaics, which depicted mainly floral (baskets with grapes, wreaths, leaves) and animals (pigeons, peacocks, fish) motives. The central part of the floor is made up of 73 interconnected circles.
When the Slavs invaded these lands in the 7th century, they almost completely destroyed the basilica. The remaining part of it was later transformed into an olive plant. Today, the remaining fragments of the building are covered by the ground, so they are inaccessible for inspection.
