Archaeological Site of St Severinus, Vodnjan

Near Guran, in the area of Vodnjan in Istria County, lies an archaeological site with the remains of the Church of St Severinus. Anyone interested in the period of Frankish rule in Istria will find here an important monument of early medieval church architecture.

Inscriptions and certain architectural elements found during the investigations show that the church arose during Frankish rule, from the end of the 8th to the beginning of the 9th century. Its plan is single-nave, and on the partly preserved north wall the remains of a buttress can be seen. Inside the sanctuary, on the north and south sides, remains of niches for storing liturgical objects can be discerned. The walled forecourt paved with irregular slates may be a later extension of the church. The surroundings are bounded by dry-stone walls, and a well-preserved kažun also stands out.

The site is a protected cultural property, entered in the Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia under the code Z-3104.

Data: Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia (Ministry of Culture and Media), Open Licence.