Balbi's Arch

"Balbi’s Arch – is an unavoidable touristic attraction of Rovinj in Croatia. It is a well know fact that in the 7th century – the city of Rovinj was a fortified city, later strengthened with additional towers. In that times, Rovinj had 7 city gates in total. Today, only three gates are perserved: „The gates under the wall“, „The gates of St. Benedict“ and „The gates of the Holly Cross“. On the exact place where the Balbi’s Arch is located today, there were the main gate to the fortified city of Porton della Pescheria which was demolished back in 1678.-1679 – during the governance of the town mayor Daniel Balbi. Even today You can find a stone board with the written inscription that acknowledge this historical fact. Today, the Balbi’s Arch represents the main entrance to the Old Town of Rovinj and its recognizable by the „greeting venetian lion“ and the Balbi family crest."

"On the one side you’ll find the carved head of a Venetian and on the other the head of a Turk. At the top of the arch you’ll see the Venetian Lion of St. Mark with an open book"