Venetian Influence

400 years of Venetian rule (15th-18th century) left a lasting mark on the architecture of the Dalmatian and Istrian coastal towns. The Lion of St. Mark (symbol of Venice) adorns city gates, loggias, and palaces from Zadar to Korčula.

Typically Venetian

• Loggia — Open arcades as meeting and trading places (Trogir, Hvar, Korčula)
• Campanile — Freestanding bell towers (Rab has four side by side!)
• Palazzi — Gothic and Renaissance palaces along the waterfronts
• Cisterns — Underground water storage (especially vital on islands)

The Most Venetian Places

• Rovinj: The "Croatian Venice" — pastel-colored houses crowding around the harbor like an amphitheater. The Church of St. Euphemia on the hill is modeled after the Campanile of San Marco.
• Korčula: The old town, laid out in a fishbone pattern, was designed to let the wind blow through the streets in summer and block the winter winds.
• Hvar: The main square (Pjaca) with the Renaissance loggia, the arsenal, and the oldest public theater in Europe (1612).