Franciscan Monastery, Franciscan monastery in Rovinj's old town, Croatia.
This baroque monastic complex features a church dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, peaceful cloisters with water cisterns, and houses an extensive collection of religious artifacts spanning from the fifteenth to twentieth centuries within its walls.
Founded in 1701 by decree of Poreč Bishop Alessandro Adelasio during Venetian rule, the monastery was constructed between 1702 and 1710 as a hospice for the poor and sick before officially becoming a monastery in 1746 following church consecration.
The monastery's collection contains over two hundred artifacts including twenty-eight oil paintings on canvas, wood, and copper depicting Christological scenes, plus a valuable library of twelve thousand theological volumes from the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries.
Visitors can explore the baroque church with its three restored altars, attend morning mass featuring traditional music and chants, and arrange guided tours by contacting the local tourism office or emailing provincijalat-zadar@zd.t-com.hr for scheduling information.
Saint Ivan Kapistran, renowned missionary and opponent of the Ottoman Empire, is traditionally considered the first guardian of the original monastery on Saint Andrew Island, with his relics preserved at the friary in Ilok, eastern Croatia.
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