Church of St. Euphemia is an unforgettable motif of Rovinj postcard and the trademark of this magical Mediterranean town. The church was built in 1736 whilst its construction had started much earlier. In 1651, the bell tower started to rise and after 26 yeas, the tower reached a height of 62 meters with a built-in monument of St. Euphemia that was placed on top with a height of 4.7 meters. The church is built in Baroque style and its luxurious interior offers a multitude of statues and frescoes, altars and sacral paintings, valuable for sightseeing. The tower is an extraordinary attraction and due to the view from its peak, the view which is reserved for the bravest ones, while those who like to stay closer to the earth can enjoy the sights of Rovinj from the hill where the church was erected.
How much legend of Euphemia is engraved in the memory of Rovinj, is also witnessed by the day of the city on September 16, when the anniversary of her death is celebrated as well. Euphemia was born in the 3rd century AD, during the great persecution of Christians in the area of today's Istanbul. In early adolescence, she embraced Christianity and had been tortured at age 16. The story says she had survived attempts of killing by the wheel with knives and throwing it into a stove, but eventually she was disrupted by wild animals in an arena. Her remaining were first transferred to Constantinople, to end up at the end of the 7th century on the raft that the sea caused to the coasts of Rovinj on July 13, 800. A crowd gathered in the shore did not manage to get the heavy sarcophagus out of the sea. Than the saint of Euphemia approached a single boy, who later with the help of two heifers managed to pull out the sarcophagus and take it to the hill where it was stored in the church of St. Juraj, on whose foundation was later built today's beauty that keeps memories of the brave girl and all the treasures of the magical Rovinj. If you rent an apartment, room or holiday home in Rovinj, visit Euphemia's last resting place and discover the history of this magical city
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