If we take the direction that goes towards left from the Balbi gate, following the direction that goes towards Gandusio, you will note on your left side of the street a big building with neoclassical façade and another attractive palace with red façade.

The last palace belonged to family Califfi and was built in the 17th century.

Walking tward Califfi palace, in the area located between Balbi gate and the clock tower, you can imagine the sea channel when Rovinj was an island separated from the land.

The Califfi palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in Rovinj and today houses the town museum.

It has a nice Baroque balcony on the second floor but what I like a lot from this building is the harmony and symmetry of the way windows are placed on the façade.

This harmony remind me the Renaissance period. 

In 1563, Podesta’ Scipione Benzon, when Rovinj was still the island, on the other side of the street, in front of Califfi Palace, restructured and realized the bridge tower. This gates were the main entrance gates to Rovinj Island.

I saw the drawings of this tower and the architecture was similar to the new gates tower in Motovun with the difference that the tower in Rovinj was taller due to the fact it had three floors above the gates.

Above the gates there was also a big stone sculpture of the Lion of St. Mark and two inscriptions were placed on the tower: “lo reposso – dei deserti” that means the rest to unhappy people.

The meaning of the inscription was related to many refugees that found shelter in Rovinj in the past centuries.

In 1650 the wood made bridge was replaced with the stone made bridge. The stone made bridge was demolished in 1763 when also the canal was filled in, while the bridge tower was demolished in 1843. The decision to fill in the canal was mainly due to hygienic reasons.

There are several other interesting buildings that are located in the southern part of Rovinj. Instead of going from Califfi Palace towards the theatre Gandusio you should take now the opposite direction and follow the streets that goes nearby the houses that form the external ring of the old town.

First interesting façade is the one of the Tribunal of Rovinj and soon after you will note Batana house musem.

Over the last years, this museum obtained several National prizes.The founders put the attention on details, invested a lot of personal passion to create this very particular musem.

During the summer Batana house museum organize the events where is possible to attend the real constructing tradition of this particular boat.

The Rovinj’s batana is mentioned in the written sources of the town in the 19th century.

Along with the Venetian gondola, the Neretva trupa and the Komis sandula, the batana belongs to the family of flat-bottomed barges, whose beginnings dates back from prehistoric times.

During the Middle Ages, the batana is mentioned for the first time in the Italian region Marche. You can learn more about this characteristics boat by visiting the museum.