Marafor Square, Poreč, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

Marafor Square (Trg Marafor) in Poreč, Croatia, is the site of the town's Roman forum, the public heart of the ancient settlement. Today it is an open square in the old town where the remains of Roman temples, linked to Mars and Neptune, stand among much later buildings.

The story behind it

Nearly 2,000 years ago this was the main public space of Roman Poreč. Markets, business and religious life gathered here, and the square was framed by temples. The largest was the Temple of Mars, and close by stood the Temple of Neptune, whose ruins are the easier ones to read today. Parts of the Roman paving still lie just beneath the present surface. The name Marafor is often explained as a worn-down form of the Roman forum's association with Mars.

The square lost its central role in the Middle Ages, as the town's life shifted elsewhere, but the old layout never entirely disappeared. Just off the square, on Decumanus Street, the main Roman thoroughfare, stands the Romanesque House, dating from the 13th century. It is a rare surviving example of Romanesque residential architecture, built in plain, sturdy stone. A wooden balcony was added in the 18th century.

What to look for

• The remains of the Temple of Neptune, where you can see how large the stone foundations and column bases were.
• The wide platform where the Temple of Mars once stood, which gives a sense of how grand the forum was.
• The old paving stones, a reminder that Roman ground level lies only a little below your feet.
• On the Romanesque House, the bifora, a double-arched window set into the stone facade, and the wooden balcony above the street.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 20 to 30 minutes to look around the square and the Romanesque House, longer if you stop at a cafe.
• Early morning and late afternoon are calmer and give softer light on the stone.
• The square is an open public space and you can walk through it freely. For any gallery or museum space nearby, check current opening hours.
• The Euphrasian Basilica and the rest of the old town are a short walk away, so the square fits easily into a wider stroll along Decumanus Street.

See it on a quest

Marafor makes more sense when you reach it on foot as part of a longer walk through the old town, which is how Poreč old town must see takes you. The app tells you about each place as you arrive, then sets a puzzle in what is in front of you, so you look closely at the stones rather than just pass them. You start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join. One ticket covers your whole group.