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St. Thomas church is situated 4 kilometres north of Rovinj,
next to the old railway line that led from Rovinj to a small
place Kanfanar. This edifice has a cross ground plan lately
completed by a church tower placed on its north side. There
is a six metres high apse, semicircular on the inside part
and polygonal on the outside part.
Lateral windows are enriched by semi-circular apses as well,
although being constructed of smaller size. These apses are
connected with the central nave by a high semi- circular
passage. In the north part of the church the original paving
was discovered along with the preserved stand of shrine partition
with several niches for pilasters. Above the central part
the remains of arches that upheld the erracted construction
high above the roofing are still visible.
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A radical constructional intervention was undertaken
on the church in the 16th century, changing completely its
original form. Since the lateral arches were walled in the
whole edifice got one nave. The west part of the edifice
was significantly shortened and altered by a new forepart
with two square windows. During the latest research of the
church the experts found scores of fragments dating from
the ante-Romanesque architectural plastics as well as the
parts of church furniture - pilasters of shrine partition,
columns with capitals, etc.
According to figures discovered so far and
based both on the analysis of the building procedure and
research findings, it can be asserted that the church was
built in the end of the 8th century or in the beginning of
the 9th century. Therefore St. Thomas church presents a beautiful
example of the sacral architecture dating from the Caroline
period in Istria.
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