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Churches and chapels

Church of Saint Mary Major

About 3.5 km south of Žminj lies the Church of Saint Mary Major (from the Italian Santa Maria Maggiore). It is dedicated to Mary’s Annunciation and was probably built during the 12th century.

Its present form dates back to 1666 when the front porch was added. The porch was also used as a shelter for people coming from faraway places. The porch is still intact thanks to its angel-shaped caryatids. Caryatids are sculpted female statues that serve as architectural support of the front porch and its roof, commonly found on Greek temples in Athens. In this case the stone caryatids are angels and saints portrayed with undulating bodies and clothes, carved in Baroque style and with sophisticated composition of realistic poses. It is believed that they are work of some local sculptor with enviable knowledge and it is also believed that the caryatids have been reused, being demolished from some other building in the surrounding area. The 18-metre-high Romanesque bell tower is preserved in its original form, representing one of the most conserved Romanesque bell towers in Istria.

Majka Božja Od Svetomora, Žminj
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Turistička zajednica Općine Žminj
9. rujna 22A
HR-52341 Žminj 

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