Three great peoples, the Romans, the Slavs and the Germans started with the development of the Istrian peninsula in the earliest times two thousand years ago. In their wake, they left behind remarkable artwork, philosophy and architecture of this period. The urban architecture of the Romans is just as remarkable as the Byzantine basilica of the early Christian period. After them, they were followed by the great conquerors, such as the Venetian republic, the Austrian monarchy and the Italian kingdom. Today, we can but marvel at the intertwined accomplishments of these periods, which are inscribed on the towns, on the coast and in the interior.
