Archaeological Research Begins on the Marafor Square in Poreč

For the purposes of creating a conservation study for the arrangement of Marafor Square, as a prerequisite for issuing a construction permit for the arrangement, preparatory work for the necessary archaeological research will begin on Monday, January 16.

We expect that we will come across interesting archaeological discoveries at Marafor, as well as on the waterfront, and we are doing all this so that we can get permission for the final renovation of Poreč’s oldest square, because the design is already underway. This beautiful square deserves to once again become a place of gathering and socializing for our citizens. We are also proceeding with the renovation of the Romanesque house, which is located in the immediate vicinity of Marafor.

– Mayor Loris Peršurić

The Importance of the Project for the Community and Future Generations

Preparatory works include the dismantling and removal of the existing urban equipment and the existing paving of the square within the affected area (stone paving, cooler slabs, asphalt, stone curbs, stone flower beds, etc.), which will be followed by an archaeological excavation of the terrain.

With this project, the Poreč museum will get a historic opportunity to carry out archaeological research of Marafor in almost its entire range. The goals are, in fact, to try to bring the original Roman paving of the forum to light for the first time and to try to explore the possibility of presenting them to the public as part of the future renovation works of Marafor Square itself.

– museum director, Elena Uljančić

Due to the importance of the project for the entire community and future generations, the project is multidisciplinary, which means that, in addition to archaeologists and historians of the Local Museum of Poreština, other experts in the field of conservation and restoration, designers, architects, structural engineers and others are also involved.

The archaeological excavation will be carried out by machine and hand, 70-120 cm deep, in order to get an insight into the existing ancient paving of the square, which is located under the current area of the square and represents the rich archaeological heritage preserved in this zone. During the archaeological excavation, it will be necessary to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the existing underground and above-ground installations within the intervention zone. It will also be built with a ramp for access to the surrounding residential and commercial buildings.

After the archeological excavation of the terrain is completed, the site of the square will be covered with stone aggregate and brought back to its original state in order to enable the unhindered use of the square area until the beginning of the work on the square’s decoration itself according to the issued building permit.

The planned deadline for the completion of preparatory works and archaeological excavation is April this year.

Importance of Marafor

The forum was the central place of events in every Roman city. A place where politics, the judiciary, religion, and commerce converged or intertwined. But, apart from the formal nuances, the forum was actually a focal point for bringing people together, citizens of the city itself, but also residents of the surrounding area. Everything gravitated towards the forum, simply put, the main square of the city. Roman quarters (islands) were created according to the shape of the forum itself, whose name Marafor still has Latin roots. What is known is that the Poreč forum was square in shape and that the paving consisted of massive slabs of local limestone. It is a big unknown, however, what happened to the buildings surrounding the forum during the millennium and what its fate was after the center of power was transferred to other squares, to other parts of the city.