History of Rovinj
According the legend Rovinj was founded by the inhabitants of Cissa island. In the 6th or 7th century island Cissa - Rovinjian Atlantis sank as a consequence of an earthquake and the inhabitants populated the island Mons Rubinium. But, this is only a legend and the existence of Cissa has never been proven.
Although the city was first mentiond in the 6th century by the name Ruginio, Ruigno and Ruvigno the history is much older. Evidence of human existence in the peninsula takes us back to pre-history when its inhabitants built hill –fort setlements, remains of wich can be still seen nowdays ( Moncodogna near Rovinj). The first known inhabitatnts of Rovinj were Histri (Illyrian tribe after which Istria was named). In the 177 BC Istria was occupied by the Romans until the 5th century who called the settlement Mons Rubineus, Ruginium and Ruvinium. After the Romans Istria was invaded by the Goths afterwards Byzantium and in 788 it became part of the Frankish empire. Between the 9th and 11th century Istria came under the rule of different feudal lords and from 1209 was ruled by the Aquilean patriarch. From 1283 to 1797 Rovinj fell under Venetian rule. In this period Rovinj bacame strong fishing, shipbuilding and maritime center and one of the most important towns of Istria. In the 17th century the city expanded beyond the walls to the mainland so that the channel between the mainland and the island was filled in and Rovinj became a cluttered city on the peninsula. After the fall of Venice and Napoleonic parenthesis, Rovinj became a part of the Austrian Empire. Austrian rule was a period of prosperity and growth for Rovinj. Many factories were erected (tabacco, cement, wax, glas and sardine factory). The city had six smaller shipyards. The theater was built as well as the Institute of marine biology. In 1888 a health resort was opened named Maria Theresia Seehospitz and that was the official beginning of tourism in Rovinj.
After the fall od Austria – Hungary monarchy Rovinj belonged to Italy untill 1943 followed by German occupation. Since 1945 Rovinj was, like the whole Croatia, a part of Yugoslavia, and from 1991 with the fall of Yugoslavia a part of Republic of Croatia.
