The Chapel of St Mary Formosa

The early-Christian basilica of St Mary Formosa was most probably built on the site of former Roman temple of Minerva Polatica on the confluence of the watercourse that was rising on the Field of Mars in ancient Pula. Lavish sacral structure, and the votive church of archbishop Maximilian of Istria, was built in space with longitudinal nave with two side chapels. The votive basilica was one of the finest examples of Byzantine and Ravenna art. Formosa, which got its name because of its beauty, was the only master-piece of Ravenna archbishop Maximilian of Istria, who was born in Veštar near Rovinj.

The Chapel of St Mary Formosa

The archbishop was a powerful representative of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who left a huge impact on the architecture and art of the 6^th century. The Basilica of St Mary Formosa in Pula is the most important monument for the studying of sacred art in Croatia. Maximilian’s Grant, found in the city archive in 1657, indirectly witnesses about the construction of the basilica. Rich in decoration, Formosa (beautiful) was called “Del Canneto” (from the chervil) because of its poor state in the medieval swamp. It was a basilica with three naves with a pair of circular rooms and cross mausoleums. It was damaged in the fire of 1243, when the Venetians ravaged the town for ten days under dux Tiepolo. The Great city council had its meeting in the basilica’s abbey in 1272. Its stone materials are used in 1697 to reconstruct the communal palace on the Forum. In 1547, the marble pillars from the naves of Formosa and ancient theater (Monte Zaro) are being deported into Venice. We can only speculate what the interior looked like, decorated with wall and floor mosaics, in its full scope.
 
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