Rovinj was already a settlement of
Venetian or
Illyrian tribes before being captured by the
Romans, who called it
Arupinium or
Mons Rubineus, and later
Ruginium and
Ruvinium. Rovinj was eventually incorporated into the
Byzantine Empire, later becoming part of the
Exarchate of Ravenna in the 6th century, before being taken over by the
Frankish Empire in 788. For the following several centuries it was ruled by a succession of feudal lords, and in 1209 it was acquired by the
Patriarchate of Aquileia under
Wolfger von Erla. From 1283 to 1797, Rovinj was one of the most important towns in Istria governed by the
Republic of Venice. During this period, three town gates were constructed and Rovinj was fortified by two rows of defensive walls, remains of which can still be seen today. The Rovinj pier is home to one of the old town gates, ''
Balbi's Arch'', dating from 1680, and a late-
Renaissance clock tower. The first city statute was proclaimed in 1531. Rovinj, built on an island close to the coast, became connected to the mainland by filling in the channel only in 1763. Following the
fall of Venice in 1797 and the ensuing
Napoleonic interlude, Rovinj became part of the
Austrian Empire, which lasted until
World War I. According to the last Austrian census in 1911, 97.8% of the population was Italian-speaking. Rovinj then belonged to
Kingdom of Italy from 1918 to 1947, when it was ceded to
SFR Yugoslavia, as part of
SR Croatia. The original town name "Rovigno" was then changed to "Rovinj". During the post-war period, many Italian inhabitants left Rovigno, leading to significant changes in the city's demographic structure. Following
Croatia's independence in 1991, Rovinj became one of the most important centers of
Istria County, an administrative unit encompassing most of
Istria. Rovinj is today the third most populous town in the county, behind
Pula and
Poreč. ==Climate==