Parentium

Parentium is the ancient Latin name for the coastal town at the western edge of the Istrian Peninsula, at what is today Poreč, Croatia. In antiquity it developed as a maritime settlement and port on the northern Adriatic coast and, over time, gained prominence as a civic and commercial center within the Roman world.

During the late antique period, the town was associated with the construction of the Euphrasian Basilica, a major early Christian church built in the 4th to 6th centuries. The basilica, with its rich mosaics, is a centerpiece of the historic urban core and forms the core of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Poreč.

Archaeological remains from Parentium include city walls, public buildings, and inscriptions that illustrate the town’s role as a regional hub in Istria. Its fortunes declined in the post-Roman era, and the site passed through various political dominions before evolving into the medieval town that became modern Poreč.

Today, the name Parentium survives mainly in historical and scholarly contexts, and the site is studied for its urban layout, funerary artifacts, and early Christian art. Poreč remains a tourist destination known for its historic old town, seaside setting, and the Euphrasian Basilica as a focal point of cultural heritage in the region.