Lapidarium Novigrad, Novigrad, Isztria

The museum collection comprises architectural elements (door sills, lintels, openwork window panels, coats of arms, etc.) and to a large degree liturgical inventory (altar plates, ciboria fragments, pilasters, capitals, etc.), originating from between the 1st and the 18th century. The most significant holdings of the Novigrad Lapidarium Museum belong to the collection from the Early Middle Ages, including the well-preserved Mauritius Ciborium from the end of the 8th century, a rare example of Early Carolingian art in the region. Between 1964 and 1993, the collection was housed on the ground floor of the Rigo Palace. From 1994 to 1998, it was in storage, and during this time the exhibits were conserved and restored. Today, the valuable collection is housed in the Lapidarium Museum, where its most outstanding pieces are on permanent display. The museum building was designed by the Randiæ- Turato architectural office from Rijeka and constructed in 20032006. Representing a successful combination of the old and the new, with its modern concept the building not only provides a suitable frame for the exhibits, but also contributes to the revitalization of the city centre.