Sv. Marija Mala church near Bale
Sv. Marija Mala near Bale has two apses within a single nave. Fragments of early medieval consecration crosses and later saints remain on its walls.
Two apses behind a flat outer wall
The church of Mala Gospa stands outside the old centre of Bale, north of the road towards Rovinj. It dates from the 8th or 9th century. The builders fitted two apses into the church’s rectangular plan. A straight outer wall encloses these semicircular altar recesses, with a smaller niche between them.
The walls retain traces of two periods of painting. Consecration crosses from the 8th or 9th century belong to the earlier layer and relate to the rite of consecrating the church. Painters added figures of saints in the Romanesque period, during the 12th or 13th century. Only fragments of both layers survive.
Stone finds in the crypt in Bale
Archaeologists and conservators investigated and restored the church between 1992 and 1998. Stone fragments from its church furnishings now form part of the collection in the lapidarium in the parish church crypt. To see those finds, head to Bale’s old centre; the walls and traces of painting remain in the outlying church.
Use the map alongside this article to locate the church. Before setting out, ask the Bale Tourist Board about access to the interior and the condition of the approach. Do not count on driving right up to the building.
Address: 52211 Bale