Church of Saint Peter on the top or the Tondolon church

Church of Saint Peter on the top or the Tondolon church

The Poreč bishop in the 14th century initiated the construction of the Saint Peter on the top or the Tondolon church. The old building was completely refurbished in 1904 when today’s facade was made.

The building has a quadrangular floor plan without an apse, and on its back wall there is a narrow rectangular window similar to early Romanesque churches in the area of the Poreč-Pula Diocese.

On the north side, there is a rebuilt small chapel vaulted with a pointed vault from the Gothic period, which testifies that the church is older than the vault.

The legend of the origin of the church

The church was supposedly created as a sign of thanks to St. Peter. Legend has it that a horseman was running away from the Turks, his path led him right to the rock where the church is now located.

When he saw that he had nowhere to go, he turned to Saint Peter and asked him for help, and in return he promised him that, if he survived, he would build a church in that place, which he did.

Date of visit: 30.01.2022

Sources

• Tourism Office – Municipality of Bale. (n.d.). Churches. Retrieved December 26, 2023, from https://www.bale-valle.hr/en/churches
• Ban, B. (2022, January 25). Sveti Petar na Vrhu: Legenda stvorila crkvu na stijeni – Hello Istria. Hello Istria. https://www.helloistria.com/mjesta/sveti-petar-na-vrhu-legenda-stvorila-crkvu-na-stijeni/