Lovran

Lovran (Italian: Laurana, German: Lauran) is a village and a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia. It is situated in eastern Istria, on the western coast of the Kvarner Bay with a population of 4,101 in the municipality and 3,336 in the village itself (2011 census). Its name derives from Laurel (Laurus nobilis), as shown in the coat of arms.

Lovran
Municipality
Lovran Municipality Općina Lovran
Lovran
Flag
Lovran Location of Lovran in Croatia
Coordinates: 45.292°N 14.274°E / 45.292; 14.274
Country	Croatia
County	Primorje-Gorski Kotar County
Government
• Mayor	Bojan Simonič (AM)
• City Council	13 members[1]   AM-HNS-LIST (5) _   SDP-HSU-PGS-HSS (5) _   Independents (1) _   HDZ (1) _   IDS (1)
Population  (2011)[2]
• Total	4,101
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Area code	051
Website	www.opcinalovran.hr

Lovran is one of the oldest coastal settlements on the eastern shore of Istrian peninsula. According to one legend, the town was created when the Roman patrician and statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa built his summer residence on the site in the first century AD. By the early Middle Ages it was an important urban and shipbuilding center of northern Adriatic. Following the sudden development of port towns in the vicinity (Trieste, Pula, and Rijeka) which became the new and dominant urban centers in the region, Lovran lost its significance.

However, by the mid 19th century, the area gains prominence as it becomes a fashionable resort for the Austro-Hungarian nobility. The long tradition of tourism is still strongly felt in the Lovran region, and it forms the backbone of the economy.

The region is rich with cultural-historical heritage. A parish church with medieval frescoes and Glagolitic inscriptions, and the 14th century tower of St George's Square within the old urban core, as well as rural ambiances and architectural edifices – namely turn-of-the-century villas with surrounding parks, are general points of interest.