Balbi's Arch is the ceremonial entrance to Rovinj's old town, built in 1678–79 to replace an earlier medieval gate. The arch marks the transition from the newer parts of town into the tightly packed lanes of the historic centre. It was designed by the Venetian architect Antonio Manopola and is one of the best-preserved examples of Baroque civic architecture on the Istrian peninsula.
The carving above the arch depicts a Venetian lion of St. Mark, symbol of the Republic of Venice, which ruled Rovinj for nearly five centuries. Below the lion, on each side, are carved turbaned heads — typically interpreted as Ottoman prisoners or as a reference to the ongoing conflict between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. Pass through the arch and the character of the town changes immediately: cobbled lanes, stone buildings, laundry overhead, and the smell of the sea.