Since its creation, the Château du Barroux has been a seigneurial seat, passing through noble families until the 18th century. Originally part of the Principality of Orange and then the Toulouse domain, it became a fief in 1274 under the Comtat.
The castle, initially a fortified keep, was transformed in 1536 by the Rovigliasc family into a Renaissance residence with decorative windows. During the Wars of Religion, it was captured and retaken in 1563 but sustained little damage. Expanded in the 1680s with Vauban-inspired fortifications, it included artillery and defensive features, maintaining its military readiness.
In 1791, it was damaged by revolutionary forces and fell to ruin, serving as a quarry until 1929 when André Vayson de Pradenne began restoration. WWII saw it occupied by German forces, and it was burned down in 1944. Restoration efforts resumed in the 1960s, and the site, now open to the public, is preserved by the Vayson de Pradenne family and the 'Friends of Château du Barroux' association. Recognized as a historical monument in 1963, the castle hosts cultural events today.
The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.