The Church and Monastery of St. Francis, a landmark of Croatian heritage nestled in the heart of the seafront city of Pula, has served as a place of worship and cultural gathering for centuries. Recently, the church embarked on a transformative journey to elevate its acoustics and improve sound clarity.
Dating back to the 14th century, the Church and Monastery of St. Francis combines Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles. Dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, the church comprises a central hall, elevated sanctuary, and apse areas, along with a gallery featuring a historic pipe organ. In addition to its role as a place of worship, the church frequently hosts concerts, exhibitions, and cultural gatherings, further amplifying the need for high-quality audio.
“St. Francis Church’s original sound system was unable to deliver the clarity and coverage needed for both worship services and events,” explains Patricio Valenta, audio system specialist at LAV Projekt, the Croatian partner on the project. “With the expertise of Renkus-Heinz, we envisioned a system that would respect the church’s aesthetic while addressing the complex acoustics of this sacred space.” The open and reverberant nature presented notable acoustic challenges with the stone walls and high ceilings that define St. Francis. The objective was to keep sound clear and focused on the congregation without interfering with the church’s ancient aesthetic.
The project team recommended Renkus-Heinz Iconyx Compact ICC36/3 active digital beam-steerable loudspeakers for the nave and sanctuary areas. The ICC36/3 loudspeakers, known for their compact size and precise vertical directivity, blend into historic interiors. Two ICC36/3 units were installed between the sanctuary and nave, facing the congregation. Each loudspeaker utilizes Renkus-Heinz’s proprietary beam-steering technology, which allows the sound to be directed exactly where needed, minimizing reflections. The integrated 36-channel amplifier enables refined control over the sound field.
For the sanctuary and apse areas, the team also incorporated two RenkusHeinz UBX4 passive directional column loudspeakers. These compact units, mounted discreetly behind the ICC36/3 speakers, provide additional sound coverage to the altar. “The UBX4 was ideal for delivering the required sound reinforcement without visually intruding on the space,” notes Valenta. The UBX Series, utilizing Passive UniBeam technology, achieves asymmetric vertical dispersion, maintaining consistent directivity and reducing interference from side reflections.
An additional Renkus-Heinz UBX8 passive directional loudspeaker was installed in the atrium to extend clear audio coverage to the monastery courtyard. Like the UBX4, the UBX8 is designed to handle outdoor environments and integrate into the exterior layout. “The UBX8 makes the liturgy audibly accessible in the atrium, allowing the sound to carry naturally across the courtyard,” says Valenta.
After installation, the system was calibrated to optimize the performance of the Iconyx Compact using Renkus-Heinz’s OmniBeam software, allowing precise control over the angles of each sound beam. The calibration process played a pivotal role in achieving an impressive Speech Transmission Index for Public Address (STI-PA) score, exceeding 0.6 across more than 90% of the church.
