Istria is the biggest Croatian peninsula situated on the western Adriatic coast. Its surface issues 2.820 sq kilometers. Istria has a long tradition and culture evidencing with the numerous historical places still enliven and preserved. The heritage has still preserved its importance for the national, cultural and historical recognition.
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A first trace of any human on these areas was in the time of the Paleolithic . Those evidences still testify the past life and its importance to the now days.
The first object evidencing the human existence in Istria was found near the city Pula . It was the stone handmade statue, and founders believe that is about 2 million years old. This fact introduces into the image of the history and culture which are going to be revealed.
Another foundation place of Paleolithic period is the Limski Channel where are found some leftovers and interesting objects.
The Romuald cave is an interesting place witnessing the remains of animal bones, various utensils and objects used to survive. Those remains are still preserved from that time showing the significance of colonization in Istria.
After the first new comers, before the Christ, people started to build fortifications up on the hill. They where built on the hills because the better defense and patrol from the enemies. People lived in side those forts and rarely went out the walls.
Istria has preserved, till today, about 400 fortifications and castles from the Bronze and Iron Age. The best maintained are on the localities near the main cities like Pula, Rovinj and Porec.
It is believed that those first people lived near Pula in the Pre Historic fortress. The place was known as the last and the main "town" of the nation Histris who lived in this area. Histris where probably the first people who colonized Istria and after them our beautiful peninsula inherited the name. The fortress is still preserved and today is the long living evidence of the historical changes and movements.
Histris involved in the commerce, and also have deal with the fishing, hunting, naval commerce, agriculture and livestock farming. They where developing the culture and way of living, still present today in many places along the Istria.
After the Histris population, the area has been conquered by the Romans.
Romans where a great and a strong nation, making changes everywhere they stepped into by building homes and villas, introducing changes within the political and cultural arrangement . They built routes which where predicted to connect the whole Istria within their country in order to make a better commerce trade, urban cities and villas.
The Romans built the Amphitheater Arena in Pula, from the Istrian stone from one of the Istrian quarry. They have built about 300 Antique villa s on different localities along Istria and called them Villa Rusticae. Those villas are still preserved and are the evidence of the great Romans love towards Istrian land.
After 500 years, Istria is conquered by the German people Goths. But after 30 years their story finished because they where triumphed by another Roman colony. That colony was the Byzantines Roman Empire.
The Byzantines bring the cultural and artistic changes in the lives of the inhabitants. They build the most beautiful cultural and historical monuments along the peninusula.
Furthermore, the Bishop Maximilian, originally from Rovinj built the Basilica with the three parts, one main and two from the side. From the in side was the most amazing basilica of that time. It had the marble mosaic floor , frescoes on the walls, unique relief and painted piers. Because it's fascinating beauty, basilica was called Saint Mary Formosa. Today is preserved only one side part of the basilica, enough to testify the cultural importance of Istria to Byzantines people.
Porec is a city having one of the most beautiful basilica and early Byzantines churches in the whole Europe. The Euphrasian basilica is the monument of the extraordinary importance preserved under the Unseco's world list of cultural and monumental heritage.
Istrian cities, during the time of Byzantines politic had the autonomy. But after the Istria referred to the Francs Republic, the cities lost the autonomy but whereby the Church power started to develop and intensify.
More and more where built the fortressed cities. Those cities where defending and protecting them selves by the castles, fortresses, high walls surroundin g the entity and movable bridges. The people had to defend because of those many impacts of various nations who wanted to conquer the land.
From the out side, those fortifications seemed like a surrounded castles, but from the in side they where full of narrow streets, churches, piazzas and local lodge. The streets where built to follow the surrounding walls direction. Local lodge was the place where the local city leaders made the most important decisions. Besides, the central places where also the assembled places of the inhabitants.
In that time, the urban culture starts to develop and grove. People start to develop their habits, life norms and economic wants. Easily but securely the nation secured their homes, occupations and families.
Many various cultures and colonization's passed through the Istria and left traces. Besides all, the historical changes lead to the cultural changes but also made an important impact on today's way of thinking and living.
The Istrian tradition arises many years ago. Once, the inhabitants were the land workers, livestock farmers, fishers, vineyard workers, stone carvers and potters. Today the traditional way of working and surviving has not changed its path. The basics stayed the same, only the evolution has changed some principle facts of behavior.
Now days, Istrian people have their own folklore round followed by the traditional music. They are dressed in the traditional attire convenient to the folklore song and dance.
Furthermore, for all these years they have cherished the Easter custom and belief of Christ resurrection. On that day, people eat home made bread, eggs, cabbage, chicken meat and traditional pastries pinca and fritule. Till today this custom has continued to live and be valuable.
During the whole year, especially during the holiday periods, along the Istria are organized the traditional fairs connecting the old traditional spirit and today's culture. On these fairs are offered souvenirs of the traditional objects like: traditional houses, attires, animals and more. This fairs are the junction of the culture, tradition and modernity of the beautiful Istria.
Istrian architecture is closely connected to the tradition. The practice of building stayed the same for all these years. The stone from the Istrian quarries was used for every purpose. Istrian houses are made of stone having placed in side the hearth of fire. This place was the heart and a soul of every house. Food was prepared on that fire place, families gathered around the fire and tell the legendary stories.
Hereafter, home people where buiding the small stone shelters which used to protect them from the bad weather if they stayed in the field and are called Kazuni. They are made of pure stone stowed on each other by the size and measure without the mortar. This stone design is more known then any colonization lived on this area.
Another uniqueness of Istrian culture is the so called Suhozid (Drywall) which is the pure stone stowed like for the Kazun building principle. It is the way of workup of the traditional Istrian stone compounding. The drywall is the artistic piece and a sculpture of the home people.
The last but not the least art work of the inhabitants is the stone pit. It is to be found in front of every house. The pit is made of a combination of Istrian white stone and iron. Besides it is placed in front of every household, it is a trade mark on every piazza along the peninsula's settlements.
The tradition has to be treasured and kept so could be transmitted to other generations. Tradition is something we call the family roots; some trace o our existence and our human history, and after all our connection to the nature.
As it was said at the beginning, Istria treasures some Pre Historic localities and foundations for today's culture, like Sandalj and Romuald Cave. In this places are found traces and objects evidencing the human existence on the area. Additionally, moving towards to the "future", we discover more finding sites.
The first colonization was the Histris, as it was said above. There are some fortifications they have left in Istria form the Bronze Age, like: Nesactium and Monkodonja..jpg)
The Romans have made many monuments and villas leaving their existence evidence. Their monuments, from the Antique time, where found along the Istria like: Amphitheater Arena, the Triumphal Arch of the Sergi family, August Temple and the remains of the Romans Villa Rusticae.
In the 6th century, after the Romans people, another colonization and cultural array took a place. They also left an important trace, the Euphrasian Basilica. It is the most amazing basilica and a complex on the area.
The Middle Age churches which where frescoes painted and scribed the period in Istria, are also well preserved. Many of them have stayed practically untouched and those are: The Church of St. Barnaba in Vizinada, St. Foska in Batvaci, St. Martin in Lovrec and St. Margareta in Vodnjan.
The most valuable treasure of the middle ages is the Church of St. Mary on Skrilinah in Beram, a small village in the heart of Istria. In side the small church is all over the walls, frescoes painted the Mortuary Dance.
The biggest Istrian church, from the Middle Ages is the Church of St. Blaz in Vodnjan. Church has a sacral art collectio n with over the 730 art pieces and objects and mummified bodies of several Saints.
During the Middle Ages Art and Literacy, the letter Glagoljica, and its remains stayed preserved and treasured. From Hum to the Roc are settled 11 monuments scribing the Glagoljica Alley, the cultural heritage of our ancestors.
Furthermore, many other Middle Age places have predetermined our cultural heritage like those middle ages castles and fortifications. Some of the most important are Dvigrad, Svetvincenta, Pazin, Pula, Monjan, Pietra Pelosa and more. Other historical entities are settled in the inner Istria and at the sea coast. Those entities also had a great impact on the Istria development, because of their favorable position and connection to the major commerce ways.
Besides, around Pula have settled some Austrian Fortifications and in the settlement Ras a has been applied the Italian architecture in several buildings.
But there are many more historical buildings which have set the Istrian Civilization and urban culture. All these places are preserved cultural heritage and the traditional value which has to be kept and protected. Many artists had the inspiration in Istria because it serves the unique national culture.
Peninsula Istria has numerous natural heritages, grown and preserved by the nature itself. It has only one National Park Brijuni. Also has Nature Park Mountain Ucka, a place where is preserved the plant and animal land cover. The Botanical-Forestry Vegetation Reserve has two biggest forests in Istria and those are; Motovun Forest and Kontija Forest.
The Sea Reservation is the land of Limski Channel where are protected the sea and the sea underworld. Furthermore, a Palantological Reserve is the Datule at Barbarige. Additionally, Istria cherishes more preserved treasures and has: 6 Park Forests; 9 Protected Landscape Areas; 5 Botanical, 1 Zoological, 3 Geomorphologic and 1 Geological Nature Monument; and 2 Monuments of Park Architecture.
Hereafter, here are going to be presented all those amazing natural places. The Park Forests are: Golden Cape; Sijana; Skaraba; Busoler;
Peninsula Kasteja in Medulin. Protected Landscapes: Istrian watering place surroundings; Limski Channel; Pazin Abysm;
Rovinj Islands Archipelago and coastal area; Gracisce - Pican; Labin - Rabac - Prklog; Upper Kamenja
k; Lower Kamenjak and
Medulin Archipelago.
Geomorphologic Nature Monuments are very special and unique. Those are the Big Creek under the mountain Ucka, Barrow Baredine, and Marko's Barrow. These places are the natural treasure and constant reminder of the nature beauty and its constant movement in the heart of the Earth.
Another, the Zoological
Nature Monument is the Pincinova Cave. Besides that, the Geological Nature Monument is the Cave Monfiorenzo, the quarry Fantasy.
Furthermore, the Botanical Nature Monuments are closely connected with the nature appreciating the nature as once was, untouched and preserved from the human hand. Today, those plants are well secured and are waiting you to discover their beauty. Those are: 4 Pine Trees in Karojba; Pine Trees in Labinci (special kind of a pine tree, called Pinija); 2 Trees of Glicinija; Cypress Tree in Kascerga; a Group of Trees around the Church of St. Ann in Cervar.
Very interesting treasures are the Monuments of Park Architecture which were decorated by the human hand with plenty of love and care. Those are two places; Park in Nedescina and a Cypress Alley on the Rovinj cemetery.
Furthermore, an amazing nature game has proved once more its mystery of creating and developing. The Ornithological Reserve where is preserved the unique composition of the sea and the swamp is called the Palud. It is the amazing place revealing how the nature can be beautiful and interesting.
The last but not less important are places protected by their nature and secured from the harmful impact. Those are: Cave Festinsko Kingdom and Romuald Cave. The oldest places in Istria suitable for everyone only with the guide and the experts.
Istria is a peninsula with the well indented coast, numerous islands, islets, valleys, bays, caves and high rocks. Its coast is, including the islands, 539 kilometers long.
The sea is amazingly clear, blue and bright and every year gets the recognition for the best sea quality in that part of the Adriatic.
Considering the structure, the peninsula is divided into three parts.
First is the Northern highland which is barren with the plant land cover. It is called the White Istria where people mostly deal with livestock farming.
Second is the South-Western down land which is richer part then the Northern. It is mostly the clayey part of the land covered with the sandstones. It is called the Grey Istria where people mostly do farming because the land is fertile.
The third is the coastal part of the land. It is the calcareus ledge and very rich, fertile and is called the Red Istria. Because it's well position near the sea it is the richest and most developed land covered with the red soil. People here grow grapes, figs, olives, truffles, and almonds.
That leads to a conclusion that Istria is developed in every part by different components but also useful for its present and a future development.
The Mediterranean sky gives an ideal atmosphere, weather but also is suitable for the growth of the mediterranean herbs and plants and animals. Pine Trees, apropos woods are spread over the bigger part of the peninsula surface. It has fascinating flora and fauna, but also the recognizable Green Macchia spread along the Istria which is also the protected and recognizable Istrian plant.
Istria has 5 most famous and important rivers and watercourses. Those are Mirna, Rasa, Boljuncica, Dragonja and Pazincica.
The main cities in Istria handling the administrative and justifiable concerns of the peninsula are Pula, Pazin, Porec, Rovinj and Umag . Those cities are besides the legal concerns, the most developed along the coast of Istria.
In the inland, many cities, like Pazin and Buzet are also developed and important for the future Istrian tourism and economy construction.
Concerning the inland, Istria has the Smallest City in the whole world, the settlement Hum which entered in the Guinness Book of the World Records.
Hum has developed in the early Middle Ages, precisely in the 11th century. Then, at the remains of the old fortress has been built the new Hum castle and first few houses. That was the beginning of that small settlement, today the smallest city in the whole world. Up till the 17th century, Hum is encrypted as the fortification "Castrum". Its role was to be a fortification and to remain the place in side those walls. Furthermore, the place never spread out side the walls of the fort. Today, it is the most known center of the Glagoljica letter and monuments, together with the 23 inhabitants.
Istria is the land of magical stories, enliven legends and untouched nature. Istria is telling its own fairy tail and invites you to enter this mysterious land and fly of, on the wings of magic.
Regional Number Code 052
