Medieval istrian towns

1. Medieval I
strian tow
ns
Sights – a must to see!
BY ETWINNING CROATIAN
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2. MOTOVUN
 Settlement in the central region of the Istrian Peninsula on the
south side of the Mirna River Valley. Economy is based on
agriculture, wine and ranching.
The oldest core of the town is belted with well preserved city walls
from the 13th and 14th century, and today serve as a promenade.
Within the core are several Romantic and Gothic houses. The three
sections of the town are connected with a system of external and
internal fortifications with walls, towers and city gates. Situated
on the main square is the Gothic-Romantic bell tower with scalloped
parapet at the top (18/19th cent.) and the Renaissance palace-
castle with adaptations from the 16-19th centuries. Beneath the
main square is the public water reservoir, and stone plaque with
city crest dating back to the 14-15th centuries.

3. ST. STJEPAN CHURCH
 The parish church, St. Stjepan (St. Steven), the
construction of which began in the early 17th century
carries late Renaissance markings. The painting of the Last
Supper in the sanctuary is attributed to Stefano Celesti
(17th cent.); the marble statues at the main altar are the
work of Francesco Bonazza from 1725; the Baroque carved
chair (17th cent.); ceiling painting were made by the
neoclassicist Giuseppe Bernadino Bisson in the late 18th
century; the organ is the work of Gaetana Callida (Venice,
18-19th cent.). Of the church inventory, the gilded movable
altar with reliefs of the crucifixion and saints (14th cent.),
the processional cross from the 14th century with
ornamental handle from the 15th century, the chalice with
enamel ornaments (15th cent.), the osculatorium
(1606), the reliquary (17th cent.) and the candelabras
(from 1714 and 1739) stand out in particular.

4. GROŽNJAN
 Settlement in the interior of Istria, 8 km southeast of
Buje; situated on the northern plateau above the Mirna
River Valley, at an altitude of 260m. Population 193.
Within the revitalization project, Grožnjan in more recent
history has been enriched with cultural activities (Summer
Music School). It is connected to Buje with local roads.
The medieval castle was the property of an Aquilean
patriarch until 1358. To 1394, it was under Venetian
ownership and became the center of the northern part of
its territory in Istria. Preserved monuments include a
portion of the defense system: the main city gates on the
eastern side (15-16th cent.) and a part of the defensive
wall, which was restored on two occasions (1360 and 1367).
Near the gates on the interior side lies the Renaissance
loggia (1587), above which was the wheat storage.

5. AND ALSO
The Baroque church St. Mary, St. Vid and Modesta from 1770 is
located on the main square. The separate bell tower is from the
17th century. The church contains valuable Baroque choir
benches, an oil painting from the 17th century depicting St. Peter
of Alcantara and the marble late Baroque altar. Before the city
gates is the chapel of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, built in 1554 and
adapted in 1834, and the chapel interior was painted by the
modern Croatian artist Ivan Lovrenčić (1990). On the foothills of
the town on the Mirna River, in a place called Bastia, the small
Baroque Church of the Merciful Mother of God was preserved.

6. HUM
 The western side of the town  The painting above the
is enclosed with a wing of altar is the work of B.
city walls, while on the d’Anne. The church has a
remaining three sides the late Gothic chalice and
defense system consisted of ciborium from 1539. The
the interconnected outer Romantic church St.
walls of houses. Within the Jeronim, with its semicircle
wall system, near to the city apse stands at the
gates (1562) is the bell graveyard. The church
tower (1552). The parish contains valuable wall
church, with its classical paintings from the 12-13th
façade, was built in 1802 in century.
the same place as the church
from 1609.

7. PAZIN
Pazin is mentioned in a document of the Emperor Otto
II, issued in Verona on 7 July 983, upon which basis
the castle came into the ownership of the Poreč
diocese. In the 12th century, it was owned by the Count
Majnhard, born in Crni Grad near Roč, the founder of
the Poreč county. After the Majnhard family died out in
1248, the castle passed into the hands of the counts of
Gorica. In 1374, it was passed on to the Hapsburgs
and given in feud to various families, the last of which
(from 1766) was the Montecuccoli family. From 1825-
1861, Pazin was the administrative center of the Istria
Interior. In 1899, the first Croatian secondary school in
Istria was opened, which did much to contribute to
Croatian culture and national awareness. During World
War II, it suffered significant damage from bombing
(1943), and following the war, it was annexed to
Croatia.