Picugi & Mordele - unravel the mystery of the “Croatian Stonehenge” in Istria

In the charming region of Istria you can find historical traces almost on every step. This particular impressive site is hidden close to the field of Valkarin and the town of Porec. Its exact location is between the villages of Valkarin, Fuskulin and Dracevac. You will see around 10, almost the same-looking hills, with round peaks. The historians say, that if the peaks are round or flat, it is high likely the place was inhabited. The hills are just around 100 meters high and you can guess from the distance they are the ruins of some prehistoric construction. This magnificent site is called “The Stonehenge of Istria” and not even all Croats know it exists. Why is it called like that?

Two of these hill formations are especially interesting. They are called Mordele and Picugi and date back up to 4000 years. These attractions haven’t been explored a lot, but are still a mystery to many archeologists. Let’s find out what is known so far about these intriguing ancient locations.



The hills called Mordele consist of many hill-tops, but the most significant are: “Velike Mordele” (“Big Mordele”),“Veliki Sveti Andeo” (“Big Holy Angel”) and “Mali Sveti Andeo” (“Little Holy Angel”). Near the top are several, very large and treated stone blocks, which form a circle of stone megaliths. Each stone is massive and weighs between 2 to 3 tons! They are at a similar distance from each other and since they form a circle, it is why people called them the “Istrian Stonehenge”. The formation is proof of early inhabitants, as such megalithic circles were used for astronomical purposes and spiritual rituals. Most likely it was used as a type of solar calendar, stellar observatory and as a place for ritual offerings. There were plenty of items found on Mordele, which manifest such use.

On the hill “Veliki Sveti Andeo” you can even see remains of a sarcophagus. You can discover more about this site in the Museum of Porec, where researches and the collection of archeological materials are kept. The person who researched the sites and collected the items, is the respected professor and archeologist Ante Sonje. People who like breathtaking views and enjoy a peaceful walk in nature, will just love it here! From this historic spot you have a magnificent view of the seashore of Savudrija and the Lim Bay. But, you can also notice one more hill formation.



Those southern hills are called Picugi and they consist of 3 hill-tops. Picugi is also a very important archaeological site in Istria. The stone blocks you can see there, are part of the ancient urban folk settlements. We know this for sure, as there were remains found of pottery, swords, helmets, vases, jewellery, weapons, animal tokens and around 700 hundred tombs. These remains are proven to be 3000 years old and they belonged to different cultural groups. Apparently, Histrian, Greek, Etruscan and Celtic folks lived in that area. In our research we came across one folk legend, which says that the statue of one golden calf was buried somewhere in the ground of Picuge hills. No one has ever seen or found it, but it surely makes this place more fascinating, wouldn’t you agree?

The Slovenian scientist, Marko Pogacnik, mentioned “The Istrian Stonehenge” in his study. He wrote about the ley lines, which are directions and channels of positive energy on Earth. He mentioned that such positive energy points can be found in Istria, and the way Picugi and Mordele were built, proves it. Their position and hill-shape are identical to the star alignment in the constellation of Orion. The Mordelle hills are facing Picuge geometrically, as are the 3 stars in Orion constellation. According to scientists, that is also how Egyptian pyramids were built. What a mysterious place just within 15 minutes of Porec!



You can approach both Mordele and Picugi by car or by bike, but climbing the hills is accessible only on foot. If you ask us, it is the best way to witness this ancient place anyway. Both tourists and locals love to visit these 2 locations because of the amazing view, a beautiful walk in nature or even to pick asparagus.

In case you got intrigued by the stories we learned about this historical site, let us help you find the best accommodation. Allow yourself to get carried away by the secrets of the “Istrian Stonehenge” during your next stay in one of our villas with private pool in the gorgeous region of Istria - the perfect holiday spot.


Sara Vargovic

19.4.2023