Visit the fortresses of Istria and travel through history to the Middle Ages

While spending your vacation in Istria you will definitely visit the beautiful Istrian towns, but for those who want to discover the hidden beauties of Istrian history, this text will be of great use.

Istria hides many mystical places in the middle of untouched nature - the glorious medieval fortresses that take you back in time to the nobility and feudal lords.

The Dvigrad Fortress is located in the municipality of Kanfanar near Rovinj. This breathtaking fortress lies on the ruins of a prehistoric settlement that was inhabited until the Middle Ages.
As the name suggests (lat. Duo Castra = croat. Dvigrad), these were two cities, Moncastella and Castel Parentino, but only the ruins of Moncastella have been preserved to this day. Dvigrad has a long history - this place was originally part of the Roman province, after which it was ruled by various nobles. Medieval life continued within these walls until the 16th century, when after an unfortunate fate - the conflict between Venice and Austria, plague and malaria - the population left the fortress. Today's ruins of a once urban Istrian settlement portray the image of a typical medieval town surrounded by defensive walls, gates and towers, while at the highest point in town stands the beautiful church of St. Sofia.



In the heart of Istria you will find the Pazin Fortress - the largest and best preserved medieval fortification in Istria. This fortress dates from the 10th century, but today there is the Ethnographic Museum of Istria inside, with numerous exhibitions that represent the life of the Istrian people. Under the walls you will enjoy the view of an extraordinary natural attraction - the Pazin Abyss, which simply delights with its appearance. The sight of a fortress on the rocks above the enchanting abyss will certainly leave you speechless.

On the hill between Buzet and Livade above the Mirna river you will find the Pietrapelosa fortress, whose name means “hairy fortress”. This fortress is located in the middle of unspoiled nature and its main use in the past was to control river and land traffic and to defend feudal goods. The fortress was under the rule of the German knightly family for centuries and later under the Venetian power until the 19th century. Because of its relatively peaceful past, the fortress was never completely destroyed. But you will not only be impressed by its appearance - from the fortress you can also enjoy an excellent view of the beautiful landscape.

Near Buzet is also located the fortress of Roc. There were found numerous finds that prove what an important role the small town of Roc played in ancient times. Since the 13th century, the city of Roc has also been the center of Glagolitic literature. The medieval fortress was built in the 11th century, but unfortunately only the tower has been preserved to this day. In the 15th century, the old medieval walls were destroyed during the Venetian invasion, when Venetians built the new walls that have survived to this day.

Not far from Roc is located the small town of Hum. Did you know that the town of Hum has the title of the smallest town in the world? This medieval town sits on a hill above the source of the Mirna River. When you enter the town, you go through a gate that dates from the beginning of the 12th century.

The path takes you to the main square where you will find everything this town has to offer. In the place of today's church, which was built in 1802, there was the Hum fortress on the highest point of the city. Its function was primarily defensive, since Hum was a small town on the border. The Hum fortress has been rebuilt several times throughout history, but in the 17th century the entire town was burned down and the stones from the rest of the castle were used to build houses. In this way, in every house in this town a small part of the famous fortress has been retained.



One of the most interesting forts in Istria is definitely the Kozljak fortress, which has found its place on the slopes of Ucka. With its location on a steep cliff, this fortress has been protected from numerous attacks throughout history, and the residential area could only be reached through a staircase carved into the rock. Its fairytale view will simply fascinate you!

After reading this text, we have no doubt that during your stay in one of our villas in Istria you will spend your vacation actively - strolling through the unspoiled Istrian nature while discovering the medieval secrets of the region!


Martina Pozgajec

01.04.2020