Pula Arena Panorama

For the tourists, who love to take a vacation by staying close to nature and enjoy the peace achieved in original Istrian houses, has increased the popularity of Istrian interior. The houses here are an amazing blend of tradition and contemporary facilities, perfect for the modern visitor. Green Istria is also an ideal destination for excursions to the medieval city castles which are situated on the hills. These castles have a very mystic atmosphere which will be enjoyed by all visitors.

To get an insight into the history, the tourists can walk around ‘acropolic’ towns, Motovun, Labin, Groznjan, Vodnjan, Oprtalj and Hum and take a trip to the castles. There are many cultural events in Istria which are famous for their ambience and the content and thus, attract many visitors. Motovun is an old city and is the best maintained urban core on the edge of the river Mirna valley. The city is surrounded by tall walls and has three layers of defence walls. From here all four sides of the world can be seen.

The city looks like a museum and every house a monument. The city also hosts the annual Motovun Film Festival which also is an added attraction for the visitors. The other cities of Oprtalj and Groznjan are also found very attractive by the visitors. The sounds of many musical instruments and visitors have revived the town of Groznjan. Vodnjan has many monuments and palaces and is located in the southern part of Istria and it because of its bug parochial church of St Blaise and a 65 metre tall bell tower attracts many visitors. The church can accommodate 5,000 people. The church has many amazing mummies of saints.
Labin is host to the autumn Mediterranean Stone Sculptors’ Symposium and is located on the top of a hill. Beneath this hill, there is a park in Dubrova where sculptors are invited every year. Labin also has a museum which has archaeological and ethnological collection, memorial of Matija Vlacic IIirick, an associate of Martin Luther and a philosopher and protestant. The city is home to many painters and sculptors. The Mediterranean Sculptors’ Symposium is being held for the last 30 years in the month of August. Sculptors here make sculptures in stone and these are kept in the park. A unique sculpting project called ‘White Road’ has been worked on for the last couple of years. Hum, is the world’s smallest city. It is small in size and has very less population but still all the city institutions are functional here which is highly commendable.
Istrian interior is also famous for excellent wines and olive oil. Both have received many awards in the world. It is also well known for its culinary offering specially truffles. Truffles are a delicacy found in the forests of Istria and are prepared in the local restaurants.

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• One Hundred Years of the Stone masonry School – An Educational Institution Attractive for Tourists

StoneMasonry School - Pucisca Island Brac

The stonemasonry school in Pucisca on the Island of Brac recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. It is a unique educational institution, not only in Croatia, but in this part of Europe, representing an attraction for tourists as well. On the occasion of celebrating the anniversary, a book about the school was published. 50 copies were bound in unique stone covers. Though the school itself was founded in 1909, the education of stonemasons on Brac began in 1906 because of the great need for the development of stone masonry.
In Pucisca and Selca, courses were organized in collaboration with a trade school in Split. After the course, students would pass their exams in stone masonry. Preserving the tradition of the trade, many generations of superior craftsmen were educated at this school. In their work, one could always recognize the signature style of the school. The history of the Pucisca stone masonry school is intertwined with the history and tradition of the Brac stone, embedded in many great buildings.
Learning how to cut the Brac stone, the students even use toothed tools that were used by the Romans. Each year, the school enrolls one hundred students from all parts of the country. Around 10 thousand tourists visit it every year, proving it is not merely an educational, but a tourist facility as well. The students of the Pučišća stone masonry school have taken part in some of the world’s biggest tourism fairs, demonstrating the skills of their craft before numerous audiences. They even got a private audience with Pope John Paul II. For its great contribution to the development of Croatian tourism, the Croatian National Tourist Association has awarded the school with the greatest tourism award, “Anton Štifanić”, in 2004.
Brac stone was used to build white limestone columns of the White House in Washington DC, Diocletian palace in Split, foundations of many buildings in Venice, and many more famous buildings are built with it.

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