Destinations
Destinations - archive
Motovun
Motovun, a town in the central part of Istria, in the southern part of the Mirna river valley, 21 km southeast of Buje; elevation 277 m. The economy is based on agriculture, wine production and cattle breeding. It lies on the regional road.
The oldest core of the town is enclosed by well-preserved walls dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, which is today a promenade offering a unique view on the surroundings. There are several Romanesque and Gothic houses in the centre (the town gate have features typical of the early Gothic period, 14th c.). The suburban part developed on the southern slope of the hill, and a more recent residential part on the eastern ridge. A system of outer and inner fortifications with walls, towers and gates, built in the period between the 14th and the 17th centuries, connects all three parts of the town. A bell tower with a cenellated parapet on the top (13th/14th c.) in the Gothic and Romanesque style is situated on the main square as well as a Renaissance palace-castle with annexes from the 14th to the 19th centuries. A cistern lies under the whole area of the main square; the stone wells, ornamented with the town's coat of arms, date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. - The parish church of St. Stephen from the beginning of the 17th century has features of the late Renaissance architecture. The painting The Last Supper in the sanctuary is attributed to Stefan Celestio (17th c.); marble sculptures on the main altar were made by Francesco Bonazza in 1725; the armchair engraved in the Baroque style (18th c.); the paintings on the ceiling from the 18th century were made by the neo-classicist painter Giuseppe Bernardino Bisson; the organ is a work by Gaetano Callido (Venice, 18th /19th c.). The interior decoration of the church is distinguished by a gold-plated small movable altar with the relief depicting The Crucifixion and Saints (14th c.), the processional crucifix from the 14th century, with ornaments on the handle dating from the 15th century, a chalice with an ornament in enamel (15th c.), osculatorium (1606), reliquary (17th c.) and candelabra (from 1714 and 1739). - There is the Art Gallery in Motovun with holdings of contemporary artists.
Tourist office: Šetaliste V. Nazora 1
Motovun is one of the representative acropolis-like Istrian towns. It is one of the well visited excursion destinations of central Istria. Its attractiveness comes from the Medieval setting (ring-shaped walls and two semi-rings), the view of the vineyards and Motovun forest, one of the park forests.
Motovun is an ideal excursion centre including excellent offer, attractive to tourists who spend their summer holidays at the western and eastern coastline of Istria. The town has a hotel and several catering establishments. The surroundings offers walking through Motovun Forest, with truffles - a gourmet delicacy, or through the vineyards covering the south-western slopes of the hills, as well as hunting and cycling. This wine-growing region produces wines such as Motovun Teran, Pinot and Malmsey. In the part of the town called Kanal the cattle fair has been held ever since 1903 up to the present, every third Monday in the month.
There is a legend referring to Motovun about the giant Veli Joze, who was immortalized in Vladimir Nazor's short story.
Accommodation: Hotel Kastel (B).
* Istarske toplice (5 km) * Buzet (16 km) * Groznjan (12 km) * Pazin (22 km).
Karojba, a village 7 km south of Motovun. First mentioned in 1258. The parish church of the All Saints was erected at the end of the 16th century; reconstructed in the mid-19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries, completely refurbished in 1986. The graveyard church of St. Andrew, built in the 13th century, with a wooden retable and statues.
Rakotule, a village 11 km southwest of Motovun. The graveyard church of St. Nicholas is a one-nave building of the Romanesque type with a written apse. It was erected by the Barbo family in the 14th century; in the 15th century the front of the church was extended. The walls of the earlier part of the church are adorned with frescos by two masters from the mid-14th century, the first one having painted the apse (Maiestas Domini, St. Nicholas and depiction of an unknown saint), and the other the side walls of the nave (Legend of St. Nicholas).
Source: Turisticki vodic
Published by: Masmedia
The oldest core of the town is enclosed by well-preserved walls dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, which is today a promenade offering a unique view on the surroundings. There are several Romanesque and Gothic houses in the centre (the town gate have features typical of the early Gothic period, 14th c.). The suburban part developed on the southern slope of the hill, and a more recent residential part on the eastern ridge. A system of outer and inner fortifications with walls, towers and gates, built in the period between the 14th and the 17th centuries, connects all three parts of the town. A bell tower with a cenellated parapet on the top (13th/14th c.) in the Gothic and Romanesque style is situated on the main square as well as a Renaissance palace-castle with annexes from the 14th to the 19th centuries. A cistern lies under the whole area of the main square; the stone wells, ornamented with the town's coat of arms, date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. - The parish church of St. Stephen from the beginning of the 17th century has features of the late Renaissance architecture. The painting The Last Supper in the sanctuary is attributed to Stefan Celestio (17th c.); marble sculptures on the main altar were made by Francesco Bonazza in 1725; the armchair engraved in the Baroque style (18th c.); the paintings on the ceiling from the 18th century were made by the neo-classicist painter Giuseppe Bernardino Bisson; the organ is a work by Gaetano Callido (Venice, 18th /19th c.). The interior decoration of the church is distinguished by a gold-plated small movable altar with the relief depicting The Crucifixion and Saints (14th c.), the processional crucifix from the 14th century, with ornaments on the handle dating from the 15th century, a chalice with an ornament in enamel (15th c.), osculatorium (1606), reliquary (17th c.) and candelabra (from 1714 and 1739). - There is the Art Gallery in Motovun with holdings of contemporary artists.
Tourist office: Šetaliste V. Nazora 1
Motovun is one of the representative acropolis-like Istrian towns. It is one of the well visited excursion destinations of central Istria. Its attractiveness comes from the Medieval setting (ring-shaped walls and two semi-rings), the view of the vineyards and Motovun forest, one of the park forests.
Motovun is an ideal excursion centre including excellent offer, attractive to tourists who spend their summer holidays at the western and eastern coastline of Istria. The town has a hotel and several catering establishments. The surroundings offers walking through Motovun Forest, with truffles - a gourmet delicacy, or through the vineyards covering the south-western slopes of the hills, as well as hunting and cycling. This wine-growing region produces wines such as Motovun Teran, Pinot and Malmsey. In the part of the town called Kanal the cattle fair has been held ever since 1903 up to the present, every third Monday in the month.
There is a legend referring to Motovun about the giant Veli Joze, who was immortalized in Vladimir Nazor's short story.
Accommodation: Hotel Kastel (B).
* Istarske toplice (5 km) * Buzet (16 km) * Groznjan (12 km) * Pazin (22 km).
Karojba, a village 7 km south of Motovun. First mentioned in 1258. The parish church of the All Saints was erected at the end of the 16th century; reconstructed in the mid-19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries, completely refurbished in 1986. The graveyard church of St. Andrew, built in the 13th century, with a wooden retable and statues.
Rakotule, a village 11 km southwest of Motovun. The graveyard church of St. Nicholas is a one-nave building of the Romanesque type with a written apse. It was erected by the Barbo family in the 14th century; in the 15th century the front of the church was extended. The walls of the earlier part of the church are adorned with frescos by two masters from the mid-14th century, the first one having painted the apse (Maiestas Domini, St. Nicholas and depiction of an unknown saint), and the other the side walls of the nave (Legend of St. Nicholas).
Source: Turisticki vodic
Published by: Masmedia
