Motovun

Motovun / Montona

coat of arms

Coordinates: 45 ° 19 ′ 54 ″ N , 13 ° 49 ′ 30 ″ E

Basic data

State :

Croatia

County :

Istria

Area :

32 km²

Residents :

1,004 (2011)

Population density :

31 inhabitants per km²

Telephone code :

(+385) 052

Postal code :

52 424

License plate :

PU

Structure and administration
(status: 2013, cf. )

Community type :

local community

Mayor :

Tomislav Pahović (independent)

Website :

www.motovun.hr

Motovun (Croat.) Or Montona (Italian) is a city in the Istria region in northwestern Croatia . It lies 277 m above sea level on a steep, isolated hill above the Mirna valley . The historic town has around 500 inhabitants today; Together with the settlements of Brkač / Bercaz , Kaldir / Caldier and Sveti Bartol / San Bartolo, the community has 1004 inhabitants (according to the 2011 census) who live mainly from tourism, viticulture and self-sufficient agriculture.

history

The area around Motovun / Montona was settled early. The hill served as a refuge for pre-Roman peoples. At the time of the Romans the settlement was called "Montana", as it is still called in Italian today. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire towards the end of the 5th century, Motovun / Montona was under the rule of the Byzantine Empire or under the influence of the Longobards . From the 10th to the 13th century, the emerging city was alternately under the rule of the Bishops of Poreč / Parenzo and the Patriarchs of Aquileia . In 1278 Motovun-Montona came into Venetian ownership, which it remained in until the end of the Venetian Republic at the end of the 18th century.

After the collapse of the Republic of Venice (1797) and the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1805, Motovun-Montona, like the entire region of Istria, came under the influence of Napoleon . At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, when the region of Illyria was awarded to the Habsburgs , Motovun / Montona was also placed under the rule of the Danube monarchy .

After the First World War and the end of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, the region of Istria was transferred to Italy by the Treaty of Saint-Germain . After the Second World War , Istria and therefore Motovun / Montona became part of Yugoslavia . As a result of the Second World War, the - predominantly Italian - population of Motovuns / Montona left the city.

Attractions

The Venetian rule gave Motovun / Montona today's architectural character. The city is a culturally and historically significant ensemble. It is completely surrounded by an inner wall, built around 1300, and an outer wall ring, built between the 16th and 17th centuries, with fortified towers and city gates. A suburb was created under the fortress.

Coming up from the Mirna / Quieto plain, at the height of the St. Margareth cemetery church ( Crkva Sv. Margerite ), built in 1818, the visitor stands at the beginning of the Gradisiol (also called Stefania Beletica ), a narrow narrow one covered with uneven stone slabs Alley along which several shops sell their local products (olive oil, wines, truffles) during the tourist season. The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary ( Crkva Blažene Djevice Marije dei Servi ) from 1585 is right at the beginning of this lane leading up to the inner city center .

Through the outer city gate ( Toranj novih vrata ) built in the 14th century , adorned with the coats of arms of important patrician families, the double gate of the Renaissance city tower leads to the outer square ( Piaza de Soto ) between the two wall rings. The city loggia built in the 17th century is located here, leaning against the western city wall. Another city gate, the Gothic Inner City Gate ( Vrata kaštela ), leads up to the main square. The space between the two city gates serves primarily as a garden terrace for three restaurants. To the west, with a view over the city wall, there is a view down into the Mirna valley. On the east side of the square, between the two city gates, the west facade of the Podesta Palace is enthroned. This communal palace is considered to be one of the largest "secular" buildings from that time.

The large main square Trg Andrea Antico , named after the Motovun-Montona-born composer Andrea Antico , with the building ensemble from the 14th to 17th centuries, is dominated by a crenellated defensive tower from the 13th century. The free-standing bell tower belongs to the three-aisled St. Stephen's Church (Sveti Stjepan) from the early 17th century, built according to the plans of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio or one of his students. On the west side of the square, across from St. Stephen's Church, is the east facade of the Municipal Palace ( Podesta Palace ). At the northern end of the square, in front of the Basiliscos house , there is a fountain with a cistern built in the 15th century and adorned with a city coat of arms.

The Polesini Palace, adjacent to the southern part of the square, now serves as a hotel. The fountain in front of the hotel from 1330 bears the town's oldest coat of arms and a representation of the Venetian lion.

In the southern area of Motovuns-Montonas, in the middle of the two city walls, with the Crkva Sv. Ciprijana (also Sv. Antun Padovanski ), built in the 15th century, as well as the Crkva Sv. Ivana Kritelja ili Vratiju Blažene Djevice Marije , built in 1520, two other churches.

Customs and Economy

Motovun / Montona is known as the city of Veli Jože (German "Great Sepp" ), a good-natured giant who is known nationwide as a legendary figure and has experienced a variety of literary treatment, including by the Croatian poet Vladimir Nazor .

The Motovun Film Festival has been held in open-air cinemas since 1999 .

Below Motovun / Montona, to the right of the Mirna river , extends the periodically flooded Motovun-Monton oak forest, one of the most famous places where the coveted white truffle ( Tuber magnatum Pico) is found in Istria.

The vineyards on the slopes of Motovun-Montona produce a very good red wine, the Motovunski Teran , in some years .

Administrative units

The administrative municipality (croat. Općina ) Motovun / Montona consists of four settlements (croat. Naselje), which in turn are divided into several villages (croat. Selo):

Brkač / Bercaz or San Pancrazio with

- Bataji / Battai, - Breg / Monte, - Kolari / Colleri, - Kranceti / Cragno, - Labinjani / Labignani, - Monforno / Monforno, - Ravan / Ravan, - Romani / Romani - Rudeli / Rodelli, - Rušnjak / Ruscnach and - Sirotići / Sirotici (Rosso).

Kaldir / Caldier with

- Brdari / Berdari, - Brtoši / Bertossi, - Brtošići / Bertossichi, - Cvitki / Zvitchi, - Gali / Galli, - Klarići / Clarici, - Lazi / Lazze (Ferri), - Madruši / Madrussa. - Paladini / Paladini, - Petretići / Petretichi, - Prodani-Prodani, - Štefanićev Breg / Monte Stefanich, - Štefanići / Stefanichi and - Valenti / Valenti.

Motovun / Montana with

- Božići / Bosici, - Divjaki / Diviachi, - Dagoštini / Dagostini, - Meloni / Meloni, - Murari / Morari, - Režari / Resari, - Pavati / Pavat, - Perčići / Percichi and - Pišiljon / Pissiglione.

Sveti Bartol / San Bortolo with

- Benčići / Bencici, - Beletićev Breg / Monte Belletich, - Flegi / Fleghi, - Flegova Stancija / Stanzia Flego, - Fiorini / Fiorini, - Podjesika / Sotto Jessica, - Kal / Cal, - Kaligari / Calligari, - Kotigi / Cotigi, - Labinjani / Labignani, - Lokandići / Locandici - Piški / Pischi, - Šćulci / Sciolazi, - Tripe / Trippe, - Valenti / Valenti, - Vežnaveri / Vesnaveri and - Žugani / Giganti.