Pazin

Traces of life above the chasm of the Pazinčica date back to around 1500 BCE. During the Bronze Age, people inhabited the cliffs above the Pazin Cave, leaving behind only pottery fragments. Pazin was first officially mentioned in 983 AD as the so-called Pazin Fortress (Castrum Pisinum).

In the Pazin area, there are four protected cultural assets, including the cultural-historical ensembles of Beram, Lindar, Trviž, and Pazin. Beram, located on a hill near the Pazin Cave, preserves the monument of the Church of St. Mary on Škriljine with frescoes by Master Vincent from Kastav. Lindar, also situated on a hill, has the Church of St. Sebastian and Fabian and the Chapel of St. Catherine with a depiction of the "Living Cross." Trviž, several kilometers from Pazin, includes the remains of a wooden painted tabernacle from the Church of St. Peter and Paul.

The oldest trace of the Pazin Castle dates back to 983 AD and is considered one of the most valuable examples of Croatian fortification heritage. Today, the Ethnographic Museum of Istria, the Museum of the City of Pazin, and the State Archives operate within the castle. Pazin also encompasses two protected natural assets: the Pazin Cave and the cypress tree in Kašćerga. The Pazin Cave, the largest karst abyss in Istria, drains the Pazinčica River underground to the valley of the Raša River. The legend of the Pazin Cave tells of the giant Ban Dragonja, who created the rivers Dragonja, Mirna, and Pazinčica. This extraordinary natural phenomenon has inspired many writers, including Nazor, Yriartea, probably Dante, and Jules Verne in the novel "Matias Sandorf." The cypress tree in Kašćerga was declared a botanical monument in 1972 due to its specific shape caused by a lightning strike.

Pazin, considered the heart of Istria, not only reveals the richness of its history but also its splendid cultural heritage and captivating untouched nature that surrounds it.