Grožnjan: The Artists' Village in the Hills of Istria
Grožnjan (Italian: Grisignana) is a small medieval municipality perched on a hill 230 metres above sea level in north-western Istria, with views over the valley of the Mirna River and, on clear days, all the way to the Adriatic Sea. With barely 164 inhabitants in the urban core, it has earned the nickname "Town of Artists" thanks to the more than 20 art galleries that bring its cobblestone lanes to life every summer.
History The first documentary mention of Grožnjan dates from 1102, when the Margrave of Istria Ulrich II ceded the castle known as Castrum Grisiniana to the Patriarch of Aquileia. In 1358 it was acquired by Venice and remained under Venetian rule until the fall of the Republic in 1797, when it passed into the Napoleonic sphere and subsequently to the Austrian Empire. The construction of the narrow-gauge Parenzana railway (1902) boosted trade in wine, olive oil, and agricultural produce. After the Second World War, the mass emigration of its Italian population left the village virtually abandoned.
Artistic renaissance and heritage In 1965, the municipality was officially declared "Town of Artists" and the empty houses were allocated to creators from across Yugoslavia. The Venetian Loggia (1587), stone portals, and the Church of Sts Vitus and Modestus form the historic core. The Spinotti-Morteani Palace houses the international cultural centre for Croatian musical youth, where classical music courses are held each summer. The Jazz Festival "Jazz is Back-BP," founded by musician Boško Petrović, attracts internationally renowned musicians every July. The ExTempore art competition takes place each October.
Points of interest: - Population: ~164 inhabitants in the core; 785 in the municipality (2001 census). - Altitude: 230 metres above sea level. - Distances: 20 km from Novigrad, 25 km from Umag, 40 km from Poreč. - Getting there: Own vehicle required (no regular public transport). Outdoor parking, pedestrian access to the village.