Roč: The Glagolitic Village at the Heart of Istria
Roč (Italian: Rozzo) is a small medieval walled village in the municipality of Buzet, in central Istria, Croatia, 348 metres above sea level. With around 153 inhabitants (2011 census), Roč has a historical and cultural significance disproportionate to its size: it was a powerful centre of Glagolitic writing and literature from the 13th century, and in 1483 the first book in the Croatian language was printed here.
History and Glagolitic culture The earliest documentary references to Roč date from 1064. The village, already mentioned in the Placitum of Rižana (804) as part of the Buzet territory, was a medieval fortress with walls and defensive gates. In the 13th century it became one of the main centres of Glagolitic literature in Istria; scribes and priests in Roč copied and disseminated religious texts in the ancient Slavic alphabet. In 1483, priest Juri Žakan supervised from Roč the printing of the Misal po zakonu rimskog dvora ("Missal according to the Roman rite"), the first book printed in the Croatian language, published in Venice. Roč is the starting point of the celebrated Glagolitic Alley, a 7-kilometre path lined with 11 sculptural monuments dedicated to the Glagolitic alphabet that leads to Hum.
Heritage Among the village's monuments, the Romanesque Church of St Anthony the Abbot (12th century), the Church of St Roch (14th century), and the Church of St Bartholomew (15th century) stand out. The St Roch Gate and the St Bartholomew Gate are the original entrances to the walled village. Every year the Days of Glagolitic Script festival is celebrated, attracting visitors from across Croatia.
Points of interest: - Population: 153 inhabitants (2011 census). Altitude: 348 metres. - Distances: 7 km from Hum, 14 km from Buzet. - Getting there: Own vehicle from Buzet or Hum. The Glagolitic Alley (7 km) can be walked.