Kanfanar is a town located in the southwestern part of the Istrian peninsula. It is an ancient city that offers its visitors a glimpse into a time long since forgotten. The area where the city lies today has been inhabited by man for more than 12,000 years.
The remains of a man from the Paleolithic Era were found in a cave nearby. Human burial grounds have also been discovered in the area that date back to the Bronze Age.
Even back during the Iron Age, Kanfanar was inhabited as there have been a number of forts discovered in the region. While mostly in ruins, the older structures in the region tell a tale of the history of Kanfanar. The first known mention of the existence of Kanfanar was in 1096, and was found in ancient Roman texts.
Kanfanar
However, the city would not have developed as much as it had not been for the wars and malaria outbreak of the mid 17th century. The further development of Kanfanar was brought about by the railroad which the Austrian government built between Kanfanar and Pula. Most of the city was destroyed during the second world war when Hitler’s troops bombed the area, then later burned the capital building; most of the records of the city’s culture and heritage where destroyed in the fire.
There are many things to do and see in Kanfanar all year long. There are several old churches as well as a plethora of ruins and other archaeological sites spread out throughout the local countryside. Every year thousands of tourists make their way to this ancient city simply because of the discovery of the Paleolithic Era man in the nearby caves surrounding the town. There are thousands of years of culture waiting for you in Kanfanar.
