Along the eastern shorelines of the Istrian peninsula, you will find the quaint city of Marčana. For thousands of years, life has flourished in this coastal town with the earliest settlements having been dated back as far as the Neolithic Age. Bones and many artifacts made of stone have been unearthed in the caves near where Marčana is today. There is also many artifacts that have been unearthed that are associated with the Bronze as well as the Iron Ages.
The area that is now Marčana was heavily populated during the times of the great Roman Empire. Many ruins, villas, graves, tombs and bronze coins have been discovered to date. The name of the city itself even derives from a Roman name.
During the early middle ages, the inhabitants of Marčana shared the same fates as most of Istria. They suffered from wars and Malaria as well as many other diseases of the times. The first time that Marčana was found in world records is when the leaders signed their oath to Venice. The next few centuries saw the town exchanging hands from one county’s rule to another until 1991 when it finally became part of Croatia.
The old city was surrounded by defensive walls of which a few of these walls still stand today as a testament to the workmanship spent in building them. There are several old churches in Marčana which can be dated back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Nearby you will find the ancient walled town of which was built in the 15th century and still stands today. There are many festivals and major events held every year in this costal Istrian town which draws countless people from all over the world; some of them for the festivals, while others who just want to relax by the sea.
Photo by zvenklem
