Along the southwestern coastline of the Istrian peninsula, you will find the charming and peaceful town of Peroj. It is situated only a half of a kilometer inland from the coastline, but the views it offers of the Fažana channel along with the Brijuni islands is simply breath taking. In the opposite direction, as far as the eye can see, there are vineyards and olive trees a plenty.
People who come to Peroj are often found enjoying the Mediterranean sun out on the beaches and in the many coves that make up the Fažana channel coastline. The remainder of those visiting this sleepy little town is admiring the rich and colorful history which is so evident by the ancient buildings that line the cobblestone paths through the town.
Back in the times of the Romans, the area where Peroj stands now was known as Praetoriolum. Back then, the town was used as a Roman resort and as far back as 1197, the city was mentioned on a number of occasions in many records kept by the Roman Empire.
With the coming of the Franks came war, famine and the plague which devastated the population of Peroj. During the years of the Venetian rule, attempts were made to repopulate most of Istria as a result of 2/3rds of the population dying from the disease. However, not much growth was seen.
It was not until 1657, that 15 families from Montenegro would move to Peroj and attempt to rehabilitate the region. According to the ancient Peroj’s Charter, the village along with all of its surrounding fields and forests were to belong to the immigrants from Montenegro, but this document has long since been lost to time.
Nearby, one will find the area of Barbariga which was once home to the Barbarigo family. They built a massive seaside villa back in the 1st century. Today the ruins of this villa can still be seen and many people make their way to visit them every single year. The oldest building within the city though is the Basilica of St. Foška which was built during the 12th century and much of the building is still standing today.
Photo by Villa Mihaela, Fazana, Istria
