Pazin

If Istria is a heart, Pazin is then the heart of a heart, because it’s located in the center of the Istrian peninsula whose shape reminds of the symbol of life and love.

Pazin is mentioned for the first time in the 983 as a fortress (lat Castrum Pisinum). The entire county was in private possession of Austrian Habsburg house from 1374. Pazin castle is the largest and most preserved medieval fortress in Istria. Nowdays it contains Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of Pazin. During the past Pazin was the center of literacy and Croatian cultural revival where was decided that Istria will join Croatia and Yugoslavia, confirmed by Paris peace agreement in 1947. Pazin is now the administrative center of County of Istria.

In Pazin is held Istrakon, festival of fantasy and science fiction and literary festival Days of Jules Verne.

Pazin stream or karst river Pazinčica emerges from three smaller streams: Lipe, Crab`s and Borutsky, which on the north side enter the Pazin valley, creating a number of larger and smaller cascades, small waterfalls and lakes, some of them suitable for summer swimming. The most interesting are Pazin’s and Zarečki Roof. Pazin’s valley streams along with Pazin’s Cave in which a stream dives underground is very attractive natural area that attracts many nature lovers - bikers, climbers, hikers and anglers.
Beneath the castle walls, in depths of Pazin’s cave, river Pazinčica ends it’s over ground flow, continuing through underground to the south. Hundred meters below the level of the town it makes two connected underground lakes.
Pazin’s cave, with its halls and lakes of the lost river Pazinčica, inspired world famous writer Jules Verne. In his novel Mathias Sandorf, he led his characters through Cave from Pazin to the Lim channel.
Famous Croatian poet and writer Vladimir Nazor was inspired by the Pazin and its secrets, and wrote a legend about the Pazin’s Cave. You can see the footprint of Banus Dragonja in the rock near Pazin, where, by the legend, he created Pazin’s Cave by striking the ground with his right foot.