Vodnjan

According to the legend, Vodnjan emerged from an association of seven villas which were part of colonial Pula. In order to be able to resist the everlasting squabbling between Aquilean patriarch of Venice, and seven villas surrounding area (Vodnjan, Mednjan, Guran, Saint Kirin, Mandriol, Saint Michael of Banjole and St Lovro) are being consolidated in one place: the current Vodnjan.
It has 3700 residents and a large number of Bumbari, indigenous populations whose ancient roots are more than a thousand years old.
The streets are still keepers of the past: from the Gothic palace of Counts Bettica and faces carved in stone on the fronts of buildings, from the decorations of cast iron on the wells, to the carved wooden door catching Palace and the elegant church of St. Mary Mount Caramel.
The town is a spreading and reaches the periphery without visual infringement of urban settlements towered over by highest bell tower in Istria. Vodnjan again gets the status of municipality in 1993, which includes Galižana, Peroj, Barbariga and Gajana.

Vodnjan sights:

Parish Church of St. Blaz in Vodnjan
Dome’s size - 56.20 x 31.60 m reaching the height of 25 m, makes up the largest parish church in Istria. Also, it''s a church with the highest bell tower (62 m), the Church possesses extremely valuable inventory partially presented to the public in the museum located in the church.
Holy bodies
Mummified bodies of saints give distinctiveness to St. Blaz Church. Behind the high altar, lay preserved body three saints - St. Leona Bemba, St. Giovanni and St. Olinia, Nicolose Bursa and parts of the body of St. Sebastian and St. Barbara. In total: 370 relic or terrestrial remains of 250 saints.
Church of St. James
It is considered the oldest religious building in the city (from 9th century), although there is no accurate data about its origin and original form. It is located in the oldest part of Vodnjan - in the Old City. It was the first parish church in Vodnjan since the beginning of the 13th cent, when one of the most important events of Vodnjan history occurred - writing of the Statute in 1492.
Church of St. Mary traverse
it is located east of Vodnjan, outside of the city. There was allegedly a small church called Madonna Della Fontana from the 12th century, where according to legend St. Anthony of Padova stopped and founded a small monastery in 1229. In the church is now situated Restoration Workshop of the Croatian Conservation Institute.

This year Vodnjan organizes the lavender festival and days of a young olive oil, which fit perfectly with another well-known product of Vodnjan - the Istrian ham, called “Istarski prsut”. We believe that everybody who can feel a scent and taste will turn up in Vodnjan.