Krbune – Churches and Places of Remembrance

Krbune is characterised by a rural settlement and a historic place of remembrance at the cemetery. The parish church and St. Martin’s Cemetery Chapel offer glimpses into different chapters of the village’s history: building phases, sacred art and a stone statue of a saint stand side by side here.

The Parish Church of St. John

The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist was built in 1694 on the site of a 15th-century church. It was remodelled and enlarged in 1906. These dates trace several stages: the earlier church was followed by construction in the late 17th century and expansion at the beginning of the 20th century. The main altar features a painting of St. John the Baptist. Both the building’s history and the altar painting shape the character of this place of worship.

The Cemetery Chapel

The Cemetery Chapel of St. Martin makes its own distinct impression. Its marble altar and the stone statue of St. Martin, dated 1739, bring together different materials and forms of sacred art. The chapel was restored in 1987. Together with the historic place of remembrance at the cemetery, it reflects the importance of this site to local memory. Visitors interested in history will find that Krbune offers not only the parish church’s building phases, but also a chapel with a clearly identified work of art and restoration date.

Further information about the wider destination of Općina Pićan

The wider destination of Općina Pićan is in central Istria, in the Labinština area. The municipality covers 51 square kilometres and is surrounded by fields and vineyards. The historic town of Pićan, the municipal seat, stands on a prominent limestone hill west of Čepićko polje. This geographical and historical context offers a broader perspective on the destination without conflating Krbune’s churches and places of remembrance with the sights in Pićan.

History and Culture in Pićan

Pićan’s buildings tell stories from different centuries: the monumental town gate dates from the 14th century and was restored in 1613 for Bishop Antonio Zara. The white limestone bell tower was built in 1872 and stands 48 metres high. At its foot is a historic stone measure once used to measure the dues paid by subjects. A small passageway leads to the gardens, from where the best-preserved section of the town wall can be seen.

The churches also have their own histories. The Parish Church of the Annunciation acquired its present exterior through a renovation in 1753; its interior was given a Baroque style under Bishop Piccardia. The single-nave Romanesque Church of St. Michael, dating from the 13th century, lies on a neighbouring hill north of the centre. The Church of St. Roch was founded during a major plague epidemic, and Bishop Gašpar Bobek laid its cornerstone. Opposite the parish church stands the birthplace of Matko Brajša Rašan, who composed the present-day official Istrian anthem “Krasna zemljo” in 1912 to a text by Ivan Cukon.

Landscapes, Viewpoints and Events

In the wider destination of Općina Pićan, several different perspectives take centre stage for enjoying the landscape. The Franz Ferdinand viewpoint offers a view of the rolling landscape of central Istria. St. Helena viewpoint lies at the other end of Pićan’s historic settlement and takes its name from a church that once stood there. At the natural viewpoint by the Church of St. Michael, the stone sculpture “The Family” by Nane Zavagno, created in 1999, adds to the setting. The protected landscape between Gračišće and Pićan covers 570 hectares and has unusual geological features.

The St. Roch Trail 702 starts in Pićan and leads through the forest to the spring of St. Nicephorus. It also leads to Sopot Waterfall, which is 24.5 metres high; a turquoise lake lies at its foot. Waterfall conditions may vary by season. PetiVina takes place in Pićan on the first weekend of June, bringing together winemakers and wine lovers; the festival also features local produce and handmade crafts. Dates and programmes may change, so check the event details before your trip.

Another cultural point of interest in Pićan is CENKI, the Centre for Intangible Culture of Istria, part of the Ethnographic Museum of Istria. Founded in 2011, it is dedicated to researching, documenting, preserving and sharing intangible culture. This includes examining how knowledge and practices endure in rural and urban settings.

Discover more destinations: Sveta Katarina, Pican, Zajci, Grobnik.

Return to the overview of the wider destination: Općina Pićan.