Kažun - An Architectural Marvel From Antiquity

A visit to Istria is not complete if you have not seen the Pula Arena, however, the interior of the peninsula hides another architectural marvel - Istrian kažuns. 

Simply put, kažuns are field shelters built of stone. And only from stone -  using the drywall technique they are in most cases built in a circular shape, with a conical top. Initially, they were built for living, later they were used to store tools, and then as a shelter from weather conditions for shepherds and farmers.

You will not see them from the road, they are usually hidden on private properties. Take a walk, explore, it pays off to take a break in one of them and travel to some ancient times for a moment.

Don’t be surprised when you see a low front door and a cramped interior that can barely accommodate two or three people. Dwarves and hobbits did not once live in Istria, but the construction of a kažun after an entire day's work in the field was an additional effort. And what kind. The average kažun is built of stone collected from the field, without a binding material, and consists of about 30 cubic meters of stone. Calculated, about 70 tons of pure stone!  

There used to be between 10,000 and 20,000 kažuns in Istria. Today, about 5,000 of them have been preserved. Many of them can be found around Vodnjan, where the Kažun Park is located and where you can find out more details about these stone houses. If you are in the mood, you can also participate in the construction or renovation of part of a kažun. Either way, we are sure you will take home one of the most recognizable Istrian souvenirs – a miniature kažun. We already have a real little village on our shelves.

[PRODUCT_GROUP_11]