Motovun

Motovun is a picturesque medieval town, a jewel of the interior of Istria, located on top of a hill above the valley of the river Mirna. It is rich in natural and cultural sights and is proud of its top wineries and traditional gastronomy, largely based on truffles from the Forest of Motovun.

The earliest preserved Motovun walls date back to the 11th and 12th centuries when tall and mighty bulwarks fortified with towers were built. The main bulwark was further fortified in the 12th and 13th centuries. At the beginning of the 15th century, Motovun had already received its shape of a Gothic stronghold with a new town gate. The parish church of St. Stephen was erected in place of an older church which was, in its turn, erected most probably on the foundations of an antique basilica. The legend says that Margrave Engelbert of Istria and his wife, Countess Matilda were buried in the older church. The present-day church of St. Stephen was built between 1580 and 1614, obtaining its current shape at the end of the 18th century. The bell tower of Motovun, a landmark dominating the entire landscape of the middle Mirna Valley, is 27 meters high and was built in the 13th century as the town’s main tower and observation post. Over the centuries, it was refurbished on various occasions to be finally converted into a bell tower.