Discover Žagrići: Cycling Route and Building History

Cycling Route 683 Stazom Grimanijevih passes through Žagrići. This circular route runs from Svetvinčenat via Žminj and back to Svetvinčenat. This places Žagrići on a specific cycling tour; the landscape and historic sites of the region are also worth exploring when planning your stay.

Cycling through Žagrići

Cycling Route 683 is 34 kilometres long, fully paved and rated easy. The estimated duration for the entire route is between 1 hour 20 minutes and 1 hour 40 minutes. The circular route passes through Žagrići and Žminj; it starts and ends in Svetvinčenat.

The elevation profile includes a total elevation gain of 200 metres, with a highest point at 388 metres and a lowest point at 275 metres above sea level. These elevation figures apply to the entire route, not just the section through Žagrići. Check the condition of the route and its signage before setting out.

Landscape and building history

The Žminj 1 area includes grassland extending from Tomišići and Mužini through Galanti, Pucići and Žagrići to Klimani, Rudani, Balići and Brešnica. It is designated as a special reserve. A 2018 report also describes a relief on a façade in Žagrići depicting a person holding a skull.

The Church of St Foška is located near the destination. It was built during the Byzantine period in the 6th century, destroyed in the 7th century and rebuilt around 800 under Frankish rule. The structure of the present-day church was built at the beginning of the 18th century; the front and side walls of the earlier pre-Romanesque church were incorporated into it. A bell tower was added to the front façade in the mid-18th century.

The church’s side façade also reveals its older building history: perforated stone slabs, known as transennae, close the window openings there. They are characteristic of 6th-century Early Christian architecture. The Feštinsko kraljevstvo cave is also nearby. Safe paths inside the cave extend for approximately 100 metres. If you are planning a visit, check access arrangements in advance.

Cultural sites in Općina Žminj

In the wider destination of Općina Žminj, Žminj is considered a historic crossroads in the centre of Istria. Route 761 Žminj–Feštini starts beside the tower of Žminj, passes the square in front of the Parish Church of St Michael, and runs through the old town along the old stone street Štradi.

Today, only a smaller part of the citadel in Žminj is visible, including one of its four round towers, a wing of the fortress, an outer section of the fortifications and a well-preserved public water cistern dating from 1863. Local architectural history also includes remains of 15th-century town fortifications, the Baroque Parish Church of St Michael and three churches decorated with frescoes.

Žminj Castle was probably built in the 15th century with a square ground plan. Beside the castle is the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, decorated in 1471 with works by an unknown artist. These examples add to the story told by the Church of St Foška: the region showcases both early building phases and fortifications and churches built in later periods.

For a seasonal cultural activity, consider the one-hour guided tour “Žminjska štuorija”. It introduces the history and customs of Žminj’s residents, their language, and their sacred and secular architectural heritage. The tour also includes a tasting of specialities from local producers and a demonstration of how to prepare typical pasta such as Makaruni and Fuži. Check the seasonal schedule before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Brkići, Gržini, Žminj, Šivati, Cere, Krculi, Debeljuhi, Tomisici.

View the wider travel guide: Općina Žminj.