Kringa: Churches, Archaeology and the Legend of Jure Grando

Kringa brings together several cultural points of interest: churches, a short route to older religious buildings and the Calvary, archaeological traces, and the legend of Jure Grando. This gives you a clear focus when planning your trip: local history can be explored through buildings, early fortifications and a traditional story. If these topics interest you, consider Kringa as a destination with a cultural focus.

Churches and a short route

Kringa’s central cultural heritage area is home to the parish church of St Peter and Paul, built in 1787. The town also has three older churches, including the Church of St Anne, built in 1558. The rustic Calvary was built in 1876. The three older churches and the Calvary can be visited on a short route. The dates give each building a specific historical context; you can also explore the older churches and the Calvary as a single route.

Legend and early history

The legend of Jure Grando offers a different focus from the buildings. Grando was a resident of Kringa, and Janez Vajkard Valvasor recorded the story. Jure Grando is considered the oldest European vampire recorded under a personal name. The legend thus adds a distinct cultural history theme to the churches.

The archaeological history also reaches far back: Kringa is situated on the site of an Iron Age hillfort and a later Roman fortification. Finds include unusual Stone Age idols. This places evidence from the Stone Age alongside fortifications from the Iron Age and Roman period. These archaeological themes differ in both age and nature from the churches and the legend of Jure Grando.

Cultural monuments in Općina Tinjan

Other cultural attractions are part of the wider destination of Općina Tinjan. In Tinjan itself, the Depiera House is a Baroque architectural monument. Its projecting chimney is dated to 1670; the Neoclassical arcaded porch and a cistern date from 1820. The different parts of the building show the Baroque and Neoclassical elements described here.

The parish church of St Simon and Judas Thaddeus in Tinjan dates from the 18th century and is an example of late Baroque architecture in Istria. The old cemetery church of the Holy Cross was built in the Romanesque style in the 13th century. The visible remains of the older fortification wall show a different period: bricked-up battlements dating from the 14th century can be seen there. The former town gate was protected by a drawbridge.

The former town loggia also tells of a building’s public role: the covered space was open on three sides and served as a meeting place for representatives of the people, community leaders and judges. Kažuni in Tinjan are not always round; many are square, and some are even underground. From the viewpoint in Tinjan, you can also see the winding course of the Lim Valley.

Cycling route, crafts and regional traditions

The Jure Grando cycling route offers another way to explore the area. This moderately difficult circular route starts in Kringa, is 27.7 kilometres long and has a total elevation gain of 378 metres. It connects the cycling networks of the municipalities of Kanfanar, Sveti Lovreč and Tinjan, linking the Istrian interior with the coast. Compared with the short route to the older churches and the Calvary, the cycling loop is a considerably longer option. Check current route conditions before setting out.

Tinjan traditionally holds a festival of Kosir knives and other blacksmith crafts on the feast day of St Simon, with blacksmiths coming from all over Istria. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates and programme. Another regional tradition is the production of high-quality smoked ham, preserved in the Tinjan area by numerous registered ham producers.

Discover more destinations: Radetići, Muntrilj, Tinjan, Jakovici, Brečevići, Brčići, Žužići.

View the wider travel overview: Općina Tinjan.