Motovun (Italian: Montona) – a jewel of inland Istria
Above the valley of the longest river of Istria, the Mirna River (Italian: Quieto), at an altitude of 277 meters, lies the most famous and attractive Istrian medieval town, Motovun. Its breathtaking vista, surrounded by greenery and vineyards, is one of the most famous symbols of the inland of Istria.
The skyline of Motovun, first mentioned in written sources in 804, is dominated by powerful city walls and a 27-meter-high Romanesque and Gothic bell tower with a serrated crown from the 13th century. A walk through the charming stone streets and squares of Motovun is like a walk through time. Motovun is a city full of cultural landmarks from various reigns it experienced throughout history. It was particularly marked by the period of Venetian rule, as evidenced by 13 stone Venetian lions that you can see all over the old town core. There are 26 protected cultural monuments in the old town core of Motovun. Therefore, the cultural and historical complex of Motovun holds the status of a protected cultural asset and is on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Motovun is a town with an incredibly diverse and colorful history. The pioneer of music printing, Andrea Antico, was born and raised here. The inventor of the marine propeller, Josef Ressel, lived and worked here and Mario Andretti, one of the greatest racing drivers in history, spent his childhood here.
Motovun is proud of its enogastronomy – top-quality wines paired with traditional Istrian dishes and specialties with fresh truffles from the Motovun forest, the largest unique white truffle site in the world. In 1999, the largest specimen of white truffle (Latin: Tuber Magnatum Pico), the most prized truffle in the world, with a weight of 1.31 kg, was found in the Motovun forest. It was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
At the very top of Motovun, there is the main Motovun square, proudly named Andrea Antico Square, after the pioneer of music printing, born in Motovun at the end of the 15th century. Andrea Antico da Montona (Andrija Motovunjanin) was a music publisher, printer, anthology compiler, tablature transcriber and composer, who built his reputation in Rome and Venice. In honor of his contributions, Motovun named its main square after him. The medieval city print shop “Antico” is also named after him and located on the square of the same name. It offers the unique production of authentic souvenirs using the traditional technique of manual printing on a replica of the medieval Gutenberg press, with the option for visitors to choose their motifs and accompanying personal messages to mark their memory of the day spent in Motovun.
The main square of Motovun is located in the very heart of the old town core of Motovun and is full of architectural heritage gems. The 13th-century bell tower located next to the parish church of St. Stephen the Martyr from the 17th century is particularly impressive. It was built according to the designs of the famous Venetian architect Andrea Palladio. In the central town square, there is also the Romanesque communal palace from the 13th century. This is the largest secular building in Istria from that period, as well as the former palace of the Polesini family from the 16th century, now the boutique hotel “Kaštel”.
Underneath the main square there is a large cistern and on each side of the square are well openings – one from the 15th century and one from the 14th century. The oldest Venetian lion in Motovun from 1332 is located there. The main square is also the most beautiful stage for most public events in Motovun.
Motovun Tourist Board
