There’s no lack of magnificent architecture in Istria with all the masterpieces of times past preserved in this magical region. Think of the ancient Roman amphitheatre Pula Arena, the Euphrasian basilica in Poreč, or the countless bell towers standing tall on Istria’s rolling hills. And yet, none of the renowned monuments in Istria are as iconic as the humble kažun [ka-zhoon]. Essentially a trademark of the region, second only to the everpresent Istrian goat. They vary in size, some are a masterful display of precision, some a bit more crude, some feature a tiny window or two, but overall, they’re unmistakable. Kazuni, Traditional Stone Huts of Istria
Kažun, one room, dry stone and mostly round structure is one of the Istrian specificities. Their greatest concentration is in the southern part of the Istrian peninsula. Apparently these small stone shelters date back to the Roman Empire, and similar structures can be found in other parts of southern Europe.
They started popping up more frequently in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the sudden population growth in Istria resulted in increased agricultural production. The more crops and cattle to tend to, the more farmers working the fields, the higher the need for shelter and storage. There are many examples of kažun still found scattered around Istria and they’re a common sight on country roads. The fact that many are still standing is proof that they were remarkably well-built.Speaking in modern terms, as far as sustainable architecture goes, you won’t find a better practice than the kažun. No other materials were used to build them other than stone, which wasn’t hard to source as the terrain is abundant in it. Whoever wanted to cultivate the land had to clear the soil of stone first, resulting in plenty of building material to work with. The kažun was a byproduct of agriculture in more ways than one, a clever feat of engineering that made sure no resource went wasted.
Did you know that the greatest kažun - stone shelter in Istria has a diameter over 4.5 m and the height of over 4 m? So called “Kažun Twins” in the village of Batvači near St. Foška church will take your breath away. The first kažun has a 4 m diameter, the inner height is 4.3 m, while its wall is 1.2 m thick. It was probably used for keeping the livestock. The second one is somewhat smaller, it is interesting due to a small opening at the roof instead of chimney and the fireplace, which evidences that people used to live here during their work in the fields.
Kažun that is somewhat lower than this giant in Batvači is the kažun owned by the Moscarda family in Galižana, which is 4.2 m high, and since its walls and the main entrance are somewhat higher, it is assumed that it was used by nearby villagers for keeping their livestock. The third giant is situated near Gajana, and its dimensions are also impressive. Those stone giants resembling the ancient temples can be found at the Vodnjan area, which has an abundance of these traditional edifices, which have been preserved from deterioration in the last decade.
The traditional method of kažun construction was passed down from generation to generation, and even though there’s much less need for them these days, it definitely isn’t a lost art. There are many enthusiasts in Croatia keeping the dry stone building technique alive, and since the famous kažun is an integral part of Istrian identity, it’s no surprise that it has its own theme park The unique appearance of Istrian kažuni will take you back to ancient times. There are approximately 5000 kažun shelters in Istria at present, and 2000 -3000 of them are located in this area. It is an interesting fact that there used to be 10000-20000 kažun shelters in south Istria.
There are more than 3000 huts in the vicinity of Vodnjan, and some in the northern and eastern parts. Kažuni were traditionally used as shelters for farmers and shepherds in remote fields, and for storing tools. They were erected in the areas where the stone had to be removed to obtain fertile land. As a result, a lot of stone was left behind. Its interesting feature are its dimensions and a particular construction method, a so-called dry stone building, a simple placing of stones on top of each other with no mutual bond. To preserve this specificity, the Kažun Park was opened not far from Vodnjan, demonstrating the four stages of the kažun construction, from its foundations, walls and roofs to its final appearance. The Kažun Park is an outdoor museum exhibiting the Istrian tradition of building. An annual workshop has also been organized during which the visitors have partially erected a wall around the Kažun Park.
The Kažun Park is referred to as a museum in the open, dedicated to the little huts that adorn the Istrian landscape. It aims to introduce the public to traditional building methods, with construction broken down into four distinct stages to make it easier to comprehend: the foundations, the walls, the roof, the finishing touches. Kažuni, Traditional Stone Huts of Istria
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