Pazin town

Pazin town official web site

It is a town of long and rich tradition. It is situated in the very centre of Istrian peninsula, only 30 km away from well-known tourist centres. The intensity of life here is pretty much the same in winter and summer.

View Larger Map

The town Castle is the biggest and the best-preserved medieval fortress in Istria. It was first mentioned in written documents in 983. Since that time, the Castle and the growing civil area that surrounded it have been given as present, conquered and sacked, destroyed, rebuilt and sub-leased many times.

The Castle

Famous cave is an example of a specific evolution of Karst hydrography and morphology. It is a unique hydro-geologic speleology occurrence in Istria and the Dinaric karst. The cave inspired the famous writer Jules Verne, who in his novel Mathias Sandorf, takes his characters throughout the underground of the cave from the town to the Lim Canal. First research and the elaboration of the study was undertaken by the French caver E. A. Martel and the subterranean waters expert W. Putick, 1893-1896.

The Abyss

The Pazincica River ends its above ground flow in an abyss located at the end of the several metres long and deep canyon. The entrance into the abyss is arched by a semicircular cave (Dante’s lobby). The river runs on through a narrow subterranean canal. At about 100 metres from the entrance to the abyss, it enlarges the passage thus forming a hall (80 x 20 m) with a lake (Martel’s lake). The lake waters flow on into the underground through a siphon building up a following smaller hall with a lake (Mitar’s lake).

Looking for Pazin private accommodation?

Back to Istria Highlights page

Visit all Croatia’s regions page

To return to Home Page