Dvigrad- Istrian Peninsula - Croatia

Not far off the main highway through Istria, are the ruins of this large town, abandoned for over 300 years, are spectacular.   Dvigrad was mentioned for the first time in the year 879, when its church fell under the jurisdiction of Akvilanian patriarch instead of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pula. By the end of 13th century the Gothic counts took the possession of Dvigrad, when its ethnical structure gradually started to change, dominated by the Slavic nation despite the bigger immigration of German population.

 Dvigrad (or Due Castelli in Italian) means two towns, and the ruins are extensive, only slowly revealing themselves as you wander through the town gates.

 It was clearly once a large and thriving settlement, with high defensive walls, a town square, ruins of a church, community buildings and around 200 houses.

 The history of the town is a true tale of misfortune. Constant battles and confrontations marked the upcoming era in Dvigrad. In 1381 Venetians burnt the town and slaughtered its people, and they transferred the power from the basilica of St. Sofia to St. Lorenzo del Pasenatico (St. Lovreč Pazenatički).

Venetians took authority over Dvigrad in 1413, when they established the Statute of the Dvigrad commune and annulled the patriarchs rule. Under their authority Dvigrad progressed, but at the end of 15th century the area was stricken by plague, which was soon followed by the malaria.

 Architectural features still remain of the houses.

Detail of nook

At the beginning of the 16th century Dvigrad was inhabited by refugees from Dalmatian hinterland and Herzegovina, who were running from the Ottomans.

 Hard to imagine people living in the towns. Slowly the local vegetation will consume the village.

The Uskok war started between Venice and Austria whereupon all surrounding villages were destroyed. The people of Dvigrad started to inhabit those surrounding areas. 

Around 1630 the town was almost completely abandoned and only very poor families remained there. In 1714 the Dvigrad parish was moved near Kanfanar and this marked the end of Dvigrad.