Peroj

The inhabitants of Peroj are especially proud of the quality olive oil and their wines. The connection between Peroj’s inhabitants and olives has existed for centuries and its importance emphasized the former usage, by which young men were required to plant 40 olive threes before they got married. The iteresting thing of Peroj are the Montenegrins, who, 350 years after their arrival, have maintained their Orthodox faith, language and Cyrillic alphabet, which is visible on the tombstones. They cherish their customs and religious glory and speak with their archaic language.

History

Peroj is known ever since Roman times under the name of Praetoriolum or CASALE PETRIOLO as a famous resort. In 1197, on this place a village called Pedrol is mentioned, but there is no data on which residents lived in Peroj. In the XII century, plague and cholera appeared in Istria and destroyed its inhabitants. About two thirds of the population died in that period. Because of this tragedy, the ruling Venetian Republic tried to populate Istria as well as Peroj. Venecia tried to populate the area with peasants and artisans from Bologna, and twice with Greek families from Cypriot and the Peloponnesus, but with no success because after a short time they returned to their country. On the 21st July 1657, 15 families from Montenegro came to Peroj. The most important document of the time, which unfortunately no longer exists, is the “Peroj’s Charter”, with which this village, the surrounding pastures and forests were assigned to immigrants from Montenegro “for all times to be”.

Recommendations

Orthodox church of St.Spriridon – from 1788. The church of St. Spiridon got its current form in 1834. The chapel was built in 1880 while the tower, 25 meters high, in 1860. In its interior, there is an iconostas from the 16th century.

Basilica of St.Foška, Batvači – built in the 12th century on the ruins of a Romanesque church. On the eastern side, layers of frescoes have been preserved. Sv.Foška is known for soothing energy of the place where it is located.

St. Stephen’s Church – an early old Romanic church that was closed in 1834, due to the order of the Austrian government. The church has been used as a stable for many years and has still not been restored.

Barbariga – it was named after the Venetian aristocratic family Barbarigo, who possessed estates in that area. The area of Barbariga has been inhabited ever since the ancient times. On the coast, there are remains of a Roman villa from the 1st century, which was inhabited until the 7th century, and in the immediate vicinity there are remains of an ancient oil refinery for processing olives and outbuildings with the warehouse. Remains of numerous pools of oil deposition are visible, whose bottom was made of small ceramic tiles in the form of fish bones, which proves that olives were cultivated in this area since ancient times. In the bay, remains of an ancient rural location of economic character are visible. About 300 m from the sea, in an inland of the bay, there is a location of a rural character where remains of a stone construction for oil precipitation are visible, one of which is fully preserved. As part of this, the remains of water tanks were found. In the area of Betiga, there are: Roman villas, ancient and medieval buildings, the basilica and monastery of St. Andrew and St.Agneze from the 5th century. Ever since the 13th century, the monastery has been abandoned.

Events

Peroj Night – folk festival, theater, dance nights, concerts, at the end of July