Kršan

Kršan is a small historic settlement about 15 kilometres north of Labin, on the road linking Labin with Pazin. Its old quarter grew around Kršan Castle, a fortified complex first recorded as Castrum Carsach in 1274. Beyond the town gate, narrow stone passages lead between old houses and defensive structures dominated by a square tower. The castle courtyard preserves a 15th-century Gothic doorway and a stone wellhead dated 1666. Kršan is also associated with the Istrian Demarcation, an important Glagolitic legal text whose manuscript copy was discovered here in the mid-19th century. The village occupies a useful position between the Labin area, Čepić Field and the slopes of Učka, while the wider municipality reaches Plomin Bay and the Kvarner coast. This unusual geography makes it possible to combine the medieval centre with Plomin’s hilltop heritage, walks on Učka or swimming near Plomin Luka, Brestova and Zagorje. Kršan works particularly well as a quiet base for exploring eastern Istria by car rather than as a conventional seaside resort.

Kršan’s character comes from its fortified quarter overlooking the former Lake Čepić and present-day Čepić Field. The castle entered written records in 1274, and the lanes and houses of today’s old village gradually developed beside its walls. A square tower, town gate, Gothic doorway and well dated 1666 create the compact appearance of a former feudal seat. The nearby parish church of St Anthony the Abbot contains furnishings largely dating from the 18th century, while the cemetery chapel of St James belongs to the 15th century. Modern Kršan looks towards the Labin area for services and transport, yet its position between Učka, Plomin and inland Istria gives it a markedly different atmosphere from the resorts along the Adriatic shore.