PROJECT TYPE:

• Scientific–research project

PROJECT DURATION:

• 1 October 2025 – 30 September 2029

PROJECT LEADER AND TEAM MEMBERS:

Project Leader:

• Assist. Prof. Dr. Josip Višjić (University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula)

Project Team Members:

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Davor Bulić (University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula)
• Assist. Prof. Dr. Katarina Gerometta (University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula)
• Academician Robert Matijašić, Full Professor with tenure (University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula)
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zrinka Mileusnić (University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities)

PROJECT SUMMARY:

Over the past two decades, research and conservation of Istrian feudal fortresses have gained significant momentum, yielding numerous new insights into these emblematic markers of medieval social development. The residential architecture of Istria’s medieval nobility evolved over centuries, changing its forms and gradually becoming more complex and articulated. Throughout this period it remained closely linked to fortifications, which clearly reflects the character of the age and the nobility’s position within it. Although examples of earlier feudal strongholds exist, the late twelfth century brought a major innovation in fortress construction on the Istrian peninsula. Archival sources, together with data from archaeological investigations, suggest that it is precisely in this period that we should seek the origins of the process of building feudal residential castles, a process that manifested strongly in Istria during the following century and dramatically reshaped the cultural landscape of the peninsula’s interior.

Many research questions, however, remain insufficiently resolved. Within this project, through fieldwork at two hitherto unexplored sites, we aim to improve understanding of the emergence and stepwise development of such fortresses, the typology of specific architectural structures, strategic planning and siting choices, the typology and dating of different categories of movable finds, and related issues. The sites to be included in the research component are Zelengrad and Kršan, with part of the resources allocated to comparative analysis of selected examples with other Istrian fortresses and with counterparts in other regions. In addition to field research, in which archaeology students of the University of Juraj Dobrila will be actively involved, the project will assemble relevant scholarly literature essential for comparing the architectural structures of Istrian castles and their artefactual assemblages with regions to which Istria was politically and culturally closely connected during the Middle Ages. Results will be presented to the professional community and interested public through academic publications and lectures at scholarly meetings and public events.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

The primary objective is to deepen understanding and improve the interpretation of the origins and development of medieval feudal residential fortresses on the Istrian peninsula between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries. Data will be collected through planned archaeological excavations and through analyses of preserved architectural structures and recovered artefacts at Zelengrad and Kršan. The goal is to interpret the processes of emergence and transformation of the selected examples, as well as their functioning and the conduct of everyday activities across different developmental phases. Chronological analysis will include a typological–chronological study of movable finds, architectural analysis, radiocarbon dating, and the integration of spatial data (including LiDAR). Expected outcomes include the periodization of the sites and their contextualization within the medieval historical framework, together with a better understanding of fortress transformations and their functional evolution.

To interpret local data within a broader European context, the project foresees systematic acquisition and analysis of specialist literature on comparable processes in other European regions, with emphasis on works that are difficult to access in Croatian institutions. Planned activities also include a research stay at the Bibliothek des Kunsthistorischen Instituts in Florenz – Max-Planck-Institut for scanning and gathering key materials, the preparation of an analytical survey of European examples, and a transregional comparison supported by scholarly interpretation. Ultimately, the aim is to present project results to both academic and wider audiences through publications, professional and public lectures, and other forms of science communication.

PROJECT HOLDER: University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula