Welcome to Hum, which is listed as the smallest town in the world in the renowned Guinness Book of Records.
Hum is the ideal destination for you if you're looking for more from your trips and are intrigued by curious cities with a deep history.
But first, let me lead you past the old mill's stunning waterfalls, which are located before Hum itself, I know I have already made post about Kotli only, but I just wanted for my Hivers who did not see that post to see the beauty of that place.
KOTLE
Fall in love with Kotli's breathtaking scenery and small-town charm. Excellent location for relaxing and falling in love with nature. With its original yards, terraces, chimneys, and mills, it is the most exquisite and priceless rural architectural ensemble. The river Mira flows through the community, forming waterfalls and pools carved into the rock that give the community its name (Kotle-Hollow).
The historic bridge still links land and water in this location as Mirna comes into contact with life among the ancient richness of the mills. The giants are sleeping here. With well-known millers and tailors, Kotli was formerly the settlement on Humština with the strongest economy. The mill there continues to withstand the forces of nature.
At the moment, the mill is not the best to see, considering that it is summer time, and the forest has blossomed.
This little village is drawing more and more tourists as a result of its natural blue pools. These untamed natural environments are truly like outdoor jacuzzis that invite you to get inside and unwind.
The turquoise color of the natural pools really mesmerizes you at first, and swimming here is certainly a completely unique experience that you have to have. Kotli is rising to fame on Instagram, where pictures of an unassuming location near the tiniest city in the world, Hum, draw tourists seeking adventure and rarely seen scenery. Whoever discovered this location believes it to be a discovery and one of our green peninsula's secrets that you must learn.
Just picture this location in the fall when the forest is bursting with color.
Now I'll write about the world's tiniest city, which is located in my country.
HUM
This fairy-tale village is located in the heart of Istria and appears absolutely surreal at first glance. When you arrive at Hum, you will feel as if you have stepped into the lovely fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Hum was built over the ruins of an old fort from the early Middle Ages, specifically the 11th century, and you can sense the spirits of the past with every step.
This lovely hill fort has survived a stormy history. It is assumed that the Histri, an Illyrian tribe who originally dwelt in Istria, built this castle to protect themselves from raiders.
Hum flourished in the 16th century as a result of the countless attacks it endured throughout history, and it now stands as a living historical monument and significant cultural resource.
There were 976 people living here around the turn of the century. Their population began to decline as early as 1931, and by the conclusion of WWII, the town had only 86 residents, according to the official census. Life in the interior of Croatia's greatest peninsula was difficult, therefore the exodus tendency continued throughout time. Today, this Istrian gem is home to only approximately 20 people, and although being designated a city, it lacks traffic lights, traffic signs, official city institutions, libraries, night bars, and other amenities seen in other urban areas.
I'll also tell you about an amazing legend about this small village.
According to tradition, giants lived in Istria before people began roaming over the planet, and they built multiple towns in the Mirna River basin. Dragonja was the main giant, and he was also known as the Plowman giant because he plowed the furrow from Ćićarija to the sea. Mirna, the water that began to flow through the furrow, was named by Dragonja. Motovun, Vrh, Sovinjak, Oprtalj, Završje, Roč, and Grožnjan were all built by the hardworking giants. When they were finished, they had some stones left over and built Hum, the world's tiniest city. According to legend, they were so large that they would each work on their own hill, passing each other's tools.
Tell me this mythology isn't fascinating. When I pause and gaze at those cities and contemplate how they do it, it's absolutely one of my favorites.
According to an ancient Croatian custom dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, the small population elects a prefect every year for a one-year term. In particular, 11 judges vote in the city lodge to elect a new mayor, who will be in charge of small chores such as maintaining rural roads, supervising public works, cleaning puddles, and resolving neighbor disputes. Previously, practically all towns in Istria chose their own prefect, but the tradition has been retained only in the world's smallest town. The individual who takes over the role must be an older, more experienced man with a strong reputation in the village.
Some of the oldest wall paintings of great quality have been preserved in the Romanesque chapel of St. In Jerolim, in the Hum cemetery.
According to the preserved fragments, the triumphal arch depicted the Annunciation, the southern wall depicted a cycle from Christ's life, of which only a detail of the Visitation has been preserved, and the northern wall depicted details from Christ's Passion: The Last Supper, Judas' kiss, Crucifixion, Taking down from the cross, and Laying in the grave. A piece of the portrayal of St. Lovrenc's martyrdom may be found in the lowest part of the northern wall.
The parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was completed in its current shape in 1802, inspires both domestic and foreign tourists.
Hum's uniqueness is enhanced by the fact that it is the world's smallest city. Because it is located on Glagolitic Alley, it is an essential aspect of Croatian culture. It is a cultural landmark that has 11 monuments to the archaic Croatian script, Glagolitic. The lane begins in Roč and finishes in Hum, where a greeting to all visitors is engraved in Glagolitic writing on the city gate.
at 1981, a new copper double-leaf door was put at the main city gate, the Gate of Hum, which is also the tenth memorial of Glagolitic Alley. The handles resemble the horns of the Istrian bokarin bull and are positioned on its relief head (buchanius - a relief or painted ox skull depicting the head of a sacrificial animal). There is one alka (knocker) with an inscription on each wing. A Glagolitic inscription in Old Slavonic language can be found on the left side: "I Vrata NE ZATVORET SE/V DNE/NI NĆI NĚST TU/I NE VNIDI SKVR'NAN/V' GRAD' SI" (The doors do not close during the day, there is no night in this city And let no defiled person enter).
The Latin inscription of Vladimir Pernić's poem "U Hum" from Roč is on the right: "Come to that small town/town/on a hard stone/the heat is boiling," and a transcription in Glagolitic is etched in the door below the alcove. The heavy calendar is represented by six medallions at the top of each wing. As preserved in old Glagolitic breviaries and missals, each medallion depicts labor in the field and in the house.
A walk through that small town, where there aren't many people and there aren't many crowds, is the ideal vacation for the body and soul.
Strange routes and streets, lovely flowers, and nicely decorated houses.
It provides you some peace as you go around admiring the buildings.
I hope you liked writing and studying this post as much as I did.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi