The interior of the church with its altars and other furniture hosts several art works. Pavao Riedl made some very interesting woodcutting works. He is also the author of five stone sculptures within the façade niches that represents: Our Lady, St. Paul, St. Peter, hermit Anthony and hermit Paul. The sculptures were made between 1755 and 1772.

The walls of the two chapels are decorated with leather tapestry which are embossed with gold plated patterns of large fruits and flowers.

These artworks were made in Venice at the end of the 18th century and represent one of the most beautiful examples of such decorations in Istria.

The church has also the organ that was built in 1770 by the organ maker from Ljubljana Janez Juraj Eisel. Every year Istria hosts the Organnum Histriae Festival and also the organ from this church is used by the artists from all over the World during the programme that takes place in various churches spread all over Istria.

Pauline Monks were known for their pharmacy knowledge and were known also as teachers. This Monastery hosted a Pharmacy and the Philosophy study that was introduced Sv. Petar u Sumi already in the 17th century.

In Sv. Petar u Sumi’s photo gallery you will find few pictures of the Monastery.  

SV. PETAR U SUMI – HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

It is known that nearby Sv. Petar u Sumi there was a prehistoric hill fort settlement and a Roman settlement. This is not Sv. Petar u Sumi but another settlement that had different names in its long history like: Vicinato, Castrum Vicinatus, Vicini, Vicino San Pietro and also Visinada.

This settlement was owned by Bishops from Porec as indicated in a document from 1178 made by the Pope Alessandro III.

In the 14th century there was an attempt made by Enrico II Count of Gorizia to conquer this settlement but another document from 1348 confirm that at the time the settlement belonged to the Aquileia Patriarchs. Later on the owners of that land and some other properties became the Monks from Sv. Petar u Sumi until the Order was closed.

The origin of Sv. Petar u Sumi dates back into the 11th century and as is written above it was established by the Benedictine Order. The church was built by the Benedictine Order in the first half of the 12th century.

It is assumed that Salomon, the King of Hungary and Panonia, lived a hermitic life in the area from 1063 until 1074. He was the cousin of the Marquis of Istria Ulrich I Weimar Orlamunde.

It is known that his son Ulrich II donated in 1102 all of his Istrian properties to the Aquileia Patriarchs and in that donation also Sancti Petri was included.

Over the time, mainly thanks to donations, the Monastery controlled a large territory. In 1322 only two monks remained and in 1374 when Alberto IV Count of Pazin died the Monastery passed to Austria and the Hapsburg family.

In 1459 the Emperor Fridrich III gave the Monastery to the Pauline Monks that at the time already had the monastery in Klostar in the eastern part of Istria.

Sv. Petar u Sumi, as most other Istrian towns and villages, was involved in the wars between Venice and Austria and in 1508 Venetians occupied Sv. Petar u Sumi for a year. During the Uskoci war between 1615 and 1618 Venetians almost completely destroyed the Monastery.

In 1731, as testified by a stone inscription, the Pauline Monks rebuilt the complex. What is also known that in the 18th century the Monastery was very important and it had the Government over several other Monasteries.

Few decades later, in 1783 or in 1787, the Emperor Joseph II decided to close the Order. After that decision, the Church became a Parish Church and the Monastery buildings a private property that have changed several owners. One of the first owners was Marquis Montecuccoli, the owner of the County of Pazin.

In 1993 the Monastery and the Church were returned to the Pauline Monks while Sv. Petar u Sumi. The village followed the destiny of other Istrian towns and villages of the 19th century.

Sv. Petar u Sumi was part of the Austrian Empire and for a short period of time was under Napoleon domination. After the First World War and fall of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, Sv. Petar u Sumi, was part of Italy and after the Second World War became part of Yugoslavia (Croatia).