This fortress was built on a place where an old church of St. Maesta’ was located. It is known that this church was restructured in 1621. You should carefully reach the top of the fortress avoiding some holes in the courtyard where you have to be careful not to hurt yourself and also being carefull not to fall from the not protected walls while reaching the top of it.

From the top of the fortress you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views facing Pula, Vodnjan and the Brioni islands in all the southern region of Istria. 

From Monte Grosso you will also see two other Austro–Hungarian fortresses. The first one is located towards the west and is named Monte Cristo and the second one is located towards the east and is named Munida.

The area that you can see on the south of Monte Grosso, nearby the sea, is named Zonchi.

The small island that you can see towards east is named St. Caterina and the small peninsula that you can see in front of it is named Cape Monumenti or Molumenti.

This whole area was very important during the Roman period because in Zonchi there was a public bath.

In the area of Monumenti or Molumenti there was an important textile washing workshop – fullonica - from the 3rd century that belonged to Caio Giulio Crisogono. The island St. Caterina got its name from the Church that was built on this island in the 6th century. Later on the island hosted a Monastery.

STINJAN – HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

As many other towns and villages presented in Istria from Smrikve Stinjan also was the Roman settlement named Astinianum. Astinianum was a seat of a “sors”. Later on Stinjan changed several names: Astinian, Stiniano, Stignano and today is named Stinjan.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, during the 6th century, and during the Byzantine Empire period, Stinjan was part of the “feud of St. Apollinare” that belonged to the Church of Ravenna.

In 1243 Thoma from Stinjan signed an agreement together with Pula‘s representatives and another 14 localities around Pula where they agreed to friendly relations with Venice.

The first immigrants from Bosnia arrived in Stinjan in 1409. In 1427 Stinjan was given in feud to Giacomo Sclavis de Gaciis. During the 15th century Stinjan suffered several plague years and in 1590 other Croatian families immigrated in Stinjan.

The church of St. Margharet was built in 1630, while its bell tower was restructured for the last time in 1935.

In the main square of the village named “Placa” there is a centuries-old hackberry tree that was used in the past as a decision making place. Between the church and the hackberry tree there is the oldest street in Stinjan that ends with the public well and the Chapel of St. Anthony.

After the fall of Venice in 1797, Stinjan followed the same destiny of Pula. It was part of the Austrian Empire and for a short period of time was under Napoleonic domination. After the First World War and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy Stinjan became part of Italy.