• located 32 kilometres from Smrikve
• it is very famous in Istria for “Bartulja” popular village party organised on St. Bartol’s day
• not to be missed: the interior of the Parish Church of St. Michael the Archangel, the rests of the old castle, and the frescoes paintings in the Church of St. Anthony the Abbot and the Church of the Holy Trinity 
• events not to be missed: “Bartulja” at the end of August

My grandfather was from the village named Bencici near Zminj and Bartulja was the fair I liked since I was a child. The main Zminj’s holiday is Bartulja that take place on St. Bartol’s Day at the end of August.

I visited Zminj many times during Bartulja and I enjoyed to visit it especially when I was not living in Istria. I enjoyed to see older people faces during this special holiday.

Bartulja takes place at the end of August, so if you are in Smrikve in that period you can take a morning or afternoon to visit Zminj.

I enjoyed to go there with my grandparents. That was also an opportunity to visit parents that live in the villages around Zminj. I liked to enter their houses because it was the day when everyone was excited. You were able to see how the kids were preparing for Bartulja.

Bartulja was a day to buy something and the day to eat something good outside home. Once it was also an important animal fair. It was a place where you were able to see the Istrian ox - Boskarin.

Today you can see mainly tractors and trucks that have replaced them but you can also see some art works done in stone by very good Istrian artisans.

Bartulja is also the place where you can still hear the very particular Istrian folk singers. My grandparents used to sing there. It is a whole day popular party where everyone can find something suitable for him self.

In the last 30 years, every spring, Zminj is also the meeting centre of young Chakavian poets.

During the whole year cultural events on the Chakavian literature are taking place in the Chakavian house that is located nearby the round defence tower, in the centre of the village.

The founder of the Chakavian Assembly, that organise the above mentioned event, was the writer Zvane Crnja from Crnjenima, near Zminj.

ZMINJ – VIRTUAL TOUR

When you arrive in Zminj, by turning right from the main road, towards the old town, you can park the car near to the small Church of St. Bartol that is located at the entrance of the village, on the left side of the street. This church dates back into the 16th century.