Church of St. George (Crkva sv. Jurja)

The Church of St. George stands at the highest point of the old town of Buzet, a hilltop settlement in the north of inland Istria, on a rocky spur above the valley of the Mirna river. Buzet is known today as the capital of the Istrian truffle, with festivals each autumn, but its upper town is also a small, quiet enclave of stone houses and narrow lanes, and the church at the top is its most important building. From the terrace beside it, the town drops away in cliffs toward the valley, and the view stretches over woods and fields to the hills beyond.

The church is dedicated to St. George, the warrior saint who is among the most popular in the Christian world, and who is often shown on horseback slaying a dragon. The building in its present form dates from the early seventeenth century, a period when Buzet belonged to the Republic of Venice and when the town's captain, a Venetian official, was involved in rebuilding the church. Like many Istrian churches, it was constructed of local limestone, with a simple, rectangular interior, a single nave and a raised apse at the east end, which gives the space a sense of height and grace. The plain exterior hides a richer interior.

Inside, there is a collection of altars, paintings and church furnishings from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, gilded and carved in the Baroque style, which reflect the influence of Venetian art on the region. Paintings and decorative medallions were added in a rebuilding at the end of the eighteenth century. A long and careful conservation programme, carried out by the national conservation institute over about a decade in the early twenty-first century, restored the interior, and as a result, the church is in good condition and is considered one of the most valuable ensembles of church art in northern Istria. Because it is mainly a parish church, opening is tied to services and special occasions, so check locally.

The church sits near the other sights of the old town. The historic city gates, the Bigatto Palace and the lanes that wind between the houses are listed in this guide, and the walk around the edge of the town offers views of the cliffs and valley. The surrounding area is rich in landscape and food: the Mirna valley has forests where truffles are found, vineyards that produce Malvazija and Teran wines, and a number of villages with small museums. A famous avenue of Glagolitic monuments links the nearby villages of Roč and Hum, the latter said to be the smallest town in the world.

Allow thirty minutes for the church and the terrace, and an hour or two for the old town. Wear comfortable shoes, since the lanes are steep. The church suits visitors interested in sacred art, history and views.