Ancient Via Flavia, leading from Buje to Pula, crosses the Mirna at the bridge known as Ponte Porton. This ancient site, known also as Porta Porton, was once a little harbour where the local population exchanged various goods. The harbour was called Bastija, or palada Bastija. In the Roman times boats could sail up to there. Smaller boats could reach the Pietrapelosa fortress, near Buzet.
Over the centuries the river bed rose up because the canals were not cleaned, and only flat-bottomed boats could be used. Venetians cleaned the river bed so that timber from the nearby forest, dedicated to St. Mark and known as the Motovun forest, could be transported. By the Ponte Porton bridge there were a forester's house and an inn offering overnight stay. From there roads led to Vizinada, Buje, Groznjan, Kostanjica, Zavrsje, Livade, Pietrapelosa fortress, and Buzet.
Oasis of peace and quiet
A winding country road leads from the Ponte Porton site to the coast, through a beautiful region far away from the noise of civilization. The river valley is surrounded with fields and meadows.
PONTE PORTON
Ancient Via Flavia, leading from Buje to Pula, crosses the Mirna at the bridge known as Ponte Porton. This ancient site, known also as Porta Porton, was once a little harbour where the local population exchanged various goods. The harbour was called Bastija, or palada Bastija. In the Roman times boats could sail up to there. Smaller boats could reach the Pietrapelosa fortress, near Buzet.
Over the centuries the river bed rose up because the canals were not cleaned, and only flat-bottomed boats could be used. Venetians cleaned the river bed so that timber from the nearby forest, dedicated to St. Mark and known as the Motovun forest, could be transported. By the Ponte Porton bridge there were a forester's house and an inn offering overnight stay. From there roads led to Vizinada, Buje, Groznjan, Kostanjica, Zavrsje, Livade, Pietrapelosa fortress, and Buzet.
Bastija was a loading site for the precious timber from St. Mark's forest to be transported to the Venice Arsenal. Timber was loaded on the flat-bottomed boats which sailed to the sea pushed by the eastern wind. A landward breeze, called maestral, pushed long boats, loaded with various goods, upstream. Having passed a lime kiln, known as Cirenaica, where the river winds and capes create a lee, bargemen - inhabitants of Kostanjica - pushed and towed boats with forcadas (forked poles) and alzanas (towing ropes) up to the harbour. The harbour was of great importance to Groznjan and the surrounding settlements because, aside from timber transportation, it provided an opportunity for barter and trade of all kinds of goods.
On the left bank, about 1 km seaward from the bridge, there is a little church of Madonna of Bastija. It has a square ground-plan, a little distaff on the façade, and a dome supported by columns. It is a simple edifice, decorated with a painting of Madonna behind the altar. In the past the church was an important place of worship for both the passing seamen and the local population and their processions, wedding ceremonies, etc.
It was completely renovated in 1999. After the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, the canals were abandoned, and meadows turned to swamps. Malaria reigned. Only in 1930 the Kingdom of Italy reclaimed the swamps, thus eradicating malaria and enabling cultivation of the fertile land. River traffic was replaced by road transportation.
