Vodnjan

{{unreferenced section|date=November 2014}}

According to the legend, it developed out of the association of seven villas which were part of the colonial goods of Pula-Pola. Dignano was known as early as Roman times as Vicus Attinianum and listed in historical records in 932 at the time of Pietro Candiniano, to whom the Istrian towns were giving amphorae of good wine in exchange of protection. Inside the historic nucleus, the town preserved its characteristic medieval look with atria and narrow irregularly winding streets among houses, with cobblestoned roads and façades, old streets still impressively recognizable by their Gothic, Venetian Renaissance and Baroque style and many churches rich with memories and art. Among these, St. Jacob Church or delle Trisiere in the old town was designated as a parochial church as early as 1212. It witnessed some important historical events such as the peace agreement with Pula-Pola in 1331 and the writing of the Statute of 1492.

The large People's Square in the centre of the town marks the place where a castle with towers was built, probably in the 4th or the 5th century, and torn down in 1808. The square is surrounded by important buildings such as the City Hall in the neo-Gothic style, the Benussi house, the Bembo house and the Bradamante palace with its decorated façade and an elegant triphora.

The square in front of St. Biagio church, which is the biggest church in Istria and built on remnants of an early Romanesque church that was torn down in 1781 is another important and frequently visited square. The church was consecrated in 1800 and it maintains numerous artistically and culturally valuable works, such as a custody in bas relief from 1451, wooden figures and paintings made from the 14th to the 18th centuries, works by great masters like Paolo Veneziano, Jacopo Contarini, Jacobello del Fiore, Lazzaro Bastiani, Gaetano Grezler, Avenerio Trevisano, Antonio della Zonca and others.

The sacred art collection is specialized in numerous relics and the bodies of saints, reliquaries from Murano, habits of the saints and valuable old books. There are many frescos in other churches: St. Margaret Church (the 12th century), Our Lady Traversa Church (the 13th century), St. Kirin Church (the 6th century) or St. Fosca Church (the 8th-9th century), that are destinations for today's pilgrims. The museum in Vodnjan-Dignano is located in a palace built in 1300, which belonged to the Bettica family. Church of St. Blaža has a bell tower that is the highest in Istria (62 m).{{Cite web |title=ISTRA.HR |url=https://www.istra.hr/hr/destinacije/vodnjan |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=www.istra.hr |language=hr}}

According to the 2021 census, its population was 5,838 with 3,133 living in the city proper.

According to the 2011 census, there were 3,613 inhabitants in Vodnjan, with a total municipality population of 6,119.{{Croatian Census 2011|S|18|5029}} The municipality of Vodnjan has one of the most diverse ethnic compositions, with 3,160 Croats (51.64%), 1,017 Italians (16.62%), 425 Bosniaks (6.95%), 299 Roma (4.89%), 242 Serbs (3.95%) and 96 Montenegrins (1.57%) of the total population.{{Croatian Census 2011|E|18}} Montenegrins form a majority in Peroj village. 69.2% are Catholics, 14.0% are Muslims and 6.0% are Orthodox Christians.{{Croatian Census 2011|R|18}} Many old native residents speak an Istriot language they call Bumbaro. These inhabitants are also called Bumbari.

{{Historical populations

|title = Historical population
of Vodnjan–Dignano

|shading = off

|align = right

|cols = 2

|source = Naselja i stanovništvo Republike Hrvatske 1857–2001, DZS, Zagreb, 2005

|1880 |6828

|1890 |7035

|1900 |7881

|1910 |9066

|1921 |8379

|1931 |8330

|1948 |5609

|1953 |4334

|1961 |6297

|1971 |6259

|1981 |5261

|1991 |5538

|2001 |5651

|2011 |6119

}}

{{Croatian population data graph |popisi=HRV |upisano=2022-06-04 |područje=Town of Vodnjan |p1857=4825 |p1869=5987 |p1880=6828 |p1890=7035 |p1900=7881 |p1910=9066 |p1921=8379 |p1931=8330 |p1948=5609 |p1953=4334 |p1961=6297 |p1971=6259 |p1981=5261 |p1991=5538 |p2001=5651 |p2011=6119 |p2021=5838}}

Although though the Government of the Republic of Croatia does not guarantee official Croatian-Italian bilinguialism, the statute of Vodnjan itself does.{{cite web |publication-date=2024-11-28 |date=November 2023 |title=Izvješće o provođenju Ustavnog zakona o pravima nacionalnih manjina i o utrošku sredstava osiguranih u Državnom proračunu Republike Hrvatske za 2023. godinu za potrebe nacionalnih manjina |url=https://vlada.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//2016/Sjednice/2024/Listopad/28_sjednica_VRH//28%20-%2015.docx?lang=ro |website=Vlada Republike Hrvatske |archive-date=2025-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430005044/https://vlada.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//2016/Sjednice/2024/Listopad/28_sjednica_VRH//28%20-%2015.docx?lang=ro |language=hr}}{{rp|3}} Preserving traditional Italian place names and assigning street names to Italian historical figures is legally mandated and carried out.{{rp|135}}

• Gajana / Gaiana, population 172
• Galižana / Gallesano, population 1,501
• Peroj / Peroi, population 833
• Vodnjan / Dignano, population 3,613

File:Vodnjan 3.JPG|People's Square

File:Vodnjan Church, Northwest Croatia.JPG|Church and belltower of St.Blaise

File:Vodnjan, die Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche.jpg|St. Cross Chapel

File:Bettica Palace, Vodnjan (HR) - panoramio.jpg|Bettica palace

File:Vodnjan - panoramio.jpg|Castello

File:Kažuni_2013_-_panoramio.jpg|Kažuni (rural buildings)

File:Giuseppe Del Ton - kip u Vodnjanu.JPG|Statue of Giuseppe del Ton, a philologist, priest and writer

File:Vodnjan - narančasta kuća.JPG|Buildings on the Narodni trg - Piazza del Popolo (People's Square)

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Vodnjan}}

• {{Official website|http://www.vodnjan.hr/}}

{{Vodnjan municipality}}

{{Subdivisions of Istria County}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities and towns in Croatia

Category:Populated places in Istria County

Category:Populated places in Croatia where Italian is an official language