October 12, 2021 - The project that seeks to revitalize and boost social, economic, and tourist development not only in the Municipality of Viškovo but throughout the Primorje-Gorski Kotar county, began with the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the Halubaj Bell Tower House.

In the Municipality of Viškovo, the first phase of the project, which will give new impetus to the social, tourist, and economic development of Viškovo, but also of the entire Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, began with the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the Halubaj Bell Tower House, reports HrTurizam.

The house of the Halubaj bell ringer will have multiple purposes: an exhibition/presentation part with a permanent exhibition of the ethnographic collection of bell ringers, educational workshops, a program of entertainment and experiences, a souvenir shop, and a catering space. The realization of this project will enable tourists to participate in various activities and events related to the customs of bell ringers throughout the year.

Halubaj bell ringers are the guardians of the tradition, customs, and identity of Halubje and the Kastav region, and the "Annual carnival procession of bell ringers from the Kastav region" is a unique cultural asset that in 2009 UNESCO included in the list of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind. Two years earlier, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia declared the Halubaj bell ringers an intangible cultural asset.

Photo: Goran Kovacic/PIXSELL

“The house will be a place where we will proudly present the customs of our bell ringers. It will be the seat of the bell ringers from where we will motivate the new generations to make their first bell ringing steps. Thank you to all the bell ringers and their families who have kept these customs alive for centuries", said Damir Host, President of the Halubaj Bell Ringers Association.

The special feature of the House of Halubaj Bell Ringer is manifested in a unique occasion in which not only the tradition of the Bell Ringer but also four intangible cultural heritage recognized on a world level will be presented in one place.

Namely, the Municipality of Viškovo is an area where four goods inscribed by UNESCO in the intangible cultural heritage of mankind are paired in a special way: Annual carnival procession of bell ringers from the Kastav region, its coast, islands, and part of the hinterland.

The construction of the Halubaj Bell Tower House is part of the integrated project "Connect with Heritage" in which cities and municipalities, which make up the Urban Agglomeration of Rijeka, through the ITU mechanism (Integrated Territorial Investments) are awarded 36.3 million kuna of EU grants. For the construction of the House of Halubaj Bell Ringer, from the Urban Agglomeration of Rijeka, Viškovo was allocated slightly less than eight million kuna, while the total value of the project is almost 37 million kuna.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

Fines await those who fail to pick up their animals' faeces, those who let their animals wander and/or breed without control or supervision, and those keep their dogs on chains or outdoors.

Even though the calendar says otherwise, Rijeka temporarily said goodbye to winter and glided into the most flamboyant season of them all. Premature spring? Nope, the so-called fifth season of the year: the carnival!

You can still catch the two remaining nights of the festival!

Continuing her look at the considerable intangible UNESCO heritage in Croatia, Filipa Marusic gets into the Carnival mood with the bell ringers of Kastav.

One thing we know for sure is that the Istrian and Kvarner regions are booming. Istria, boasting the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, is just south of Trieste in Italy. Rolling hills, fertile plains, rural hotels, and farmhouse restaurants make up much of what Istria is today, and it is no surprise that Istria's gastronomic experiences are highly acclaimed. Kvarner, ecologically unpolluted, is home to indisputably the best šcampi in the world, with wines obtained from the white grapes of the Krk and Vinodol mountains. It is perfectly evident then, that Istria and Kvarner are first class when it comes to your gastronimic experiences, and we are here to give you some of the best restaurants in the region. 

A new honorary citizen for Croatia. 

There are an increasing number of foreign travel writers and journalists visiting Croatia, but few venture further than the sexy coastal hotspots of Istria and Dalmatia. One notable exeption is Emmy Award winner Ashley Colburn, who is getting to know Croatia better than many locals. Here are her top 5 spots in Croatia away from the coast.