B A C V A (Barrel):

Bacva, a village with an interesting name, is situated on a hill 240 metres above sea level from where there are commanding views across Istria, the sea, and even beyond that, as far as Italy.

The village was built on the foundations of a Roman fortification, which in those times was known as Mons Buttarum (later known as Mondellebotte) which allegedly comes from a stream in the area.

Today around Bacva there are no streams. According to the old records, Bacva used to have four churches. Two of them remain today made of carved stone and about ten houses with seven families. The St. Jakob church was built at the end of the 12th century and now harbours well-preserved frescoes from the 15th century, made by village craftsmen, whereas in the St. Maria church there is a gravestone epitaph belonging to the priest Stipe Dekovic from 1571 which is inscribed in old Croatian letters - Glagolitic script. In the same church there can also be found a wooden polyptich from the 16th century, the work of the Motovun craftsman Alvizo Orso.

Bacva has always been known for its production of quality Istrian wines so to drink wine from a barrel in a place that means barrel - isn’t it a real challenge!

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