Built on a 321 meters high hill northwest of Pazin, both ancient and medieval Beram is the site of the most famous Istrian fresco “Dance of the Dead”.
The colourful Beram seems tiny but unusual and historically picturesque, overflowing with beauty. Although it has a square with a couple of streets, a walk through Beram is guaranteed to take you on a journey into the past. It is a journey that will show us a picture of Istria as it once was. The place is dominated by houses with balconies and surrounded by greenery. Still, the thing that makes Beram most famous is the frescoes.
Things to do in Beram
Built on a 321 meters high hill northwest of Pazin, Beram may seem to be a compact town. Apart from the church and the bell tower, the square surrounded by several narrow streets is the core feature. Today’s appearance of the town dates back to 1344.Then the original settlement was demolished. Views of lush green landscapes towards the valley are a real backdrop for creating film shots. The murmur of the stream into which it flows through the valley hides the peculiarities and importance of water for central Istria.
Admire “Dance of the Dead”
Although the Gothic Church of St. Mary in Škriljine is located one kilometre northeast of Berm, it is also the main reason that attracts visitors. Namely, the church with a porch and a bell tower has one of the most valuable achievements of Istrian medieval Gothic painting – the fresco ” Dance of the Dead “. It is a work from master Vincent from Kastav created in 1474. Aside from the Pula amphitheatre or the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč, a famous frescocyclesymbolizes one of the most recognizable cultural monuments on the peninsula.
Learn about the emergence of frescoes
Let’s go back briefly to a time when there were no cell phones, computers, TVs, picture books, colourful magazines, or newspapers in places like Berm. The houses were sooty, smoky, and filled with fire from the hearth, but life in the grey house was arduous. Back then, church walls lit up with flaming colours, were one of the sources of art transmission. Just then, after the epidemic of the bubonic plague, studying the depiction of death, from which no one can escape, a depiction of that period emerges in Beram. “Dance of the Dead” also appears in dozens of views in different regions of Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, northern Italy, Slovenia, Croatia).
Visit a parish Church of St. Martin
Although in the shadow of the famous fresco, the parish church of “St. Martin”dating back to 1431 is also a very interesting spot to stop by. It was rebuilt in the early 20th century in the neo-Romanesque style. The bell tower of the church dominates the small town, while its interior hides frescoes dating back to the older period as those “Dance of the Dead”. The wall is painted with a late Gothic relief decorated with the figure of St. Martin, the patron saint of the place.
Walk down the street of ancient roots
Wandering through Beram seems very unique. The town was fortified in the Early Middle Ages when it was surrounded by double walls and a square tower. Today, within the almost intact walls, lies a small town, dominated by a bell tower, also from the Middle Ages.
Walking through the ancient streets we learn that Beram is first mentioned in 911 in a document of King Berengar I. Other medieval places whose streets give a breath of the past are ideal creations. That past, however, is much further from the official writings. Archaeologists studying the necropolis found the remains of ashes burned in a special place and concluded that these were the first traces of life there. They point to life in the Neolithic period, which Beram selects in the age range of Plomin.
Find out how the name of the place is about
Unlike the other Istrian forts, Beram does not seem to have been a fortress in Roman times, as no archaeological remains from that time have been discovered in it. Therefore, we do not know whether the name of the place belongs to the Roman root. In the church books, the place is marked with the Latin form Vermum. In the Middle Ages, Beram is mentioned in the form of Burgar. According to the German “Burg” means feudalcity-fortress.
Pazin land register from 1498 the place is signed under the name “Verm”. However, according to the same source in other documents of the Pazin County, it was referred to as “berma”, which seems to have given the present name Beram.
Find out what merges Beram and the young wine
The most known event in Beram is probably the traditional feast blessing of a young wine, with the cultural and entertainment program. It’s held during the days called “Martinje”. Unlike the other towns in Croatia, Beram is one of the special ones since the feast is dedicated to the patron of the saint at that time. The most known region where a traditional custom of the young blessing is held in Croatia seems to be the Zagorje region.
Daily tours from Beram
Yes, there are almost the other unlimited possibilities you can explore in this part of the peninsula. Here we listed only the most nearby places.
Draguć/Dragucchio
The hilltop offers a stunning view of Lake Butoniga has Venetian fortifications and is characterized by Baroque and Classicist houses lining its main street. You should visit the medieval atmosphere since the place has all the Middle Age elements: a granary, a parish church dating back to the 15th century and a well. All of them are located in the town square.
Tinjan
Besides having a beautiful view of “Limska Draga” valley and has medieval architecture, Tinjan has become famous as the place of smoked Istrian Ham (Istarski Prsut). Get to know what “Kosir” served for – a miniature version of sickle always carried by the locals for which Tinjan is famed since this region is the blacksmith trade widely known.
Sveti Petar u Šumi
The village is known for the Benedictine. Later, Pauline monastery could be translated as “Saint Peter set in the Forest” in the Croatian language. Unlike the other churches in Istria but similar to some in the area, St. Peter was constructed most by the northern architectural elements.
Besides the area that used to be known as the point where the “Supetar Fragment” was found in 1982, the oldest Glagolitic inscription, Sveti Petar u Šumi has become famous as the traditional product of Istrian sausages.
Beram outdoor
Beram is bounded by beautiful landscapes of central Istria. And the thing what we most like is the creek under it located at the foothill. So much of the scenery seems to be excellent for outdoor activities. Putokoza enjoyed the hike over the Beram landscapes. Useful information:
- Hiking from Podberam to Beram: 15 minutes
- Sightseeing of Beram: 20 min
- Hiking from Beram to Škriljine: 10 minutes
- Sightseeing of the church of St. Mary: 20 min
Putokoza hiking Tip: Beram – Pazin
The most known pathway we like to visit Beram is the hiking path connected with Pazin. A circular hiking trail is marked with red and white mountaineer marking as you can choose between a longer and a shorter track. The shorter one starts in the valley lying between Beram and St. Mary church on the path leading to Gordan hill through the woods. In contrast, the longer will guide you from St. Mary Church alongside the magnificent landscapes to the small village of Grdoselo.
The local tips for Beram
Visit & learn about the frescos. Stop by The Parochial Church of St. Martin and get a look at “The Church of St. Mary of Škriljine” to learn about the most famed Istrian frescos place.
Eat and taste Istrian food in “Konoba Vela Vrata“, the very scenic rural restaurant in Beram offers a variety of traditional foodstuff of Istria. Such as “Maneštra with Bobići” (thick bean soup with sweet corn)”, homemade pasta, like “Pljukanci or Fuži”, or “Ravioli” stuffed with fresh cheese and spinach in fennel or pancetta sauce, various grilled steaks with truffles. And what is about the Goat? I haven’t seen it, but let’s check.
While sitting on the balcony in “Vela Vrata” and enjoying the Istrian food tasting day, remember the tavern’s name is similar to “Vela Vrata Passage”. The passage has the same name between Istria and the island of Cres, where the island is closest to the coast (ferry connections Brestova-Porozina). The course is about 7.5 km long, 4.2 to 5.5 km wide and about 65 m deep connects Kvarner with the Bay of Rijeka. So after central Istria, you should maybe get the idea to visit Kvarner!
Getting to Beram
- GPS. Latitude: 45.252364. Longitude: 13.900600.
- Air. The nearest airport to Istria is Pula Airport.it is about 55 kilometres far away.Rijeka Airportlocated more accurately on the island of Krk is a good alternative. It is approximately 90 kilometres distant.Trieste Airport is around 135 kilometres far away. Venice Airport(Marco Polo) is about 250 kilometres far away. Zagreb airportis about 230 distant.
- Bus. The nearest bus station is located in Pazin. All the local buses that drive on Pazin-Poreč and Pazin-Motovun lines stop at Podberam.
- Train. The nearest train station is located in Pazin nearby the centre of the town.
- Self-drive and parking. There are very good options to reach Beram via regional roads. A parking space is available in the town centre or outside of the town. Availability depends on the time of the year.
- Further information. We advise you to look at the Central Istria public transport information.