THE GREY ISTRIA CULTURAL LANDSCAPE - THE ANALYSIS OF TOWN OF OPRTALJ TERRACED LANDSCAPE

Grey Istria is known for preserved small historical towns settled on mounds; they are well researched, subject of numerous protections through spatial plans and cultural heritage protection, and thus in wider public recognized as holders of Istrian spatial identity. The unit of historical town has always inseparably been made up of city core and surrounding terraces, both coherently embedded in mound topography. However, the Istrian terraced landscape in general, is still an unexplored phenomenon and absent in protection and planning policies. This paper will present the character, condition and history of town of Oprtalj terraced landscape, and review it in the context of broader Croatian Adriatic terraced landscape classification. The research involved field work, analysis of terrestrial and aerial photos, historical photos and postcards, research of town of Oprtalj history, GIS analysis of current and historical maps and interviews with local history and agricultural practices connoisseurs. Also, the Croatian legislative background regarding preservation of cultural landscapes is reviewed.