Škropeti brings together a church with a distinctive local history and a road cycling route that passes through the village. Nearby, there is also a circular hiking trail and the Sopajac doline. This brings together different interests: architectural and cultural history in the village, cycling, and a landscape destination with an access challenge to keep in mind.
A church with local history
The Church of Blessed Alojzije Stepinac was built between 1999 and 2010 and consecrated on May 7, 2010. Its construction was initiated by residents of Škropeti and carried out through the local community’s joint efforts. The story of the building is therefore also a story of local commitment.
The architecture draws on historical features of Istrian churches. The design of most architectural elements is inspired by the Euphrasian Basilica; the building includes a porch and a bell tower. Four stained-glass windows depict Saint Mauro, Blessed Miroslav Bulešić, Saint John Paul II and Mother Teresa. The altar contains relics of Blessed Stepinac. The church’s furnishings also include an organ with two manuals and a pedal.
The various details offer several perspectives on the church: its origins in a local initiative, its architectural references and the imagery of its windows. The altar and organ are also distinctive features of the building.
Cycling, hiking and landscape
An official Istrian road cycling route passes through Škropeti. The Montreo Trail (718), a circular hiking route, also runs nearby. This offers two distinct ways to get active: road cycling along a route through the village or a circular hike on the nearby trail.
Sopajac is also near Škropeti and is considered the largest and deepest doline in Istria. Access to its bottom is difficult because of the rugged terrain and vegetation. If you are considering visiting the doline, this limitation is especially relevant if you plan to descend to its bottom.
Other historical traces nearby
The Church of Saint Nicholas in Rakotule stands nearby. It was built in the 14th century and enlarged in the 15th century. A Glagolitic graffiti inscription is found on its painted plaster. In comparison, the church in Škropeti tells the story of a much more recent building project: the two religious buildings represent different historical periods in the area.
Susreti prijateljstva also takes place in Škropeti. The sports and social gathering is for people with intellectual disabilities and their friends. A report from 2022 notes that it usually brings together more than 100 participants from schools, social care institutions, disability associations and the wider public. The report describes it as an annual event held in May as part of the programme for the National Day of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the dates for the relevant year.
More to discover in the wider destination of Općina Karojba
The wider destination of Općina Karojba includes the “Ćetiri Pinije u Karojbi” botanical natural monument, which has been protected since 1966. The four pine trees stand beside the road between Karojba and Pazin. The oldest trunk has a circumference of 3.30 metres and is 14.5 metres tall.
Another cultural and historical point of interest is the Path of the Istrian Border Dispute. It begins at the Lourdes Grotto, built in 1898, and features information panels about the border dispute in four languages. Together with the local churches and the cycling route through Škropeti, this offers a range of different themes, without conflating regional excursion destinations with the features of the village itself.
Discover more destinations: Rakotule, Novaki Motovunski, Karojba
Go to the wider travel overview: Općina Karojba.
