Trail 162 passes through closed areas of the still-active Kirmenjak quarry. The area also features a protected dinosaur site with 971 footprints and Kirmenjak stone, which was used in buildings in Poreč and Venice. To plan your trip, you can consider three aspects: cycling on Trail 162, the protected dinosaur site, and the use of Kirmenjak stone in buildings in Poreč and Venice.

Fossil traces and protection status

The dinosaur site in Kirmenjak includes 971 footprints, 161 of which form 23 trackways. These figures are based on the national decision to protect dinosaur fossils and their sites, published in April 2021. Note two levels: individual footprints and the trackways made up of some of them. The traces are preserved in shallow-marine sediments in a coastal environment. This geological context complements the count by providing context for the trackways. Kirmenjak I is designated as a protected dinosaur fossil site in western Istria. The year 2001 marks the year Kirmenjak I was discovered; 2021 refers to the protection decision. The discovery history and protection status therefore relate to different points in time.

Trail 162 and the bike park

If you cycle, Trail 162 Faragude Kontija is a specific point of reference. The official route is rated as moderate and passes through closed areas of the still-active Kirmenjak quarry. Follow the trail and safety rules on this section. The route reaches the bike park on St. Becic Hill. There are XC routes there associated with the Poreč Cycling Club; cyclists can also ride repeated laps around the hill. Along Trail 162, you can note the MTB Trail Centar San Servolo as a point of interest. The route and bike park offer different cycling options: Trail 162 is the route rated as moderate, while the XC routes and repeated laps are part of the bike park. This helps you distinguish between a ride along the route and laps around the hill.

Kirmenjak stone in architectural history

Kirmenjak is also associated with a quarry operating at several locations south and north of the settlement. Light to light-brown Jurassic limestone with a distinctive stylolite structure is extracted there. Kirmenjak stone is known for its resistance to sea salt. Kirmenjak stone was used in the construction of the Rialto Bridge and Doge's Palace in Venice. Poreč is also part of this architectural history: stone from the Kirmenjak quarry was used to build the early Christian Euphrasian Basilica in the 6th century. When considering Kirmenjak stone, look at the material and its uses together: its color and stylolite structure describe the rock, while buildings in Poreč and Venice show how it was used. The examples span three types of building: a bridge, a palace and an early Christian basilica in two places, Venice and Poreč.

Discover more destinations: Vabriga, Fuškulin, Starići, Tar, Filipini, Radoši Kod Žbandaja, Porec, Bonaci.

For the main travel overview: Općina Poreč.