Buje

History

Buje has a rich history; traces of life in the region date back to prehistoric times. The town developed from a Roman and Venetian settlement into a medieval town. Buje was part of the Republic of Venice from 1358 until 1797, and was part of unified Italy from 1918 to 1945. It was within the Socialist Republic of Croatia, part of communist Yugoslavia, from 1945 to 1991.

A Baroque style church from the 16th century, built on the foundations of an ancient Roman temple, dominates the central square. The old city was protected with stone fortifications, part of which have been preserved to modern times. With its narrow streets and a central square, the old town is a fine example of Medieval architecture with strong Venetian Renaissance architecture influences, as in the rest of the region.

After World War II Buje developed into an industrial, cultural, and economic center of this region of northwestern Yugoslavia.

Geography

Buje has become a modern regional center, and outside of the old town center a modern city has sprung. Despite its development, the city has retained some features from its historical periods.

Being situated on a hill, the old town section offers views of the surrounding scenery, dominated by Mediterranean flora, vineyards, and olive groves.

To its visitors today, Buje offers a blend of gentle Mediterranean climate, regional cuisine, and a quiet setting away from the more touristic Istrian coastal resorts.

Population

The population of the whole city of Buje (Grad Buje — Città di Buie) was 5,182 in March 2011.

Languages

According to the 2011 census results, 58.39% of the town’s population had the Croatian language as their mother tongue, and 33.25% had the Italian language.

Buje—Buie has a high number of Italians, and an Italian language school, the "Leonardo da Vinci". It was 50% Italian in 1991, when the town’s limits included Grožnjan—Grisignana.