PORER (PROMONTORE)

Coordinates: 44°46'N, 13°54'E / LH # 0240

The Porer lighthouse (Faro del Promontore), also known as Premantura, was built in 1833 on an islet of the same name, southwest of Istria's southernmost cape of Kamenjak, a protected nature park (where there are 530 specious of flora, of which 20 are orchids, besides one endemic orchid, there are two more endemic plants and several other plants that are endangered on the cape).

Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 31m (102 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower, centered on a 1-story keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted cream-colored stone; the lantern is white with a gray metallic roof. This lighthouse marks the southern tip of the Istrian Peninsula. Although it is located on a tiny scrap of land, it has two apartments available for vacation rental. Plovput provides boat transportation for guests from Pula, but only in the morning; it's difficult to land at the lighthouse during the west winds that usually blow in the afternoon. Located on an islet about 2.5 km southwest of Rt Kamenjak, the tip of the peninsula, and about 10 km (6 mi) south of Pula. Google has a fine satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed except to paying guests. ARLHS CRO-014; Admiralty E2738; NGA 12040.

The islet of Porer is an 80 m cliff, 2.5 km from the mainland and the place of Premantura.  This bleak rock eroded by the sea stands out, and the tall stone tower was built on it as if by some miracle. The islet is so small that it takes just over a minute to walk around it, nevertheless, the walk is magnificent due to the sunsets on Porer that are considered to be the most beautiful on the Adriatic.

How did the builders succeed in building the lighthouse on Porer in spite of the turbulent sea surrounding the islet? There are many ancient artifacts hidden in the sandy seabed that surrounds Porer. Numerous boats that sank due to tempests can be found in the shallow waters in the vicinity of Krsin, Fenoliga and Veliki Balkun (on the islet of Fenoliga dinosaur tracks can be found).

There are many beautiful bays and islets in the vicinity of Porer, and the islet itself is characterized by the richness of fish species in its undersea and by its isolation from cilivization. It is situated 1 n.m. to the southwest from the southernmost cape of the Istrian peninsula. It is a circular shaped and bare cliff 80 meters wide, situated 1.5 n.m. from land and the Premantura Bay or 2.5 km. It is possible to reach this bay by a road from Pula (20 kilometers). 

There are three wharfs on the island. The 35 m lighthouse tower is central with regards to the rest of the stone building.  The islet itself has three smaller berths. The stone edifice is a single-story building with a concrete courtyard. It has been converted to two four-bed apartments, but is not recommended for children due to its strong currents. Food provisioning can be arranged with the housekeeper, using his boat. Travel by boat from Premantura takes about 15 minutes.

Legends

The ancient legends linked to this rock have been covered by layers of sand from which sometimes an amphora or some other trace of long forgotten tragedies are revealed by the currents. No one knows how many ships, Liburnian and Roman, Croatian and Venetian, have found their eternal anchorage in the surrounding shallows of Krsine, Fenoglia and Veliki balkun.

[© 1986 Francesco Zardo - courtesy of http://www.istriadalmazia.it/]

Sources:

  • Text - http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/hrv1.htm - awaiting "fair use" authorization.
  • Other - Bibliography.

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This page compliments of Gabriella Bencic, Marisa Ciceran and Etty Simicich

Created: Wednesday, September 11, 2001; Last Updated: Monday, November 28, 2022
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