About the House

Općina Viškovo dom je jedinstvenog običaja – godišnjeg pokladnog ophoda Halubajskih zvončara koji je, zajedno s ostalim zvončarskim skupinama na području Kastavštine, uvršten na UNESCO-ovu listu nematerijalne kulturne baštine čovječanstva. Kuća halubajskega zvončara dom je ovih poznatih čuvara tradicije i pusnih običaja Viškova, mjesto očuvanja višestoljetne bogate baštine.

The House of the Halubje Bell Ringers is a unique facility – alongside the bell ringers' tradition, it presents other elements of intangible cultural heritage found in the Municipality of Viškovo that have been inscribed on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: the close-interval two-part singing of Istria and the Croatian Littoral, the art of dry-stone walling, and the Mediterranean diet on the Croatian Adriatic, its coast, islands, and part of the hinterland.

Sculpture Park
Restaurant

REGULAR OPENING HOURS

Tue-Sun: from 10:00 to 21:00 hours
Mon: Closed

Visitors are allowed to enter up to one hour before closing.

Buy tickets

Employing innovative museological practices and fostering active interaction with visitors, this place offers a widely recognizable cultural and tourism experience, attractive not only at the national level but also internationally. Along with preservation, presentation, and enhancement of the attractiveness of natural and cultural heritage, it constantly develops new content, to respond to the growing interest of visitors and tourists.

The UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity includes cultural elements that testify to cultural diversity and serve as a foundation for understanding other cultures, fostering dialogue and encouraging exchange. Cultural heritage inscribed on the UNESCO List becomes a value of global significance. One of the main criteria, and the reason why the tradition of the bell-ringers’ processions was included on the list in the first place, is the fact that it is a living heritage, a term often used as a synonym for intangible cultural heritage. In other words, these are not elements that have disappeared or ceased to function as components of local cultural identity, so it is important to maintain this transmission of traditional practices from generation to generation.

The ways in which the knowledge and skills of past generations are passed down have changed in modern times. The transmission od traditional practices no longer takes place only within the family or the immediate community. Various media encourage young people today to follow traditional cultural patterns and contribute with their own individual imprint. Collaboration with schools, where the principle of local heritage is applied in the educational process, is of great importance in shaping young people’s overall relationship with the region they come from. Influence on younger generations is achieved through education, in workshops and other multimedia activities.

The bell-ringing processions have managed to survive in the Kastav region and have grown into a symbol of local identity. The deep and rapid changes experienced by the area where the bell-ringer tradition has been preserved, primarily the Municipality of Viškovo and Halubje as the home of the globally known bell ringers, have placed this tradition between two contrasting realities. On the one hand, there is the active relationship of the local population with their local heritage and values; on the other, there is an increasing number of newcomers who are only slightly – or not at all – familiar or with the area, its history, language, and traditions.

The founding of the House of the Halubje Bell Ringers was prompted by the fact that no cultural institution in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County explored the bell-ringer tradition in a systematic and comprehensive way. It was necessary to create a space that would provide essential information about the meaning and purpose of this custom, the significance of its individual elements, and its transformations over time. However, the House of the Halubje Bell Ringers is not a museum in the traditional sense. Because it deals with living heritage, it is more of a multimedia museum, presenting not only the Halubje Bell Ringers, but also wider bell-ringer traditions and carnival customs, as well as other customs of this region. The permanent exhibition and overall activities at the House play an important role in developing the creative and general cognitive potential of visitors – the project also includes spaces intended for children’s workshops, exhibitions and other cultural events. In general, the House offers a distinctive experiential dimension, engaging multiple senses through the use of contemporary multimedia solutions.

The bell ringers and everything associated with them represent a concentration of activities, practices, and emotions tied to the local heritage and the local identity. The sense of togetherness is one of the most important qualities of the bell-ringer tradition today. Modern ways of life encourage the residents not only of this municipality but also of surrounding communities to pursue their professional and personal lives in different places and contexts. By providing a setting for social gatherings and for the organization of cultural and educational programs, the House is undoubtedly a project of great importance – not only for preserving the cultural identity of this region, but also for the development of its culture and tourism.

From the texts of Dr.sc. Lidija Nikočević

As part of the House

Explore our restaurant featuring traditional local cuisine, a multimedia museum dedicated to the rich heritage of the bell ringers and the Viškovo region, and a unique sculpture park.

Sculpture Park

Sculpture Park

More info
Restaurant

Restaurant

More info

Social networks

Facebook-f Instagram Youtube