In the Municipality of Viškovo, the first phase of the project, which will give new impetus to the social, tourist, and economic development of Viškovo, but also of the entire Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, began with the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the Halubaj Bell Tower House, reports HrTurizam.
The house of the Halubaj bell ringer will have multiple purposes: an exhibition/presentation part with a permanent exhibition of the ethnographic collection of bell ringers, educational workshops, a program of entertainment and experiences, a souvenir shop, and a catering space. The realization of this project will enable tourists to participate in various activities and events related to the customs of bell ringers throughout the year.
Halubaj bell ringers are the guardians of the tradition, customs, and identity of Halubje and the Kastav region, and the “Annual carnival procession of bell ringers from the Kastav region” is a unique cultural asset that in 2009 UNESCO included in the list of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind. Two years earlier, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia declared the Halubaj bell ringers an intangible cultural asset.
Photo: Goran Kovacic/PIXSELL
“The house will be a place where we will proudly present the customs of our bell ringers. It will be the seat of the bell ringers from where we will motivate the new generations to make their first bell ringing steps. Thank you to all the bell ringers and their families who have kept these customs alive for centuries”, said Damir Host, President of the Halubaj Bell Ringers Association.
The special feature of the House of Halubaj Bell Ringer is manifested in a unique occasion in which not only the tradition of the Bell Ringer but also four intangible cultural heritage recognized on a world level will be presented in one place.
Namely, the Municipality of Viškovo is an area where four goods inscribed by UNESCO in the intangible cultural heritage of mankind are paired in a special way: Annual carnival procession of bell ringers from the Kastav region, its coast, islands, and part of the hinterland.
The construction of the Halubaj Bell Tower House is part of the integrated project “Connect with Heritage” in which cities and municipalities, which make up the Urban Agglomeration of Rijeka, through the ITU mechanism (Integrated Territorial Investments) are awarded 36.3 million kuna of EU grants. For the construction of the House of Halubaj Bell Ringer, from the Urban Agglomeration of Rijeka, Viškovo was allocated slightly less than eight million kuna, while the total value of the project is almost 37 million kuna.
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