The Brijuni Islands are a group of 14 islands off the coast of Istria, Croatia. The largest island is Veliki Brijun Island, which is 2 km off the coast. The islands have a total area of 33.9 square km. There are many historical and cultural sites on the islands, including Roman structures from the 1st-2nd century, a spa, and churches from the 5th-15th centuries. The islands have belonged to powers like Venice and Austria-Hungary over the centuries and were an important quarrying location. Today they feature archaeological sites, exotic vegetation, and a safari park showcasing Istrian wildlife.

1. The Brijuni or the Brijuni Islands are a group of
fourteen small islands in Croatia.

2. Position
Situated a few kilometers west of the Istrian coast ,
opposite the town of Pula , and consists of 14 islands
and islets total area of 33.9 square kilometers (an area
of the island and archipelago).

3. Islands
The largest island, Veliki Brijun Island, lies 2 kilometres off
the coast. The other islands are Mali Brijun, San Marco,
Gaz, Okrugljak, Supin, Supinič, Galija, Grunj, Krasnica ,
Madona, Vrsar, Jerolim and Kozada.

4. History
During the large Aegean migration of people in the first century
BC there came the Illyrian tribe Histri , after which Istria was
later named. After them came the Romans , and the GOI. In VIII.
century archipelago and Istria are ruled by the Byzantines.

5. History
On Brijuni there are many cultural and historical sites of
which the most famous and best preserved are: the Roman
country house from I.-II. c. the spa , Temple of Venus,
Byzantine Castrum, the Basilica of St. Mary from V.-VI.
Century and church of St . German from the XV. century .

6. History
 The Brijuni Islands had some Ancient Roman settlements,
but up to the late 19th century the islands were mainly used
for their quarries, which have been worked on for centuries.
The islands belonged to Venice from the Middle Ages, and
stone from the islands was used to build the palaces and
bridges of the city. The islands were part of the Illyrian
Provinces after Napoleon's brief annexation.

7. History
 In 1815 the islands became part of the Austrian Empire,
which later became Austria-Hungary. During this period
the islands' quarries first supplied stone
to Vienna and Berlin. With the erection of a naval base in
the harbour of Pula, the Austrians built a strong fortress,
"Fort Tegetthoff," on Veliki Brijun Island, together with
minor fortifications on some of the others.

8. Tourism
 On the Brijuni there are several archaeological and cultural sites.
 At four sites on Veliki Brijun Island over 200 dinosaur footprints
have been discovered, which can be traced to the Cretaceous
Period from where Brijuni Cretaceous Park gets its name.
 There are also several archeological sites worth seeing. There is
the 13th century AD St. Mary's Church which was built by
the Knights Templar.

9. Flora
 The majority of the flora on the archipelago of the Brijuni islands
has the typical Mediterranean characteristics. On Veliki Brijun
Island there are about 600 indigenous plant species. Here cedars,
bamboos, and the pyramidal yew have become acclimatised,
while on Vanga the dwarf spruce grows. There is also much
exotic vegetation that Tito received from foreign statesmen. The
most important plant associations of Veliki Brijun
Island are: Maquis shrubland, Holm Oak, and Laurel forest,
and Conifers, which are very characteristic of the region.

10. Fauna
 Because of the millennial presence of men on the
archipelago of Brijuni, the animal world on the islands,
especially Veliki Brijun, besides the autochthonous species,
was enriched by many imported species that are not
congenial to this habitat but got acclimated to it thanks to
the almost ideal microclimatic conditions.

11. Fauna
 Inside the park there is an ethno park is an area within the
Safari park presenting a typical Istrian homestead with its
autochthonous animal species. Istrian ox , Istrian sheep,
donkeys and goats. It is intended both as a habitat and
presentation of domestic animals of Istria.