Barbići combines a specific historical landmark with two cycling routes that reach or pass through the village. The Chapel of Saint Augustine was built in 1720 on the site of an older church. For cyclists, two different route descriptions are of interest: a shorter route with asphalt and gravel, and the challenging Liburnia Loop.
The Chapel of Saint Augustine
The year 1720 marks the construction of the present-day chapel, not the beginning of the site’s religious history: an older church had already stood here. The history of the village therefore extends beyond the building described today. The chapel’s furnishings include a masonry altar and a wooden statue of Saint Augustine. Its construction history and furnishings provide two specific points of reference for understanding the chapel: the former church site and the statue dedicated to the saint.
The chapel thus offers a cultural counterpoint to the cycling routes, which include Barbići in different ways. The construction date and furnishings tell the story of a single place, while the route descriptions offer a broader view of the surrounding area.
Two Cycling Routes with Different Profiles
The Labin–Raša cycling route reaches Barbići. From there, a forest road descends to Raša. The route is listed as having 10.5 kilometres of asphalt and 6.5 kilometres of macadam, making a total of 17 kilometres across the two surface sections. This describes the route’s composition, while the forest road refers to the onward way from Barbići towards Raša.
The Liburnia route is on a different scale: this official cycling route is 71 kilometres long, starts and finishes in Raša, and passes through Barbići before completing its loop. It is classified as challenging. Of the 71 kilometres, 36 are asphalt and 35 are macadam. Comparing it with the Labin–Raša cycling route shows both the difference in length and the stated surfaces for each; the challenging classification applies to the Liburnia.
One possible continuation of the Liburnia from Barbići follows the fire service road to the Liburna nature reserve. On the other route, a forest road descends from Barbići to Raša. These are different route connections, not a claim that the two roads form the same loop. Surfaces and trail conditions can change; check them before planning a specific cycling trip.
Cultural History in the Wider Destination of Općina Raša
In the wider destination of Općina Raša, the town of Raša has its own focus on mining heritage. Raša was built between 1936 and 1937 as a planned mining town, based on designs by architect Gustavo Pulitzer Finali. This is a different historical scale from the 1720 chapel in Barbići: here, the focus is on the planning of a town, while there it is a church building on the site of an older church.
The Church of Sv. Barbara in Raša is also part of this distinct story. It is a modernist and rationalist building with a 25-metre-high tower. Its form recalls an upside-down mining cart, while the bell tower resembles a miner’s lamp. Centar Arsia presents the town’s mining heritage in a small museum on the town square. It is accessible to people with disabilities and those with reduced mobility; confirm these details before your trip.
Industrial history is also part of the town of Raša: from 1928 to 1966, the mine employed more than 10,000 miners. The tourism organisation currently presents Kova Experience as a visitor tour through a mine. Guests enter a mine and experience a day in the life of a miner. Check the booking details before your trip. The wider destination of Općina Raša therefore brings together several distinct cultural themes: the planned mining town, its architecture and the history of mining.
Discover more destinations: Polje, Drenje, Raša, Kunj, Crni, Stanišovi, Skvaranska, Sveti Bartul.
Return to the main travel overview: Općina Raša.
