CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF TRIESTE

Monrupino district is the smallest in Trieste province, consisting actually only of three villages: Fernetti, Zolla and Rupingrande. Its territory borders on Slovenia and the international checkpoint of Fernetti is among the most important ones in the whole province.
The area is covered with woods and typical Carsic flora; the most of the dwellers still retain today the traditional agricultural and artisanal activities. Remarkable the wine production and the quarrying of a kind of valuable and worldwide known marble. Also relevant the production of a cheese named Tabor in the cheese factory of Zolla.
In the villages of Rupingrande and Zolla the visitor can find plenty of specimens of Carsic architecture. The most important one - a sort of live museum - is certainly the "Casa Carsica" (Carsic House) in Rupingrande, where traditional costumes, farmer, tools, pieces of forniture and typical costumes from the past century can be admired.
Monrupino fortress is doubtless the best known touristic attraction of the district. Originally pre-historic "castelliere", later on it became an impregnable fortress against the Turkish invasion in XV century, offering shelter to people and cattle. On the top of the hill where the fortress stands the guest can enjoy an ample sight on the gulf of Trieste and the neighbouring Slovenian villages. Moreover also the church, the ancient town hall and the ramparts are open to visitors. During summertime the fortress is the centre of numerous cultural occurrences, among which the best known is cenrtainly the "nozze carsiche" (Carsic wedding) celebrated there every second year in August. The celebrations last for four days and attain their climax on the day of the wedding, officiated according to the ancient local tradition. Plenty of visitors are invited to participate wearing local tradition costumes and on the occasion the inns of the village offer typical Carsic specialities.
A yearly rendez-vous is the "mostra del terrano" (terrano fair, a local sharp, red wine featuring a very peculiar individuality) occurring in Rupingrande on the second Sunday of July.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

The Rocca of Monrupino has been originally a pre-historic "castelliere" then Roman fortified castrum, eventually impregnable fortress against the Turkish hordes. In year 1512 a previously existing sacred building was replaced by a church devoted to the Holy Virgin. It exhibits a polygonal abse and a single aisless nave; on the portal there are scant remains of frescos probably dating to XVIII century; the roof is made of stony slabs. The 19m high belfry joining the façade is the actual entrance to the church.
In the village of Rupingrande the guest can visit the "Casa Carsica", a typical building from the past century showing important architectural elements characteristic of the table-land: the yard with the small connecting farmhouse accessible through the architraved portal framed with white chiseles stone, the ground-floor with kitchen and heart, the upper floor accessible via a stony staircase and the gallery, the roof covering partially of hollow tiles. Open since Easter until the first week of November on Sundays and all holidays.
Along the road connecting Opicina to Monrupino is located the "dolina di Percedol", a geological singularity as its ground hosts a perennial pond not very big out endowed with plenty of water flora (including water-lily) and fauna. Superficial water on the Carsic plateau is actually infrequent due to the spongy structure of the limestone composing it that sinks rainwater very quickly.
A "dolina" (a Slovenian word deriving from Sanskrit and meaning "valley", related to dale) is a characteristic cup-shaped depression in the Carsic ground originating from a collapsed pre-existing cave. The bottom is often covered with reddish ground rich of iron salts and the most of them still show fragments of stalactites and other evidence of their geological origin.