Raša ( it, Arsia, Chakavian: ''Aršija'') is a municipality in the inner part of the Raška Inlet in the south-eastern part of

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

. Raša lies southwest of

Labin Labin (Italian/Istriot: Albona) is a town in Istria, west Croatia, with a town population of 5,806 (2021) and 10,424 in the greater municipality (which also includes the small towns of Rabac and Vinež, as well as a number of smaller villages). Hi ...

at an elevation of . RasaMunicipality

Situated in the valley of the

Krapanski Potok The Krapanski Potok is a tributary to the Raša in Istria, Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homelan ...

(a tributary of the river Raša), near the former village of Krapan in 1785.

Raša was built as a "

new town New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

" during 1936-1937 as part of

Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

's urban colonization of Istria. Planned and designed according to the rationalist principles by architect, Gustavo Pulitzer-Finali from Trieste, Italy, the mining town is organized along a linear axis connecting the Upper and Lower Raša. Lower Raša consists of houses for ordinary miners set along two parallel streets while Upper Raša is organized along three parallel streets with similar houses but slightly larger in size, designated for senior miners and supervisors. Smaller residential enclaves were organized throughout the elongated plan, one of which is "villette", a gated series of small urban villas designated for mining executives. The town centre connecting the Lower and Upper Raša included a large square with hotels, post office, supermarket, movie theatre, pharmacy, administrative offices and small arcaded shops. Overlooking the square is the church of Santa Barbara (patron saint of miners). The single nave church is constructed in the shape of an overturned coal wagon while its bell tower resembles a miner's lamp. Centrally located are also the town hospital, football field, bocci terrain and swimming pool with diving tower and bowling alley. Decades after the mine's closure, today, Raša's appearance is part of a memory album of town planning, whereas the sound of coal wagons belongs to bygone days. The miners' greeting

References

External links

* Municipalities of Croatia Populated places in Istria County Italian fascist architecture {{Istria-geo-stub