Santa Marina(Prkušnica)
A picturesque coastal place situated on the eastern coast of Istria about 6 km to the SE of Labin. A small fertile valley. In the past its inhabitants depended on fishing and agriculture (olives, wine) and from the 19th century on they were turning more and more towards tourism and catering.The oldest traces of the settlement can be found in the vicinities. A few settlements and prehistoric stone graves (gromača) date back to the bronze age 1800 - 1000 B.C.). A favourable strategic position, the pleasant climate and fertile land were good conditions for the Roman families to settle down. At the site of the St.Marina church an old Roman object can be found. Villa rustica was built there and its remains could have been seen there at beginning of the 20th century. Somewhere near it there was also a necropolis, the remnants of which were discovered at the same time (a stone urn with a cover, burnt bones, a clay pot and a little glass bottle).Various archaeological discoveries, which can be found around even today, tell us about the existing Roman constructions.The waters of St. Marina are also rich in antiquities, because Roman amphorae can be found there. A few glass fractions from the period of the late antiquity ( 4th – 5th century) which were found around the St. Marina church and a piece of a window barrier ( a stone bar) which was a part of the older church, give us some evidence of the late antiquity and an early medieval period. The church of St. Marina was being built in the 12th and 13th century and there was also a medieval settlement, although nothing has been located for sure. According to the local tradition, there was also a female monastery.There are no traces from the time of the Venice reign. It has been assumed that the settlement was inhabited, that there was a small port, but the only remnant from that time is an upper part of the door, that is, a beam of a bigger portal with a coat of arms and the initials of the Labin family Luciani. Marina takes off at the beginning of the 19th century with the development of the whole area of Labin due to the mining. Bigger and more modern houses ( covered with tiles) are built while the inhabitants turn more and more towards trade and seamanship. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century there are about 20 sail ships belonging to the families Glušić, Škopac, Buzac, Blažina and Lupetina. At the beginning of the 20th century the town has a shop, an inn and a small finance police department to fight against clandestine trade on the sea. From 1905 to 1919 there is a school founded by the Cyril and Method association, where pupils are taught in the Croatian language. During the World War II the town comes to its standstill but a part of its population actively participates in the Liberation War of Yugoslavia. After the war, the town decays, a part of its population abandons Yugoslavia or moves to bigger towns, the school is closed and the sailing ship are nationalized. At the beginning of the 1980s, Marina blooms again, because it turns to tourism. The Auto camp is opened in 1981. It could put up 400 people then compared to 750 nowadays.Marina has turned exclusively to tourism and besides the camp, its inhabitants rent their houses, take to catering and there is also a scuba-diving center in the camp.

The Saint Marina church
It is situated at the southern part of the peninsula. The oldest architectural element was found by B.Fučić in a prehistoric grave (gromača) nearby. He also found a fraction of a window bar which dates back to the early medieval period. Unfortunately it is the only element of the church found so far which dates back to its earliest days. What we can be sure of is that the second phase of the building of the church goes back to 12th and 13th century when the church was built in the Romanesque style with an apse.The church was renewed between 1925 and 1926, the apsidal part was demounted, while the floor which, originally covered in rectangular stone-blocks, was now coated with concrete. It was the irreversible devastation which has continued up to now (the renewal of the church portico /porch/ is an example).The furniture inside the church is new and the altarpiece from the first half of the 18th century is kept in the sacral collection Pićna. According to the local lore there was a female monastery somewhere near the church.

The Altarpiece, the first half of the 18 th century
Madonna with the Child, St Rock, St Sebastian and St. Marina
Oil on canvas, 148x 97 cm
In the upper part of the picture there is Madonna, sitting on the clouds with the Child in her lap and accompanied by three angels. Down, on the right there is St. Sebastian tied to a pillar St. Rock is sitting on the ground showing his infectious wound and and close to him there are a pilgrim's hat and stick. Behind him kneeling St. Marina in her Benedict robe and her arms crossed / hands praying/.