Have you heard about the world’s smallest town? It is an alluring place in Southeast Europe and its name is Hum. Hum is an enthralling hilltop settlement in Croatia’s Istria region. It is famous for being known as the smallest town to ever exist in the world.
To be exact, it is situated in central Istria, approximately a 2.5 hours drive from Croatia’s capital city of Zagreb. It is a medieval hilltop town. The total population of the town is around 20 and 30 people (21 according to the 2011 national census, and 27 as of 2021). Its origins are still not declared and it is still a mystery how it came into being.
In the historical records, it was first mentioned in the year 1102, when it was called Cholm. A bell and watch tower was built in 1552 as part of the town’s defenses, and guards and their families started moving in, but the town never really developed over the centuries. To this day, it only has three neat rows of medieval houses and two streets.
It is only 100 meters long and 30 meters wide. If you look at the town, you will understand easily why it is the smallest town to exist. However, what’s not so clear is why it is categorized as a village. After all, there are much smaller villages than this; some consist of just a couple of homes spread over long distances.
The reputation of ‘world’s smallest town’ has attained quite a fame for Hum, and today tourism counts as one of the two main sources of income for the locals, along with agriculture. There isn’t that much to see, due to the size of the place, but locals do their best to make visitors feel welcome.
The town is circumscribed by a small stone fence from medieval times to protect the town from bandit attacks.
