Petar Stanković from Barban

Petar Stanković/Pietro Stancovich rodio se 24. veljače 1771. u Barbanu. Bio je barbanski kanonik i polihistor Istre, svećenik i pisac, polemičar, znatiželjni istraživač, veliki bibliofil te pristaša fiziokratskih ideja. Rodio se u bogatoj obitelji, što mu je omogućilo školovanje u najboljim ustanovama i u inozemstvu te druženja s uglednim znanstvenicima. Bavio se raznim poslovima kako bi uvećao svoje bogatstvo, prikupljao knjige, minerale, pisao radove, pa sve do stvaranja, tj. izuma agrotehničkih sprava i spisateljstva. Novčano je pomagao barbanskoj djeci i ulagao u školstvo te je zapravo cjelokupan životni rad i djelovanje posvetio odgoju i obrazovanju čovjeka. Prihvatio se zadataka vjeroučitelja te izgradio poseban plan obučavanja svake grupe. Zalagao se za otvorenje prve pučke škole. Također, Stanković je svojim izumima htio pomoći barbanskim poljoprivrednicima kako bi imali učinkovitiju proizvodnju, a time je htio i unaprijediti svoju tada siromašnu Istru. Stanković je bio najplodniji pisac Istre u prvoj polovici 19. stoljeća te je objavio 23 knjige u svojem trošku, dok je većina ostala u rukopisima, odnosno neobjavljena. Svoju je bogatu zbirku oporučno ostavio Rovinju te se ona čuva u Zavičajnom muzeju Rovinja pod nazivom Stancoviciana. Petar Stanković je rano imao poteškoća s vidom, a učestalo pisanje i čitanje pogoršavalo je njegovo stanje, te je zadnje godine svoga života proveo u mraku. Umro je u 82. godini života, a pokopan je na barbanskom groblju sv. Križa. Njemu u čast, već sedmu godinu za redom održava se Memorijal Petra Stankovića nazvan „Barban u srcu“, koji okuplja brojne povjesničare, profesore, ekonomiste i druge znanstvenike. Također ispred gornje škole i u dvorištu crkve postavljena je skulptura Petra Stankovića.Petar Stanković/Pietro Stancovich was born on 24th February 1771 in the town Barban. He was the canon, polymath, priest, writer, polemicist, curious researcher, true bibliophile and a supporter of the physiocratic ideas. He was born in a wealthy family which provided him the schooling in the best institutions in the country and abroad. He was also spending his time with prominent scientists. Stanković was doing a variety of jobs in order to increase his wealt; he was collecting books, minerals, wrote the expert works, including the invention of agronomic devices and literature. He assisted the children financially, was investing in the education system and in fact he dedicated his entire lifework and activity to human's education. He served the mission of a catechist , and he created a special schooling plan for each group. He pleaded for the opening of the first primary school. Stanković also wanted to help the farmers in order to reach more efficient production offering them his inventions, and thereby he wanted to elevate the poor region of Istria. Stanković was the most prolific Istrian writer in the first half of the 19th century and has published 23 books at his expense, while most of the other books hadn't been published and remained in the form of a manuscript. He left his rich collection testamentary to the city of Rovinj and today it is kept at the Native Museum under the name Stancoviciana. Petar Stanković had vision difficulties, so the frequent writing and reading had worsened his condition, and consequently, the last years of his life he spent in the dark. He died at the age of 82, and was buried at the Town Barban Cemetery named the Holy Cross. In his honour, for seven years already, is being held the Petar Stanković Memorial called "Barban in the heart," which brings together a number of historians, professors, economists and other scientists. In front of the upper school and in the Church yard, you can find the sculpture of Petar Stanković