Slovenia is best known for its caves and mountains, but it does have a small picturesque strip of Adriatic coastline (46.6 miles long). There are several towns along this stretch of coast, the best known being Piran. The town was part of Italy until the end of WWII, and Italian and Slovenian are both commonly spoken here.
The area has been inhabited since before the time of the Romans, but the greatest lingering influence in Piran is that of the Venetians. From 1283 to 1797, the town became part of the Republic of Venice, followed by the Hapsburg empire and Napoleonic forces.
Piran is a very photogenic town — historically a fishing village — sitting at the tip of a narrow peninsula. Its Old Town is one of the best-preserved in the Mediterranean and shows a strong medieval Venetian influence. Summers are said to be very busy and tourist-filled, but my wife and I visited in early fall and it was relatively quiet. We enjoyed our walks along the seaside promenade leading to the town and exploring Piran’s narrow streets and alleys.
The Old Town’s core is its main square and adjoining harbor. The harbor is small but very pleasant. Historically a fishing port, today pleasure craft dominate the water, and sunbathers, cafes and pubs populate the waterfront.
(View across the harbor shows that the bell tower of St. George’s Cathedral dominates Piran)
(There is no beach, but lots of people enjoy Piran’s waterfront nonetheless)
(lighthouse)
Piran is the birthplace of violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini, who helped shape the town’s cultural heritage. Piran’s main square is named in his honor (Tartini Square), and on the 200th anniversary of his birth (in 1896) the statue shown below was erected in his honor.
The square is a fun place. Spacious and framed by historic buildings, with lots of cafes and restaurants for you to enjoy. A market is held here, although I’m not sure of its schedule especially in the post CoVid era.
For a small town there are a variety of ways you can occupy your time. You can swim or sail in the Gulf of Piran, bike or walk on the seaside promenade, explore a museum or the town’s old fortified city walls. But without question the most popular place to visit in Piran is the Church of St George, which is an important Slovenian cultural and historic landmark.
Last weekend’s One Clue Mystery photo was taken of the Church of St. George, including it’s bell tower and baptistry. Congratulations to Professor Abe, George G and PortMoresby who recognized where we were.
The Church of St. George rests atop the tallest hill in Piran and dominates the town’s skyline. It was originally built in the 12th century, expanded in the 14th century into the building you can visit today, with Renaissance modernization added in the 16th century. The look is Venetian, down to a smaller-scale model St. Mark’s Bell Tower (campanile). From it’s courtyard you have views in one direction of Piran’s harbor, and in the other direction of the coastline of Italy.
You can look into the church from a barrier at the entry but when we visited it was otherwise closed. It is quite lovely.
(The high altar was built in 1737)
(St. George preparing to slay the Dragon)
In 1660, an octagonal Baptistry building was constructed adjoining the church.
It has a Roman sarcophagus from the second century serving as its font. The statue of the crucified Christ to the left of the font was made around 1370.
We wrapped our day in Piran up with a fine seafood dinner. A most pleasant travel day of the type we hope to enjoy again soon.
