What to experience in Portoroz and Piran


CITIES OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND LANDSCAPE PARKS

Arriving at the cycling starting point in Portoroz, there's something to do besides cycling. Have you ever wondered what to experience in Portoroz and Piran? We have the answer for you. Get to know the towns with their natural cultural and historical heritage. You will be inspired by the historical, cultural and natural attractions. In the summer months, we recommend you jump into the water from the town swimming pool in Piran or the central beach in Portoroz.

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TARTINI SQUARE

The area where Tartini Square is was used to be a harbour for fishing boats. In the past, it was outside the city walls, with the oldest partially preserved walls running behind today's Municipal Palace, and only the Church of St Peter, which has stood on the site since 1272, standing outside. For reasons of stench, uncleanliness and health and hygiene, the harbour was filled in in 1894 and a spacious square was built in front of the new Municipal and Judicial Palaces.

The Tartini House is one of the oldest houses in the Piran. City documents from 1384 mention it as a Gothic building, the "Casa Pizagrua", but later its exterior was rebuilt in a neo-classical style. Giuseppe Tartini was born here. It was finally renovated in 1985-1991. During the renovation work, interesting wall paintings were discovered.

Kaj doživeti v Portorožu in Piranu - Tartinijev trg
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MUNICIPAL PALACE AND VENETIAN HOUSE

The original municipal palace was built by the Venetians when they arrived in Piran at the end of the 13th century, and the Town Hall was built outside the walls, next to the mandrake. It had a Romanesque-Gothic expression; its facade was full of embedded coats of arms and inscription panels. It was demolished in 1877. The new Municipal Palace was completed two years later, with a stone figure of a lion with an open book in its central axis on the second floor as a reminder of Serenissima and the old Town Hall.

At the junction of IX. Korpus (where stays the town café) and Tartini Square stands a beautiful building called the Bernecianka. It is the finest example of Venetian-Gothic architecture in Piran. Built in the middle of the 15th century, it is the oldest preserved house in Tartini Square.

The Tartini House is one of the oldest houses in the Piran. City documents from 1384 mention it as a Gothic building, the "Casa Pizagrua", but later its exterior was rebuilt in a neo-classical style. Giuseppe Tartini was born here. It was finally renovated in 1985-1991. During the renovation work, interesting wall paintings were discovered.

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TOWN WALLS

The walls were completed in the 16th century. It had eight defensive towers. The outer side of the wall shows a typical defensive design with a slightly sloping slope. It is also characterised by its exceptional height. Some years ago, parts of the towers and the connecting staircases were restored to allow access for visitors. The walls were built gradually, and most of them were built at the same time as the use of gunpowder changed the way in which warfare was fought, necessitating a new way of defending the city.

As the city developed, the walls moved south-eastwards, incorporating the new districts that were being created outside it. The part of the wall surrounding the oldest part of the town in the promontory area (the first wall) has remained unchanged in its course and has only had to be thoroughly rebuilt several times. Today it is walled with houses.

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CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE

The Cathedral Church of St George reigns over the compact city centre, giving the city a special character. It was probably built in the 12th century, but there is no exact date. It was built in its present size in the 14th century. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1637. The bell tower was added in 1608 and the baptistery in 1650. The retaining walls were built in 1641 and the hill was fortified with stone arches on the seaward side. The construction of the arches, which began in 1663, lasted until 1804. The arches, which were already badly deteriorated due to erosion, were rebuilt in 1998.

The bell tower, built in 1608, is a scaled-down copy of the bell tower of St Mark's in Venice, which shows that it was built during the Venetian influence in Piran. In addition to the newer bells, a bell from the 15th century hangs in the bell tower. The octagonal baptistery, built in 1650, is also the last building of the new cathedral complex.

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1st MAY SQUARE

1st May Square, or the Old Square (Piazza Vecchia) as it was originally called, is the centre of old Punta. The main streets of Piran converge on it. It is the main square of the town, where residents and visitors come to shop or to enjoy a glass of local black wine. The square is a popular meeting place for the children of Piran. During the summer months, the central platform hosts numerous music, dance and theatre events. 

The Old Town Square was the administrative centre of the town until the 13th century. The old city palace stood here (today it is the site of the Delfin restaurant). In the middle of the square stands a stone rainwater tank, built after a severe drought in 1775. At the back of the reservoir are two statues of putti on pedestals, one holding a fish, the other a bowl. Gutters from the roofs of the surrounding houses were channelled into the reservoir. The water seeped through the stone blocks, sand and gravel and was collected and purified in a large well.

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FIESA

Fiesa is a small bay located between Piran and Strunjan. It is interesting for its two freshwater lakes, the smaller of which is natural and the larger artificial. They are located next to the seaside walking path that leads all the way to Piran. The two lakes have been declared a natural monument since 1990. They were created as a result of clay excavation for the former brickworks. The small lake is freshwater and up to 6.5 metres deep. Freshwater and marine flora and fauna therefore meet in this biotope.

Over the last decades, the bay has been transformed into a popular beach resort with a campsite, hotels, holiday homes and villas.

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SEČOVLJE SALTPANS

The Sečovlje salt pans are the largest salt pans still in operation. The Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park is approximately 65 hectares in size. It consists of several channels, crystallisation and evaporation basins. Salt is no longer important for the economy as it is mostly imported. The Sečovlje salt pans are protected and represent our past and the salt industry. They are still used only for tourist purposes, so that people can see how salt used to be extracted.

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THE PARENZANA CYCLING ROUTE

Parenzana - 123.1 km long narrow-gauge railway line connecting 33 Istrian towns from Trieste to Poreč (13km - Italy, 32km - Slovenia, 78km Croatia). The railway was closed in 1935. On the centenary of the opening of the line, in 2002, possible projects for the restoration of the Parenzana started to be seriously discussed and the project of a cycle path and a pedestrian path was born. 

The project stalled a bit, but was revived in 2006. By June 2008, 80 km of the route had been revitalised, integrating the Croatian-Slovenian tourist offer. It connects all three coastal towns. It can be cycled in a few hours. It is also suitable for families as it has no major gradients.

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