![\"\"](\"https:\/\/the-slovenia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/piran-tartini-1024x437.jpg\")
<\/figure>1ST OF MAY SQUARE (PRVOMAJSKI TRG)<\/strong> TARTINI SQUARE (TARTINIJEV TRG)<\/strong> ST GEORGE CATHEDRAL<\/strong> <\/p> VENETIAN HOUSE<\/strong> TARTINI HOUSE<\/strong> TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE<\/strong> Source: THE Slovenia book<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Slovenia\u2019s prettiest town Piran is to Adriatic what Bled is to the Alps and Slovenia as a whole is to Central Europe: tiny, friendly, overwhelmingly picturesque. It\u2019s a town that is almost impossible not to fall in love with on your first visit, and if you only have time for a day trip you\u2019ll likely …<\/p>\n
The administrative centre of Piran until the 13th century, these days the square stands in stark contrast to the glistening Tartinijev Trg only a couple hundred metres away. It is scruffy and unkempt with the odd clump of grass poking up between stones and more than one fa\u00e7ade unintentionally revealing brick walls beneath crumbling layers of paint. It is, in other words, perfect. In addition to several restaurants, art galleries and a great little wine bar, a large stone cistern elevates nearly half the square a metre off the ground and serves as a stage for various music, dance and theatre performances during the summer. Flanking the stairs leading up to the now dormant wells are two allegorical statues representing Law and Justice, both of which are obligingly photogenic.<\/p>
Already arguably the most impressive square in Slovenia, all debate was put to rest in 2008 when it was transformed into a pedestrian-only zone with outdoor caf\u00e9s taking the place of parked cars. Fronted by two large neo-Renaissance buildings on one side and a m\u00e9lange of smaller buildings of varying architectural styles on the other, the square itself is younger than
almost all of them, having been part of Piran\u2019s harbour until it was filled in in 1884. Thesquare\u2019s inner oval was given its distinctive shape when it served as the terminus for an electric railway that connected Piran to Portoro\u017e and Lucija until 1953, while its white marble surface was something of a posthumous gift to the late Tartini in 1992 on what would have been his 300th birthday. In addition to lending his name, the great composer is also represented in the square by a very photogenic statue standing near its centre.<\/p>
Watching over the town and visible from nearly every open space is the massive cathedral dedicated to Piran\u2019s patron saint, the dragon slaying young knight from Capadoccia, George. Legend has it that towards the end of the 16th century the cathedral fell into a state of disrepair, which was so troubling that Saint George himself made an appearance in order to motivate the citizenry to undertake the necessary renovations, and even blinded a sceptical mayor to show he meant business. True or not, the cathedral saw some major renovations shortly thereafter, including the addition of a nearly 50m bell tower, which is a scale copy of the San Marco Campanile in Venice. Throw in some stunning views of both the city and the sea and you have the makings for one of the most impressive churches in Slovenia.<\/p>
One of the best examples of Gothic Venetian architecture in Piran, the unmistakeable palace was built in the middle of the 15th century and is the oldest residence still standing onTartinijev Trg. According to local legend it was commissioned by a wealthy Venetian merchant in order to prove the strength of his love to a beautiful young Piranese girl and win over the less than supportive townspeople. We don\u2018t want to ruin the ending for you, but they can probably fill you in on the details if you ask at the Piranske Soline gift shop that now occupies the ground floor.<\/p>
Originally going by the name \u2018Casa Pizagrua\u2019 this somewhat modest palace next to St Peter\u2019s Church on the eastern side Tartinijev Trg was the birthplace of the composer – and namesake of roughly half of Piran – Giuseppe Tartini. It underwent extensive renovations in the late 1980s and is now home to the main offices of the Italian Community in Piran. There is also a small museum on the first floor displaying, among other things, one of the master\u2019s violins, his death mask and various letters, manuscripts and scores.<\/p>
Boasting perhaps the best address of any tourist information centre in Slovenia, TIC Piran has the privilege of calling the ground floor of the town\u2019s gleaming white Venetian town hall on Tartini Square home. While the interior is on a bit more humble scale than the fa\u00e7ade would suggest, there\u2019s a huge selection of books, brochures, maps, flyers and more from seemingly
every tourist-oriented venue on the coast and beyond. But don\u2019t worry, the cheerful staff manning the counter can help you make sense of it all.
QTartinijev Trg 2, +386 (0)5 673 44 40, ticpi@portoroz.si, www.portoroz.si.<\/p>