- Church of Saint George, Piran
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Church of saint George from Piran town walls
The Church of Saint George (Slovene: Cerkev svetega Jurija) is a catholic church located on the hill above Piran, a Slovenian coastal town. It is dedicated to Saint George.
Contents
History
Early history
The first church on top of the hill was already built in 12th century. In 1595 a construction of a new church began on the same location, replacing the old one. The construction of the new one was finished in 1637, and the front portal of the church was made in 1608 by Bonfante Torre. The construction of the bell tower that is separated from the church started in 1600 and was also designed by Bonfante Torre, and was finished in 1608. As the last building built on the site was a baptistery. It was finished in 1650. Because of unstable foundations and the whole hill, enhancement walls and barriers were made from the 17th to the 19th century on north and south sides of the hill to prevent any damage to the building. Several restorations were made afterwards.[1][2]
Present
A general restoration has been launched in 1990 because of overall bad condition of the structures. Between 2002 and 2005, the main building was closed because of restorations of the frescos and statues inside. The hill was further enhaced and stabilised to prevent the structures to deform or even fall of cliff.
The church is now a major tourist attraction and one of the most important town landmarks, as it is seen from Tartini Square aswell as from many other parts of town. The bell tower is accessible for 1€ via stairwell, and the church interior is accessible anytime from 7:00 to 22:00, although the inner hall can be entered only during mass. Infront of the church portal is a large lawn which used to be a graveyard, and is now a spot for tourists to see the whole Bay of Trieste, aswell as the town and nearby coastal settlements.[3]
Gallery
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The portal of the church
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Former graveyard area
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One of the remaining thumbstones on the former graveyard
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The Belltower seen from Tartini Square
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Inside the church
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Ceiling fresco
References
External links
Piran Settlements Landmarks Tartini Square, Municipal Palace, Loggia, Tartini’s house, Judicial Palace, Piran town walls, Portorož Auditorium, Loggia, Church of Saint George, Church of Saint Peter, Franciscan monastery, Sečovlje saltworks, Piran Aquarium, Portorož AirportPeople Peter Bossman, Branko Lenart, Giuseppe Tartini
Coordinates: 45°31′46.26″N 13°34′7.11″E / 45.5295167°N 13.5686417°ECategories:- Piran
- Roman Catholic churches in Slovenia
- Religious buildings completed in 1344
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