St George’s Church
Church, Piran
At the top of the town stands the parish – chapter (called cathedral) church of St. George, the largest of all churches in Piran, from where there is a view of three countries. The church is named after the patron saint of the town, St. George, who is said to have saved the town during a storm. It was originally built in the 14th century and took its current appearance after the Baroque renovation in the 17th century. The interior is decorated with 7 altars, statues of St. George and St. Nicholas, a richly painted wooden ceiling, paintings from the Venetian school, and early 14th-century Gothic “Crucifers.”
St. George is the patron saint of the town. A Christian prince and knight from Cappadocia, he became the protector of soldiers and warriors and was declared patron saint of many settlements. Few saints are surrounded by as many legends as St. George. He is one of the most recognized and venerated saints in the Christian world, depicted with a spear and shield. As a symbol of the fight against evil, he represents humanity’s ongoing battle with the forces of darkness and sin, embodied by the dragon.
St George’s Bell tower
The bell tower was built during the period of Venetian rule (17th century) and is a smaller replica of the bell tower of St. Mark’s in Venice. The tower is 46.45 meters tall and houses four bells. At the top stands the statue of Archangel Michael, which rotates with the wind to predict the weather. Climb to the top and enjoy the magnificent view of the town and the surrounding area.
the Sacristy
In the ground floor of the sacristy, objects of church equipment and vessels are displayed, while beneath the church nave the oldest remains of building structures from the Roman period, antiquity, early Middle Ages, Romanesque and Gothic eras were discovered. In the treasury, the silver statue of “St. George on Horseback” and a reliquary shaped like a foot stand out. Also worth seeing are the lapidarium, which houses the oldest wooden model in Slovenia – the “Church of St. George” from 1590, and the archaeological pit.
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