Piran’s name comes from the Greek word for fires (pyr) which were lit at the very tip of the peninsula to guide ships to the port of what is now Koper. The Romans settled here first and starting in the 13th century there were five centuries of Venetian rule. Piran was important for the Venetians because it was a major salt supplier. Today it’s on the best preserved historical old towns anywhere on the Adriatic.
The Cathedral of St. George’s 47 meter/154 feet high bell tower was built in 1609.
This 15th century gothic house is actually called the Venetian House. Notice the stone relief of a lion with a banner in its mouth between the upper windows. The banner has the inscription Lassa pur dir. The story is that a wealthy merchant from Venice fell in love with a beautiful local girl, but she soon became the butt of local gossips. To shut them up and to keep his lover happy, he built her this house complete with the reminder to “let them talk.” It’s said that the house is red so that he could find it easier when he was coming into port.
View from the top of the bell tower.
Since it’s all rocks along the shore, people have to be creative about where to put their stuff.
The museum for underwater activities. Knowing what we know now, it’s crazy to think that people would scuba dive with the equipment that they used.
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