Piran, Slovenia

Piran History And Culture, Slovenia

The first ancient settlement of Piran rose behind the lands inhabited by the Celtic tribes and tormented by the Istrian raids, conquered by the Romans around 178 A.D. The Empire's massive colonization that led to the birth of the first rural houses around Piran, was violently interrupted by the onslaught of the Barbarians. To escape the invasions of the Eastern civilizations, numerous settlements cropped up along the Istrian coast, with the rise of fortified cities and castles.

The following Byzantine rule transformed Piran, giving rise to the modern day urban structure while the onset of the Franks brought the arrival of the Slavs and the estrangement of the Roman population: After the fall of the Carolinian Empire and until the end of the millennium, Piran was ruled by the Italians, Bavarians and the significant Aquilean patriarchy.

Fighting to assert its trade rights and autonomy, Piran freed itself from feudal powers, allying itself with the powerful Republic of Venice. Subjugated to the Republic of Venice for over five centuries, Piran flourished economically and culturally, cultivating an aristocracy influenced by Humanism and the Renaissance.

The nineteenth century and the Austrian Empire's supremacy brought increasing wealth to Piran with the further expansion of the Secovlje salt-pans and the salt trade, thanks to the ‘Parenzana’ railway, quickly connecting Porec with Trieste. At the same time, Portoroz and the surrounding towns became the most popular tourist destinations on the Upper Adriatic sea.

The First World War left Istria and Piran to Italy, while the Second, with the disastrous fall of Fascism and bloody events of the war of liberation, permitted, after trying negotiations, the final annexation of Dalmatia and Istria to Tito's Yugoslavia, opening the painful and problematic question of the Italian refugees.

Piran is now part of the Republic of Slovenia. Just before the fall of Tito's communist regime, Slovenia declared and obtained its independence and recently entered Euroland. It is a small, verdant country with thrilling mountains, spas and a short but spectacular coast, crowned by Piran.