Introducing The First Of May Square In Piran
The First of May Square (Slovene: Prvomajski Trg), previously known as the Old Square, was the centre of Piran until the 13th century. The entrance to the square is flanked by two allegorical statues representing Law and Justice, both of which are lovely and very photogenic. In the centre of the square is a large Baroque-style cistern that was built after the 1775 draught to store fresh drinking water. The rainwater from the roofs of the surrounding buildings flowed into it through the fish borne by the stone putti cherubs in two corners. The square is lined with numerous interesting Baroque buildings including the former town pharmacy on the north side, which is now the Fontana restaurant, and the Church of St Donatus, which was built in 1325 and redesigned in the Baroque period and now serves as an art gallery.
Piran’s First Of May Square Review
The First Of May Square is a pretty little square that used to be the heart of Piran up until the Middle Ages, when it was called Old Square. It is surrounded by mainly baroque-inspired architecture as well as a few restaurants. art galleries and a great little wine bar. The historic buildings that surround the square are beautiful and well worth a wander through, although some of them are in need of a make-over. In the centre of the square, on a raised platform, there are a few eye-catching statues and a stone rainwater cistern which was built in the second half of the 18th century after the region suffered a severe drought, collecting water from the guttering in the surrounding houses.
Today, the First of May Square isn’t the liveliest of places despite its central location, but it’s a nice, pleasant area to dine, have a coffee or wine and people watch, and the streets radiating out from the square are a maze of pastel-coloured overhanging houses, vaulted passages and arcaded courtyards, so definitely worth passing through and spending a few minutes of looking around and taking a few photos. During the summer months, the raised platform in the middle of the square serves as a stage for various music, dance and theatre performances.
The square is a popular place for children to hang out and is family-friendly, but it’s far from ideal (but possible) for those in wheelchairs and those with strollers due stairs in the middle and sections of cobblestone.
Piran’s First Of May Square Pictures
View our image gallery with high-resolution photos that prove you have to visit the First Of May Square in Piran!
Piran’s First Of May Square. (Image by Jenud / CC BY 2.0)
The square is surrounded by interesting baroque buildings.
In the centre of the square on a raised platform there are a few statues and also a stone rainwater cistern which was built in 1775 after the region suffered a severe drought, collecting water from the neighbouring gutters. (Image by nschuwi / CC BY 3.0)
This is a two level square. As you approach the upper level you pass between the statues of legality and justice. Then you come to a simple well. (Image by Andraz Muljavec / CC BY-SA 4.0)
At the left of stairs there is an allegoric statue of justice. The inscription in the shield shows purpose and donators of the project. (Image by Andraz Muljavec / CC BY-SA 4.0)
At the right of stairs there is an allegoric statue of legality. At the left side of the statue there is a sitting hen. (Image by Isiwal / CC BY-SA 4.0)
At the northern side of the cistern are two putti cherubs which serve as supports for rain water downpipes. (Image by Isiwal / CC BY-SA 4.0)
At the southeast corner of the cistern is a cast-iron hand pump with which water could be pumped out of the reservoir. (Image by Isiwal / CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Church of St Donatus is an abandoned church that now serves as an art gallery. It was built in the 14th century and redesigned in the Baroque period. (Image by Mihael Grmek / CC BY-SA 3.0)
The square is surrounded by interesting baroque buildings, including the former town pharmacy on the north side, which is now the Fontana restaurant.
Cantina Klet is a small wine bar that sits pretty under a grapevine canopy and its wooden tables are set in a corner of the First of May Square. It serves only wine and cured ham, sheep cheese, and sardines.
Some buildings surrounding the square are in need of a make-over. (Image by strudelt / CC BY 2.0)
This is, of course, Piran’s First Of May Square as it looked in the 1920s.
Piran’s First Of May Square location on the map
Address: Prvomajski trg 1, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
Latitude and Longitude Coordinates: 45.529068, 13.566148
GPS coordinates: 45° 31′ 44.6448” N 13° 33′ 58.1328” E
Region: Littoral
 The charming coastal town of Piran is a medieval jewel on the Adriatic coast, situated at the cape of the Piran peninsula on the northern side of Istria, with Italy on the horizon. Since being part of the Republic of Venice, Piran has a rich cultural heritage and the close Venetian influence is immediately apparent in its architecture with the narrow winding streets, houses huddled close together, rising in cascades, beautiful squares and churches and breathtaking sea views. |
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 Overall Rating:  10/10 (Must-See)The Tartini Square is a lovely square in the heart of the medieval walled Venetian town of Piran, the most famous town on Slovenia's 43-kilometre coast, which sits between Italy and Croatia. For a small town this is a wide open and quite large square. It's very Venetian in its white marble paving and surrounded by charming, Venetian buildings with wonderful architecture displayed. |
 Overall Rating:  09/10 (Must-See)The Church of St. George is the jewel on the crown of Piran. Originally built in the 12th century, its current structure dates from its expansion in the early 14th century, and its subsequent Baroque revamp in 1637. The church is beautifully decorated with frescos, marble altars and a large statue of St George slaying the dragon. |
 Overall Rating: 09/10 (Must-See)In front of the Church of St. George, built separate from it in 1608, is the iconic 46,45 metre-high bell tower. There are 146 steps that lead to the top of the bell tower that houses four bells and is capped with a pyramidal spire. At the top of the tower sits a weather vane in the form of the 3,6-metre-tall Archangel Michael. |
 Overall Rating: 09/10 (Must-See)Piran's Town Walls were built in various stages from the 7th to early 16th century and are one of the most famous attractions in the town. Originally the walls enclosed only the area west of the main Tartini square but between the years 1470 and 1534 expanded to include the entire peninsula. Sections of the wall and seven gates still stand throughout Piran, though the rest of it has been demolished. The walls themselves are great and quite impressive and you can climb to quite a height. The view however is the main reason to visit! |
 Overall Rating: 09/10 (Must-See)The Piran Shell And Snail Museum with its permanent exhibition the Magical World of Shells is one of the best and most interesting museums in Slovenia. It features more than 4,000 specimens of rare and unique mollusks from all around the world. You'll see some of the most unusual clams, sea urchins, crabs, sea stars, and much more, varying in sizes and shapes. |
 Overall Rating:  08/10 (Highly Recommended)Piran’s maritime history is exhibited at the superb Sergej Masera Maritime Museum. Named after a famous Slovenian sailor from Gorica, the museum offers information on Slovene naval history, the Adriatic Sea, sailing, fishing, salt-making and much more. The bulk of the museum collections is housed in the wonderful 19th-century Gabrielli Palace, right at the waterfront near Tartini Square in the historic centre of Piran, but quite a few of its collections are also presented elsewhere. |
 Overall Rating: 08/10 (Highly Recommended)If you are in Piran, try to take the time to visit this small, pleasant museum and make sure you attend the 3D movie to learn about the history of Piran. It will give you much more of an appreciation for this charming coastal town. |
 Overall Rating:  07/10 (Recommended)The Museum of Underwater Activities Piran is a small but very interesting museum that gives an excellent overview of the history of diving in the Adriatic Sea, exhibiting old deep-sea diving suits and helmets. Besides the collection of antique diving equipment, the museum also has several models of submarines and the uniforms of their crews on display. |
 Overall Rating: 07/10 (Recommended)The Piran Aquarium was founded in 1964 and is now the biggest aquarium in Slovenia with its collection of more than 120 species and 25 aquarium tanks. It showcases a good selection of fish and invertebrates living in the northern Adriatic Sea. |
 Overall Rating: 07/10 (Recommended)The First of May Square, previously known as the Old Square, was the centre of Piran until the 13th century. It is surrounded by mainly baroque-inspired architecture as well as a few restaurants. art galleries and a great little wine bar. In the centre of the square, on a raised platform, there are a few eye-catching statues and a stone rainwater cistern which was built in the second half of the 18th century after the region suffered a severe drought. |
 Overall Rating: 07/10 (Recommended)The Church of St Francis Assisi dates back to the beginning of the 14th century, but has been enlarged and renovated over the centuries. The present interior dates back to the 17th century and the exterior is from the 19th century. Attached to the church is a Franciscan monastery with a splendid atrium, the cloister, which is considered by many as the most beautiful in Slovenia. In the monastery's basement there is a superb collection of paintings by various Venetian artists. |
| The accommodation options in Piran can be divided into five main categories: hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, apartments and hostels. |
 The charming coastal town of Piran is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Slovenia, but being such a small town, there are not many hotels in Piran. Actually, there are only four of them. We've reviewed all of them so take a look and find out which one would best suit your needs, style and budget. |
 Piran guesthouses are definitely a good choice for a place to stay as they are comfortable and wallet-friendly with owners who take an interest in their guests. Some guesthouses also offer a breakfast buffet in the morning that has quite a few choices and is usually very good value for money. Find out which guesthouses in Piran we recommend and why. |
 Bed and breakfasts are a budget-friendly way of staying in Piran. In essence you get a room and usually also a private bathroom in someone's house, with breakfast included in the price. Take a look and find out which bed and breakfasts in Piran we recommend and why. |
 Apartments are a great option in Piran as they are cheaper than a hotel room but more spacious, well-equipped, and with a kitchen to save money on eating out. But be careful, the rates and quality vary seriously, so always do a good research before you book an apartment for your stay! Here you will find the apartments that we think are the best ones in Piran right now. |
 Hostels are the cheapest places to stay in Piran. Most spaces and amenities are shared, but even if you’re not up for the cheapest option - a bed in a dorm room - you can often get a basic private room for significantly less than the cost of a low-end hotel or privately rented room. Competition between Piran hostels has grown over the past five years and there are now some really good hostels in Piran. Find out which are the ones that we recommend and why! |