Introducing The Monastery And Church of St Francis of Assisi In Piran

The Church of St Francis Assisi dates back to the beginning of the 14th century, but has been enlarged and renovated over the centuries. Despite its many changes and renovations over the centuries, traces of the original church can still be seen in the presbytery. 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. The church and monastery were ‘nationalized’ in 1954 and returned to the friars in the 1990s.

Monastery And Church of St Francis Assisi Review

If you walk away from the main Tartini Square in the centre of Piran, up the hill to the right on a street next to the Tartini House, you will come to a small square and the lovely Minorite Monastery and its early-14th-century Church of St. Francis Assisi. There is no admission fee, but they do ask for a small voluntary donation of a couple of Euros or whatever you want to give. The church’s interior is beautiful and there are some interesting things to see inside the church including the frescos on the ceiling, several nice altars, a giant clam shell for donations and the Tartini family’s burial plot.

The attached Minorite Monastery has a wonderful cloister, where many concerts are held during the summer months, and in the basement there is a superb collection of paintings by mostly unknown Venetian artists, which was only opened to the public in 1997.

All in all, a very peaceful place to visit and well worth the effort to find it tucked away in a winding narrow alley and a stop here for half an hour or so. It is not ideal (but possible) for those in wheelchairs, with strollers, or reduced mobility, due stairs and sections of cobblestone.

As with all churches the doors are usually open throughout the day and evening so you can walk in and enjoy the beautiful interior, but the monastery is open daily from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00.

Monastery And Church of St Francis Assisi Pictures

View our image gallery with high-resolution photos that prove you absolutely have to visit the Monastery And Church of St Francis Assisi in Piran!

Exterior of the church and the attached monastery. (Image by Isiwal / CC BY-SA 4.0)

The beautiful interior of the church. (zupnija-piran.si)

There are some interesting things to see inside the church including a giant clam shell for donations (on the bottom right of the photo). (Image by Edward Stojakovic / CC BY 2.0)

Another photo of the beautiful interior of the church.

The ceiling frescoes in the church are very impressive

Another photo of the particularly spectacular ceiling frescoes.

The main altar is very impressive. (Image by Hulbing / CC0)

Another photo of the interior of the church. (Image by Dguendel / CC BY 3.0)

There are many side altars within the church. (Image by Dguendel / CC BY 3.0)

Another of the many side altars in the church. (Image by Dguendel / CC BY 3.0)

The Minorite Monastery with a wonderful cloister.

The monastery’s splendid atrium.

Inside the monastery. (Image by Dguendel / CC BY 3.0)

Piran with the Monastery And Church of St Francis Assisi. (Image by Dguendel / CC BY 3.0)

Monastery And Church of St Francis of Assisi location on the map

Address: Bolniska ulica 30, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
Latitude and Longitude Coordinates: 45.528568, 13.570040
GPS coordinates: 45° 31′ 42.8448” N     13° 34′ 12.144” E
Region: Littoral

All You Need To Know To Visit Piran

PIRAN – the gem of the Adriatic Sea located in Slovenian Istria 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.

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS IN PIRAN AND THE SURROUNDING AREA
TARTINI SQUARE – a wonderful, picturesque and historic square in the heart of Piran 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.
CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE – one of the most important historical monuments on the Slovenian coast 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.
BELL TOWER – after ascending 146 steps, you’ll be able to enjoy the best views in town 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.
PIRAN'S TOWN WALLS – one of Piran's most famous attractions built in various stages from the 7th to early 16th century 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!
PIRAN SHELL AND SNAIL MUSEUM – you will be taken away by the amazing world of shells 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.
SERGEJ MASERA MARITIME MUSEUM – an interesting museum dedicated to the maritime-related history of the north Adriatic 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.
MEDIADOM PYRHANI MUSEUM – a small, well considered and very high tech museum focusing on the history of Piran 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.
MUSEUM OF UNDERWATER ACTIVITIES PIRAN – a lovely small museum with a very interesting collection of old deep-sea diving suits and helmets 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.
PIRAN AQUARIUM – a lovely small aquarium with a good selection of fish and invertebrates living in the northern Adriatic Sea 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.
FIRST OF MAY SQUARE – a pretty little square that used to be the heart of Piran up until the Middle Ages 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.
MONASTERY AND CHURCH OF ST. FRANCIS ASSISI – more than just a church with an accompanying monastery 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.

Places to stay in Piran that we recommend
The accommodation options in Piran can be divided into five main categories: hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, apartments and hostels.
HOTELS IN PIRAN THAT WE RECOMMEND 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.
GUEST HOUSES IN PIRAN THAT WE RECOMMEND 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 IN PIRAN THAT WE RECOMMEND 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 IN PIRAN THAT WE RECOMMEND 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 IN PIRAN THAT WE RECOMMEND 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!