Venetian House

Piran


One of Piran’s most eye-catching structures is the mid-15th-century Gothic Venetian House, with its tracery windows and balcony, in the northeast of Tartinijev trg.

There is a story attached to the stone relief between the two windows – a lion with a banner in its mouth and the Latin inscription Lasa pur dir above it. A wealthy merchant from Venice fell in love with a beautiful local girl, but she soon became the subject of local gossips. To shut them up (and keep his lover happy), the merchant built her this little palace complete with a reminder for his loose-lipped neighbours: ‘Let them talk'.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Piran attractions

1. Statue of Giuseppe Tartini

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The statue of the nattily dressed gentleman in the centre of Tartinijev trg is that of native son, composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini (1692–1770).

2. Municipal Hall

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The porticoed 19th-century Municipal Hall (home to the tourist information centre) dominates the northwestern edge of Tartinijev trg.

3. Bell Tower

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The Cathedral of St George's free-standing, 46.5m bell tower, built in 1609, was clearly modelled on the campanile of San Marco in Venice and provides a…

4. Tartini House

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Tartini House was the birthplace of composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini. Today it's the base of Piran's Italian community and is used for cultural…

5. Tartinijev Trg

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The pastel-toned Tartinijev trg is a marble-paved square (oval, really) that was the inner harbour until it was filled in 1894. The statue of a nattily…

6. Church of St Peter

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To the east of Tartinijev trg is the 1818 Church of St Peter. As with most Piran churches, the richly adorned interior is visible through the grille.

7. Parish Museum of St George

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The Parish Museum of St George includes the Cathedral of St George's treasury and catacombs; it also allows you to access the church's interior. Items of…

8. Cathedral of St George

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A cobbled street leads from behind the red Venetian House Tartinijev trg on to Piran's hilltop cathedral, baptistery and bell tower. The cathedral was…