Trg 1 Maja

Piran


Trg 1 Maja may sound like a socialist parade ground, but it was the centre of Piran until the Middle Ages, when it was called Stari trg (Old Square). The surrounding streets are a maze of pastel-coloured overhanging houses, vaulted passages and arcaded courtyards.

The square is surrounded by interesting baroque buildings, including the former town pharmacy on the north side (now the Fontana restaurant). In the centre of the square is a large baroque cistern (vodnjak) that was built in the late 18th century to store fresh water; rainwater from the surrounding roofs flowed into it through the fish borne by the stone putti cherubs in two corners.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Piran attractions

1. Municipal Hall

0.11 MILES

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

2. Court House

0.12 MILES

The Court House dominates the western edge of Tartinijev trg.

3. Parish Museum of St George

0.12 MILES

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…

4. Cathedral of St George

0.12 MILES

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…

5. Aquarium Piran

0.12 MILES

The aquarium gets mixed reviews: overall it's small and overpriced, but may be something for a rainy day.

6. Statue of Giuseppe Tartini

0.13 MILES

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).

7. Venetian House

0.13 MILES

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…

8. Church of St Clement

0.13 MILES

Just behind Punta lighthouse, the round, serrated tower of the Church of St Clement (originally built in the 13th century but altered 500 years later)…