Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Church and Museum: While you can peek into the church through a grate at the far
end, you'll need to enter through the door on the side (facing town) and buy a ticket for the
churchmuseum.Themodestmuseumcontainstreasuryitems(includinganelaboratelydec-
orated silver-and-gold statue of the church's namesake, St. George, slaying a dragon) and a
little crypt displaying some early foundations of the church building along with archaeolo-
gical finds. Head up the stairs into the church interior, which is serenely decorated in proper
Venetian Renaissance and Baroque style. You'll see several dynamic interpretations of Ge-
orge and his dragon-slaying (including a giant statue left of the nave, and a painting on the
ceiling). But the church's prized possession hides in the presbytery: Stand directly in front
of the altar, close up, and look right. This Piran Crucifixion, dating from the 14th century,
is powerful and emotive. Nailed to a Y-shaped cross, Christ is at once expressionistic (with
gnarled toes, awkwardly disjointed shoulders, and an elongated frame that exaggerates his
agony) and gruesomely medieval. When the crucifix was restored recently, historians found
countless layers of additions and modifications (including 10 layers of paint), suggesting
how its appearance has flexed with the tenor of the times. Now protected in its glass box
from the fickle seaside air, the crucifix is explained in detail by a free brochure available in
the museum.
Bell Tower: The tower (with bells dating from the 15th century) welcomes tourists will-
ing to climb 146 rickety steps for the best view in town and a chance for some bell fun.
Stand inside the biggest bell. Chant, find the resonant frequency, and ring the clapper ever
so softly. Snap a portrait of you, your partner, and the rusty clapper. Brace yourself for for-
tissimo clangs on the quarter-hour.
View Terrace: Even if you don't ascend the tower, head to the grassy terrace behind the
cathedral forsweeping views ofthebaysthat flankPiran. First, lookingovertherooftopsof
Piran, you'll see a long peninsula jutting out. This is the northern edge of Croatia's Istria.
Then, looking in the opposite direction, you'll see a huge port city in the distance:
Trieste, Italy. Until 1920, this metropolis (the main port of the Austro-Hungarian Empire)
had close ties to Slovenia—much of its population spoke Slovene. After it was annexed by
Italy, many Slovenes moved closer to their compatriots in Yugoslavia, but a large Slovene-
speaking minority still lives in the area (mostly in the rural areas surrounding the city).
PonderhowtinySlovenia'scoastlineis—wedgedbetweenItalyandCroatia(twonations
with some of the longest coastlines in all of Europe). For years, Croatia maintained that, in
accordance with the letter of international maritime law, a country with such a short coast-
line should not be allowed to operate a port—and yet, Slovenia does (its busy port town,
Koper, is tucked just behind the peninsula in front of Trieste). Croatia said “the law's the
law!”—but Slovenes, along with many international observers, perceived it as bullying.
After years of wrangling, in 2009, when Croatia needed Slovenia's support to join the EU,
the Slovenes said, “Not so fast...” and vetoed Croatia's EU bid for 10 months. Eventually
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