St. Francis Church is situated next to the Franciscan monastery. In front of it there is a small square, formerly used as a cemetery. The construction of the church and the monastery reaches back to the year 1301. Despite many restorations, traces of the period in which the church was built can still be seen in the presbytery.
The present interior dates from the 17th century and the exterior from the 19th century. The left corner of the church is decorated in the Lombard style. The baldachin in front of the central altar dates from the 16th century. It was removed in the 18th century and restored to its original dwelling in the 19th century.
Next to St. Francis Church is a Franciscan monastery with a gracefully designed atrium, the Cloister, which represents one of the best Cloister atrium designs in the coastal area. Leading to the Cloister there is a half-arched portal adorned with richly carved columns, bearing an architrave with an inscription and coats of arms.
In its entirety as well as its detail, the portal is considered to be the best example of stone carving art from the end of the 17th century in Piran. Due to its beautiful atmosphere and good acoustics, the Cloister has for many decades been the setting for the Musical Evenings of Piran.
From the outside St Francis Church looks a bit crowded out by the other buildings…
but what a treasure that you found inside… wonderful presentation Cherie….peter:)
Our tour guide made a point of taking us to this church. It is a hidden gem
How those buildings are packed in, but it feels more spacious inside
The inside was lovely and peaceful and the cloister was quite unexpected.
You visit the places we like to see when we’re out-n-about, Cherry. Great minds work together.
You would be short for eyes in Piran
This is beautiful. Not the most attractive from the outside but that just hides the gems inside. I especially like the courtyard.
It is beautiful I thoroughly recommend a visit
What a gorgeous church. I love the natural light inside and the lovely courtyard too.
It was all a lovely surprise
When I look at these pictures I always am in awe. There is so much to see and the peace and quiet is striking. You and we are so lucky to be able to travel and see all the beauty. Wonderful.
It was a privilege to visit the area and have such a wonderful tour guide to show us around
i can imagine this place thanks to your wonderful series of images, Cherie.
I know you would enjoy a visit there
You gotta love this dinky little cloister.
It has a lovely calm atmosphere.