WDEC 2026 at Piran Municipal Cemetery

On 29 May 2026, a special guided tour “Stories of Piran Carved in Stone” took place at the Piran Municipal Cemetery in Piran, Slovenia.

Discovering the Stories of Piran

As part of the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026, the Public Company Okolje Piran, in cooperation with the Italian Community of Piran, organized a guided tour of the Piran Municipal Cemetery, one of the most significant cultural heritage sites in the Slovenian coastal region.

The event was inspired by the publication of the new brochure “Piran Cemetery – A Journey Through Memory, Art and Local Identity”, prepared by historians Kristjan Knez and Marina Paoletić. Their research and dedication to preserving local heritage formed the basis of this activity, which aimed to reveal the cemetery not only as a place of remembrance but also as a unique open-air museum reflecting the history of Piran and its people.

A Journey Through Art, Architecture, and History

During the guided tour, visitors discovered the architectural and artistic value of eight remarkable family tombs belonging to some of the most influential Piran families. Each monument tells a story about the individuals buried there while also reflecting the artistic styles, social status, cultural influences, and values of the period in which it was created.

Among the highlights were the Bartole family tomb, known for its exceptional stone craftsmanship and symbolic motifs, and the Rota family tomb, inspired by ancient sarcophagi and dedicated to historian, musician, and archivist Stefano Rota. Visitors also explored the monumental Zarotti tomb, the elegant symbolism of the Cicogna tomb, and the artistic significance of the Fonda tomb, one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau funerary sculpture in the region.

A special part of the programme focused on the Neo-Gothic Church of Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus, which has stood at the heart of the cemetery for more than 150 years. Participants learned about its history and the recently completed restoration of the church surroundings, including conservation work on the forecourt, stairways, and historic burial sites.

The tour concluded at the de Castro family chapel, whose distinctive architecture contributes to the visual and cultural identity of the cemetery complex.

Preserving Memory and Local Identity

Through this activity, visitors were invited to experience the cemetery as an open-air gallery, where art, architecture, history, and personal stories intertwine. The event highlighted the role of cemeteries as places of cultural memory and sustainable heritage, helping preserve local identity while fostering public appreciation of historical landscapes for future generations.

You can read more about the event HERE.

Photos from the event:

Piran Cemetery (Piran, Slovenia)

A unique cultural landmark that reflects the town’s rich heritage, architectural elegance, and multicultural legacy.

About the cemetery

The old town cemetery was located near the parish church of St. George. Prominent Piran families arranged their tombs inside Piran’s churches. Some records suggest that as early as 1765, the Piran municipal assembly sought to relocate the cemetery outside the city walls, but actual preparations began only in the early 19th century. Based on plans of Pietro Gregoretti, the cemetery was completed in its current location in 1812.

By the 1860s, the cemetery had to be expanded. During this time, the cemetery church of St. Mohor and Fortunat and the entrance hall were built. The project was designed by Piran architect Giuseppe Moso. A memorial plaque indicates that the cemetery was consecrated by the Bishop of Trieste-Koper, Bartolomeo Legat, on September 27, 1862.

To store bones from abandoned and emptied graves, an ossuary (Ossario di Pirano) was built in the 1930s. It served its purpose for 24 years, from 1939 to 1963. Even today, the remains of hundreds of Piran residents are preserved there in wooden boxes, each labeled the deceased's name, surname, and in some cases a photograph. The Piran ossuary is the only example of its kind in Slovenian Istria.

As Piran’s population grew, burial spaces became scarce, leading to multiple cemetery expansions and renovations. In the 1960s, the cemetery gained its first mortuary chapels, designed by architect Edo Mihevc. Previously, the deceased were kept at home or in hospitals before burial. During the same period, the children’s section of the cemetery was expanded.

Further expansions followed over time. Unique features of the cemetery include a concrete tomb modeled after a similar structure in Trieste, as well as a commemorative monument for those whose ashes were scattered in the sea.

Today, the cemetery represents a significant cultural and artistic heritage site, showcasing a rich collection of historical tombstones, architectural details, and artistic elements that reflect the centuries-long history of Piran.

Important architectural and landscape design elements

The Piran Cemetery boasts rich architectural and artistic heritage. Key features include:

• the Entrance hall (Giuseppe Moso, 1860)
• the Chapel of St. Mohor and Fortunat
• the De Castro family tomb
• numerous obelisks and artistically designed tomb sculptures
• the historic ossuary, the only one in Slovenian Istria

The cemetery was designed following the Trieste model and influenced by Italian cemetery architecture, with a grand entrance and a central chapel. A notable feature is its terraced layout, enclosed by a fence, typical of the Tuscan style. The strong historical ties between Trieste and the Istrian Peninsula are reflected in the artistic influences and the presence of artists who lived and worked in both regions.

Like other Istrian cemeteries, Piran’s cemetery is distinguished by tall, pyramid-shaped cypress trees (Cupressus sempervirens), which line its pathways, visually dominating the space and enhancing the landscape design.

Historic significance of the cemetery

The Piran Cemetery is a significant historical testament to the city's multicultural past and the political changes that shaped its development. Over the centuries, Piran was governed by various regimes, each leaving its mark on the city and its cemetery, reflecting Istrian-Venetian, Austro-Hungarian, French, Italian, and Croatian influences. Due to Piran’s multicultural history, gravestones bear inscriptions in multiple languages, reflecting the diverse regimes and cultures that coexisted in the region.

The cemetery is also the final resting place of notable figures, including:

• Enrico Fonda (Italian painter)
• Antonio Sema (Italian historian and writer)
• František Čap (director, screenwriter, editor)
• Herman Pečarič (Slovenian painter)
• Zdravko Slamnik (writer, aka Pavle Zidar)
• Viktor Birsa (Slovenian painter)
• Diego de Castro (Italian historian and writer)
• Janez Lenassi (Slovenian sculptor)
• Zvest Apollonio (Slovenian painter)
• Rita Pierobon (Italian opera singer)
• Ulay – Frank Uwe Laysiepen (German artist)
• Vinci Vogue Anžlovar (Slovenian director, screenwriter, composer, editor, and actor).

Cemetery address

Fiesa 1,
6330 Piran,
Slovenia

Contacts

Javno podjetje OKOLJE Piran d.o.o.
Arze 1b, 6330 Piran, Slovenia
+386 5 617 50 00
info@okoljepiran.si

Basic data

Date of first burial: June 1st 1812
Cemetery area: 2ha
Approximate number of graves: 3700
Approximate number of yearly burials: 140