31 July 2019 Koper

This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our cruise in 2019. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).

Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.

Viking Daily weather forecast 87°F and sunny.

MT ‎Wednesday, ‎July ‎31, ‎2019, 5:18 AM – Koper: sunrise over the Adriatic, from our balcony.

We got up before 6 am and at 7 am went to buffet breakfast at World Café at the aft end of Deck 7, actually eating it outside on the Aquavit Terrace at the very aft end of Deck 7.While there, we also made the reservation for our special anniversary dinner in Manfredi’s restaurant at 6 pm Aug 3.

7:26 AM – Koper: MT eating breakfast on Aquavit Terrace of  Viking Star, already docked at Koper (she was in the process of stealing half of Don’s toast).

7:27 AM – Koper: MT eating breakfast on Aquavit Terrace of  Viking Star, with Koper in background.

MT ‎7:14 AM – Koper: Don and MT eating breakfast on Aquavit Terrace of  Viking Star, with Koper in background.

7:32 AM – Koper: view of Koper, with church tower, from Aquavit Terrace of Viking Star.

MT ‎7:13 AM – Koper: view of Koper from Aquavit Terrace of Viking Star.

At 8:45, we met our tour guide for the (included) Old Koper Walking Tour. For this and other shore excursions, we each had a QuietVox (QV) audio device (charged up every night in our room) paired with the guide’s microphone.

Koper (in Slovene, Italian: Capodistria, Croatian: Kopar) is the fifth largest city (pop. 25,319) in Slovenia. Located in the Slovenian Istria region in southwestern part of the country, approx. 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the Italian border and 20 km (12 mi) from Trieste, it is the largest coastal city of the nearly landlocked Slovenia, only one percent of whose border is a coastline. The city is officially bilingual (Slovene and Italian). Koper developed from an ancient settlement built on a rocky island in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea. In 1825, the island was connected to the mainland by a causeway. However, the reduction of the saltpans, which were entirely abandoned in 1912, changed the layout of the city, which began to lose its island character. Land reclamation, by draining the deserted saltpans, extended the seashore to include the former island.

In Roman times, it was known by Latin names Capris, Caprea, Capre, or Caprista, from which the modern Slovenian name Koper stems. Under Venetian rule, starting in 1278, Koper grew to become the capital of Istria and was renamed Caput Histriae (Latin for Head of Istria), from which stemmed its ancient Italian name Capo d’Istria and then its modern Italian name, Capodistria.

Slovenian Istria is a region in the southwest of Slovenia that comprises the northern part of the Istrian peninsula. The peninsula is now shared by three countries: Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. The peninsula was known to the Romans as terra magica. The name Istria is derived from the Histri tribe, described as pirates, who lived in the region and were subdued by Roman legions in 177 BC. With the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, Istria was ruled in turn by the Goths, Byzantines, Lombards, and Avars. It came under Frankish rule in 789, during the reign of Charlemagne. In 952, King Otto I of Germany ceded Istria to the Dukes of Bavaria, It changed hands a few more times until the Republic of Venice gradually annexed it, starting in 1267. In 1805-1813, during the time of Napoleon, it was under French rule and then became part of the Austrian Empire. After WWI, Istria became part of Italy in 1920, and after WWII became part of the People’s Republic of Slovenia within Yugoslavia. Slovenia became independent in 1991.

Viking map of Koper; key: 1 = Port. 2 = Tito Square. 3 = Praetorian Palace. 4 = Loggia. 5 = Cathedral of the assumption. 6 = St. Justina’s Column. 7 = Carpaccio Square. 8 = Taverna. 9 = Muda Gate. 10 = Da Ponte Fountain. 11 = Cobbler’s Street. 12 = Brolo Square [we didn’t go there].

9:06 AM – Koper: old St. Mark’s salt storehouse (rebuilt several times and now repurposed) near port.

St. Mark’s salt storehouse was probably built in the early 17th century. It was used to store salt from the nearby Koper salt pans. Koper was given the monopoly on continental salt import thanks to its devotion to Venice during its eternal conflicts with Istrian towns. After the saltpan activity started to decline in the early 20th century and large salt storehouses became unnecessary, it was reshaped into a tavern. It is known today as the Taverna (Tavern) and is the venue for numerous events.

Saltmaking is one of the oldest economic activities on the northeastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, and salt trade was once an important branch of commerce in the territory of present-day Slovenia. This trade had a decisive role in the development of Koper.

Natural salt pans (or salt flats) are flat expanses of ground covered with salt and other minerals. They are natural formations, unlike salt evaporation ponds, which are artificial. Where water cannot drain into the ground or run off, it remains on the surface until it evaporates, leaving behind minerals precipitated from the salt ions dissolved in the water. Over thousands of years, the minerals (usually salts) accumulate on the surface and are a source of mining activities.

9:06 AM – Koper: old St. Mark’s salt storehouse, with carousel and pillar with statue in small Carpaccio Square.

9:07 AM – Koper: statue on pillar in small Carpaccio Square (telephoto 119 mm).

Carpaccio Square, located behind the St. Mark’s salt storehouse, is decorated by the Column of St. Justina, from 1572, with the Koper coat of arms. The column marks the victory of Venice in the Battle of Lepanto, in which a galley from Koper took part.

(Our guide said the statue commemorated the Battle of Lepanto, where Christian forces defeated the Ottomans. Both sides fought the battle with soldiers aboard ships. This statue is for the galleon Koper provided. The Ottoman navy never recovered.)

The Battle of Lepanto in 1571 was part of the Fourth Ottoman-Venetian War, Ottoman-Habsburg wars. It was a naval engagement in which a fleet of the Holy League, led by the Spanish Empire (including the Habsburg monarchy) and the Venetian Republic, inflicted a major defeat on the fleet of the Ottoman Empire in the Gulf of Patras, a branch of the Ionian Sea in western Greece. Although it involved more than 400 warships, the battle was in essence an “infantry battle on floating platforms.” It was the turning point of Ottoman military expansion into the Mediterranean.

9:07 AM – Koper: our tour group (including MT near the tour guide), with carousel and pillar with statue in small square, with Carpaccio House in background.

9:13 AM – Koper: house with jumbled banner for “Hiša Carpaccio House Casa” on Carpaccio Square.

Also on Carpaccio Square, at number 6, is a 14th-century Venetian-Gothic two-story house known as the Carpaccio House. Although it was traditionally said to be the birthplace of the famous Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio, it is more probable that only his son actually lived there in the mid-16th century. This beautiful example of Gothic architecture with gothic windows on its second floor owes its present appearance to restorations in 1935 and 1955.

9:14 AM – Koper: other side of St. Mark’s salt storehouse, with Viking tour group (see QV devices) and other tourists.

Next, our guide took us to what we thought was the Muda Gate but was actually what a nearby sign called an “auxiliary gate” in a surviving section of the old city wall, next to the much larger Muda Gate.

9:25 AM – Koper: auxiliary gate in city wall next to Muda Gate, from outside.

9:25 AM – Koper: auxiliary gate in city wall next to Muda Gate, from outside, with more of our tour group; MT at far right near tour guide holding up red “paddle” or “lollipop” for “Viking Star [tour group] 11.”

9:26 AM – Koper: sign, near Muda Gate, with text in Slovene, Italian, English, and German.

9:26 AM – Koper: English text of sign by Muda Gate, which [edited per Italian and German] reads:

“A walled island town

The small island off the north coast of Istria, described by the Renaissance geographer Pietro Coppo as lying three bow shots from land, was first settled in Roman times, if not earlier. In the Early Middle Ages, the settlement was presumably on the central part of the island and surrounded by the inner Koper walls. The settlement eventually grew into the hub [Italian/German: principal/leading city] of Istria, spreading across the entire island. The centre of the densely built-up, Medieval Koper was Platea Comunis Square (now Tito Square). The town was surrounded by the outer Koper walls and connected to the mainland [only] by a bridge and an embankment [Italian/German: bridge and breakwater/adjacent wall], protected by the Lion Castle fort. Koper had its ups and downs under German feudal lords (11th and 12th century), during its time as an autonomous commune (1186-1279), during the 500-year Venetian rule (1279-1797), under Napoleon (1805-1813), as part of Austria-Hungary (1797-1805 and 1813-1918), in periods of Italian (1918-1945) and Yugoslav rule (1954-1991) and, finally, in Slovenia. Koper remained an island until the 20th century, when it was merged with the mainland. The town soon outgrew its old boundaries, but the ancient [thousand-year-old] heritage has been preserved in the old centre.

The Muda city gate

B[u]ilt before the Venetians conquered the town in 1279, the outer Koper walls surrounded the island until the 19th century. After countless repairs and modifications, the walls finally surrendered to the pressure of the growing town. Of the twelve city gates mentioned by the humanist Marino Sanudo in his 1483 writings, only the Muda gate survives today. The gate as we know it today was built in 1516, replacing an older gate [German: that was rebuilt]. It is clear from its monumental Renaissance form that the gate was a symbol of the town as well as a [German: daily] control point and toll gate (muda = toll), while its defensive role was less important. For centuries, the Muda gate was the only entrance to the town that was accessible via a road across the salt pans and the sea, so [for centuries] it witnessed a daily hubbub of farmers, artisans and merchants bringing in their goods [through the gate]. Next to the Muda [city] gate, a small section of the wall with an auxiliary gate has been preserved. [German: You are heartily invited to] Come and explore it.”

9:26 AM (CROPPED) – Koper: pictures at top left of sign with captions in Slovene, Italian, English, and German; English text [edited per Italian and German] reads:

“1. 18th century view of Koper [top left]

“2. Aerial view of the modern-day Koper (bottom left]

“3. 1769 plan of the Lion Castle, bridge and the Muda city gate [top right]

“4. The Muda city gate on a 1907 postcard [bottom right].”

9:26 AM (CROPPED) – Koper: picture at top left of “18th century view of Koper” showing it as an island connected to the mainland by a bridge leading to the Muda Gate.

9:26 AM (CROPPED) – Koper: map at top right is of “Koper – Capodistria … Old town center,” with a green indicator at the bottom center of the map for “You are here, Where to next.”

9:26 AM – Koper: auxiliary gate in city wall next to Muda Gate, from outside, with our tour group resting in shade; lady at far right is reading the sign in Don’s previous photo, which was on the side of the actual Muda gate.

9:28 AM – Koper: auxiliary gate in city wall next to outside of Muda Gate, with sign on wall at far right.

MT ‎9:21 AM – Koper: Don and outside of auxiliary gate, with Prešern Square in background past the gate.

The Muda Gate (Slovene: Vrata Muda; Italian: Porta della Muda) is located at the south end of Prešern Square. Erected in 1516, it is the last of a dozen such entrances to remain standing. The This was once the main gate of the old city wall, and visitors had to pay a toll to enter (muda = toll). It was built in Renaissance style, modeled after an ancient triumphal arch, but with many Venetian influences. It has numerous heraldic decorations, the most prominent of which two reliefs of the city’s coat of arms (the face of a youth in a sunburst) on the inner arches. On its sides are carved reliefs representing the history of the city. Most of the town walls and gates gradually disappeared in the 18th century, making way for houses.

Koper: Muda Gate (at right), with smaller auxiliary gate in section of old city wall to its left; tower of Cathedral in background (By Earnest B - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16078498).

9:28 AM – Koper: our tour group, including MT, going through long passage of Muda Gate, toward the Prešern Square beyond.

9:29 AM – Koper: view, from Prešern Square, of inner side of auxiliary gate next to Muda Gate.

‎Koper: view, from Prešern Square, of inner side of Muda Gate and auxiliary gate next to it (By David Bolton from UK - Streets of Koper, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32258772).

‎Koper: view, from Prešern Square, of Church of St. Basso (left) near inner side of Muda Gate and auxiliary gate next to it (By János Korom Dr. from Wien, Austria - Koper (83)Uploaded by sporti, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27196901).

9:29 AM – Koper: sign for “Cerkev Sv. Bassa – Chiesa de San Basso” beside door of church.

9:30 AM – Koper: Church of St. Bassus - facade.

The Church of St. Bassus (Slovene: cerkev svetega Basa; Italian: chiesa de San Basso) is located in Prešern Square. It has the function of a chapel of the Parish of Koper-Assumption of Mary (the cathedral parish). The building, which dates from the end of the 16th century, at first served as a hospital dedicated to St. Nazarius and was consecrated as a church in 1706. It was significantly rebuilt in 1731.

St. Bassus of Lucera (ca. 40/50-1118 AD) was a Christian martyr and traditionally the first bishop of Lucera in Apulia, Italy.

The Prešernov trg (Prešern Square (also spelled Prešeren), formerly known as Muda Square, is located about 500 m south of the more famous Tito Square. In the past, it was also called Piazza Da Ponte, after the fountain it contains. This square, lined with colorful buildings, definitely looks Italian.

9:31 AM – Koper: Bronze plaque in pavement of Prešern Square showing the town as an island: Inscription at top “Načrt Kopra Giacoma Fina yz Let 1619 – Pianta di Capodistria di Giacomo Fino del 1619” (Plan of Koper by Giacomo Fino from 1619) and at bottom “Obnova Trga -Restauro delle Piazza 1994” (Restoration of the Square 1994).

9:31 AM – Koper: another angle of Bronze plaque in pavement of Prešern Square more clearly showing the town as an island: Inscription at top “Načrt Kopra Giacoma Fina yz Let 1619 – Pianta di Capodistria di Giacomo Fino del 1619” (Plan of Koper by Giacomo Fino from 1619) and at bottom “Obnova Trga -Restauro delle Piazza 1994” (Restoration of the Square 1994).

The drawing on which this is based, dated “Agosto MDCXIX” (August 1619) by “Giacomo Fino” can be seen at http://www.histriaweb.eu/oldsite/photogallery/Copia%20di%20senato%20mar%20fz%20%20223%20ds%201%20%20maglietta.jpg.

We continued across Prešern Square to the Fontana Da Ponte.

9:31 AM – Koper: looking north across Prešern Square to Fontana Da Ponte (telephoto 83 mm).

9:30 AM – Koper: Fontana Da Ponte (telephoto 83 mm).

On the north side of the Prešern Square is the Da Ponte Fountain (Slovene: Da Pontejev vodnjak; Italian: Fontana Da Ponte), which looks like a miniature version of Venice’s Rialto Bridge. This fountain dates back to the 15th century, but its current Baroque appearance is from the 17th century (1666). [The 15th-century date is questionable, since the stone bridge in Venice would not have existed then.]

Koper: Da Ponte Fountain - south side (By MrPanyGoff - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59507989).

An underwater aqueduct, ending in this square, connected the island of Koper to the mainland as early as the end of the 14th century, piping water through wooden underwater tubes from a spring 2 miles away. By the 16th century, Koper’s 10,000 inhabitants were facing a water shortage. The current fountain, rebuilt by Lorenzo Da Ponte, dates from 1666, replacing an older one on the same site. Its superstructure is in the shape of a bridge, surmounting an octagonal water basin. Above the basin rises the arch of the bridge with a balustrade decorated on its south side by three coats of arms, one of which is of the Da Ponte family. The bridge was further decorated with four pyramids, each with a sphere on top. At the bottom of the bridge are four mascheroni (masks), two below each end of the arch, that until 1898 spouted potable water from metal pipes at their mouths to flow into the basin below. The basin is surrounded by 15 pilasters, each bearing the coat of arms of local noble families who had contributed funds to the fountain. In addition to the crests, these pillars were decorated with spheres, fruit baskets, and pinecones placed on their tops. The purpose of the pilasters was to block access to animals. In 1990, the square was repaved, and the fountain was extensively restored and renovated.

(Our guide said this was over the old main water supply.)

Koper: Da Ponte Fountain - north side, with view of Muda Gate at south end of square (By antonio from Trieste, Italy - #6 KOPER X70 3-11-2017, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64675763).

Vienna: Rialto Bridge (By Enri82ve - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3301408).

The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto) is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, built from 1588 to 1591. It was preceded by a pontoon bridge in 1181 that was replaced in 1255 by a wooden bridge that collapsed in 1524. The idea of rebuilding the bridge in stone had first been proposed in 1503. However, it was not until 1551 that authorities requested proposals for a new bridge. Plans were offered by several famous architects but their Classical designs with several arches were rejected as being inappropriate to the situation. The design finally selected for the current bridge is similar to the wooden bridge it succeeded. The stone arch bridge is 8.90 m (29.2 ft) wide, 7.32 m (24.0 ft) high, and the longest span is 31.80 m (104.3 ft).

Although the bridge on the fountain is most commonly said to resemble the Rialto Bridge, a local source (istria-culture.com) says its appearance recalls the Ponte delle Guglie in Venice.

Vienna: Ponte delle Guglie (By Didier Descouens - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40155526).

The Ponte delle Guglie (Bridge of the Spires) is one of two bridges that span the Cannaregio Canal in Venice. In 1580, the current stone and brick bridge replaced an earlier wooden bridge built in 1285. It was restored in 1641 and 1677, and was totally rebuilt in 1823, at which time spires were added (two at each end of the bridge). A carved balustrade runs on either side of the pedestrian walkway.

9:37 AM – Koper: Fontana Da Ponte – south side, showing coats of arms on pillars.

9:38 AM – Koper: Fontana Da Ponte – Latin inscription on fountain basin that begins “Lavrentivs a Ponte” (apparently the Latin version of Lorenzo Da Ponte, the designer of the fountain) [the rest is hard to read] (mild telephoto 72 mm).

9:41 AM – Koper: entrance of building at No. 39; flags of Italy, European Union, and [Slovenia] in inner courtyard, sign to left of door identifying this as “Palača Carli – Palazzo Carli” and sign to right, in Italian and Slovene) for several offices, including Office of the Deputy of the Department of State of the Republic of Slovenia and Office of the Italian Union of Capodistria/Koper.

The Carli Mansion (Slovene: Palača Carli ; Italian: Palazzo Carli), on Župančičeva ulice (street) is named after the family of the historian and encyclopedist Gian Rinaldo Carli, who was born in it in 1720. It is one of the most important examples of Baroque architecture in Koper, although some Gothic features are visible in its irregular layout. Its façade and the interior layout are typically Baroque, although less lavishly decorated than others of the time. As with many other buildings in Koper, the façade has a semicircular portal on its ground floor with the relief of a man’s head at its top. Above the portal is a balcony with balustrade in the piano nobile (noble floor, the main floor of a large house with the principal reception and bedrooms), decorated with a three-mullioned lancet window. In its inner court, decorated with frescoes, is a Gothic fountain from 1418. The palace was originally the property of the St. Clement Order; it was restored during the Baroque period (17th century) into its present form.

Still on Župančičeva ulice, our guide took us into the Piranske Soline store to taste bread dipped in olive oil and salt, then some chocolate.

9:47 AM – Koper: Window of Piranske Soline store, with bags of salt and chocolate bars.

Piranske Soline (Piran Salt Pans), at Župančičeva ulice 39, is one of several stores in Slovenia selling the products of Soline Pridelava soli d.o.o. (Salt Production Co, Ltd), which is protecting and preserving the natural and cultural heritage within Sečovlije Salina Natural Park.

Although the land of the former salt pans around Koper has been reclaimed to expand the city, the salt pans of nearby Piran are still in use. Salt from the Piran salt pans is produced according to a traditional method that is almost 700 years old and only with traditional tools. The basic process is the natural thickening crystallization of seawater, in which the salt is collected on a layer of biosediment, called petola, a few millimeters thick. Workers use traditional wooden scrapers to collect the salt into piles on a natural slope, where it drains. They are picked up by hand, loaded onto wagons, and stored.

Piran salt, with a protected designation of origin, is non-milled, unrefined and of extraordinary taste. The Piran Salt Shop also sells Temna Čokolada s Solnim Cvetom (dark chocolate with salt blossom).

Solni cvet (salt flower/blossom) is the most valuable crop of the Piran salt pans. Its tiny pyramid crystals of white or pink color are formed only in the wind, since they are disturbed by the smallest wave. When it is time to pick up a salt flower, in a thin layer on the surface of the salt fields, the workers gently pick them up with specially adapted mesh that is wrapped in a wooden frame. Because the salt blossoms of the Piran Salt Pans are characterized by a high degree of minerals and a particularly pronounced taste and aroma, culinary experts acknowledge that it exceeds the quality of the leading varieties of “la fleur de sel” in the world.

MT ‎9:49 AM – Koper: Piranske Soline store – bowl of sea salt.

9:49 AM – Koper: Piranske Soline store - our guide pointing to old photo with small caption (in Slovene and Italian) that translates “Panorama of Koper salt pan from second half of 19th century”; old town of Koper with Cathedral bell tower in background.

From there, we turned right (northeast) on Čevljarska ulica (Cobblers’ Street) toward Tito Square.

9:47 AM – Koper: Window of Piranske Soline store (right), with steps up into Čevljarska ulica around corner from small triangular square.

The Cobbler’s or Shoemaker’s Street (Slovene: Čevljarska ulica, Italian: Via Calegaria) took its name from the fact that, for several centuries, many cobblers and shoemakers had shops on this street. Today, only one shoemaker’s shop remains in Koper, but it is on that street. Probably the prettiest street in Koper, it preserves a happy ensemble of two- and three-story shuttered tenements, shops, cafes, and galleries. The narrow, pedestrianized street leads from a small square with the Baroque Carli Palace (and the Piranske Soline store) northward to the Tito Square, entering that square through the portico under the Praetorian Palace on the south side of the square.

9:50 AM – Koper: continuing up narrow Čevljarska ulica (MT at bottom left).

9:51 AM – Koper: Čevljarska ulica, leading to Cathedral.

We continued up Čevljarska ulica until it led to the portico of the Praetorian Palace.

Koper: south side of portico of Praetorian Palace, leading from Čevljarska ulica into Tito Square with Cathedral (By Ced007 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24800510).

Koper: view back to south through portico of Praetorian Palace, into Čevljarska ulica (By János Korom Dr. from Wien, Austria - Koper (49)Uploaded by sporti, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27196860).

The center of the old city is Tito Square (Slovene: Titov trg), named after the former despot of Yugoslavia. The construction of this square started in the 13th century and continued until the middle of the 17th century. It is an austere piazza surrounded by the Praetorian Palace, Loggia, Cathedral of the Assumption, Campanile, Foresteria (a “hotel” for distinguished guests from Venice), and Armeria (the former municipal armory). The sharp Gothic arches of the buildings around the square give it an impressive appearance.

9:57 AM – Koper: Praetorian Palace, main (north) facade.

The 15th-century Praetorian Palace (Slovene: Pretorska palača; Italian Palazzo Pretorio) is located on the south side of Tito Square. It was built from two older, 13th-century houses that were connected by a loggia.*The current palace, with its crenellated façade and elegant loggia, stands as evidence of the city’s once great power. Originally a Romanesque building, the palace was rebuilt many times, and then finished as a Venetian Gothic palace. The palace consists of two main wings and may remind one of the Palazzo Ducale in Venice. With its external staircase, two towers, a crenellated roofline, and crests on the façade, it is the most important profane architectural structure in Koper.

An earlier municipal hall existed at the same site by 1254, before the square itself (then called Platei Comunis) was established around 1268. Alter that original building was destroyed during a major revolt in 1348, work on a new building began, but the incomplete building was again destroyed by a Genoese raid in 1380, The current structure dates from the mid-15th century, having been begun in 1452-53.

The left wing and the portico leading from the square to the Čevljarska ulica were the first to be completed, while the right wing dates from the 1480s. In 1505, the Porto del Corte was added; this Renaissance gateway supports a small terrace and connected the Praetorian Palace with the Foresteria. The external staircase facing Tito Square was completed in 1447. In 1481, peaked Gothic windows were replaced with semicircular Renaissance ones. (except in the left wing and the upper floor of the right wing) The balustrade over the portico was not completed until the beginning of the 16th century. The center of the crenellated roof of the facade features a statue of Justice. Just below that statue is a relief of the winged Lion of Venice. The palace was a potent symbol of the power of the Venetian Republic, which then ruled over Koper, and was the seat of the mayor, who was appointed by the Venetian Doge. The main façade took its present shape in 1664, when a thorough renovation added Baroque elements and the crenellated roofline and rearranged the numerous plaques and coats of arms set into it.

Koper: Praetorian Palace – top of center section with statue of Justice and relief of Lion of Venice (By Verity Cridland - Koper Palace (2), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61397949).

The fall of the Venetian Republic to Napoleon in 1797 caused the palace to lose much of its importance, since the government bodies that had met in it were now defunct. During Austrian rule, all governmental functions were moved to the nearby Armeria (armory). The palace continued to gradually decay until it was rehabilitated in 1968-69 and a restaurant was opened on the ground floor. After a more thorough renovation between 1991 and 2001, the palace was restored to its historic role as city hall. The palace now houses the offices of the Koper city mayor and municipal council, as well as the local university, a pharmacy, and a wedding hall.

* A loggia is an architectural feature that is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, or sometimes ground level. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns or arches. Loggias can be located wither on the front or side of a building and are not meant for entrance but as an outdoor sitting room.

9:57 AM – Koper: Praetorian Palace, main (north) facade.

10:35 AM – Koper: Cathedral main (west) façade and bell tower.

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Slovene: Stolna cerkev Marijinega vnebovzetja), also known simply as Cathedral of the Assumption or Koper Cathedral, is located on the east side of Tito Square. It was built in the second half of the 12th century in Romanesque style, with three naves, each ending with an apse. It sits on the east side of Tito Square, on the site of an ancient Roman basilica. It is the largest cathedral in Slovenia. Until 1392, the church underwent changes and additions, which also led to a change in style; the western façade is clearly Gothic. After an earthquake in 1460, the façade was redesigned in 1488, adding Renaissance elements. In the early 18th century, when Koper was under Venetian influence, the interior architecture was again transformed in the Baroque style. The exterior is an odd amalgam of a Gothic lower story and Lombardy-style upper story (completed a century later than the lower part).

The bell tower (Slovene: Mestni stolp), 43 m tall with four stories, follows the style of an Italian bell tower, and it has one of the oldest bells in Slovenia (from 1333). It once doubled as a watchtower, with excellent views of the town, coast, and hinterlands.

10:35 AM – Koper: sign about “The Bell Tower (the Town Tower) and the Oldest Functioning Bell in Slovenia (1333)” with text in Slovene, Italian, and English; English text [edited per Italian] reads:

“The town tower, whose original structure exhibits all characteristics of fortified Romanesque architecture, was purportedly built as early as in the 12th c [but cannot be dated certainly].

“Certainly, it was reconstructed between 1418 and 1480. As early as during the period of the Patriarchate of Aquileia*, it was used as a fortified defence point, and preserved such a function also in the initial Venetian period. On its southern side, the arcaded bridge [bridge with arch] connected it with the Vidame Palace [Italian: palazzo dei vicedomini (palace of the vice-consul)**], which overlooked the passage between the main square and Brolo [Square].

“The quadruple openings on the fourth [fl]oor most probably date from the 17th c.[, j]ust like the pyramid spire on the [its] polygonal base modeled upon the Aquileian style of belfry. The large clock [placed halfway up the bell tower] was most likely made in 1463. The entrance door was reached via stone steps from which the municipal herald summoned the townspeople to announce [the] podesta’s [mayor’s] proclamations. Dating from 1333, the big bell is the masterpiece of the master Jacob’s [Italian: Giacomo] foundry; at the end of the 15th c., it was referred to by the historian Marin Sanudo. Throughout the centuries, the tower bells determined the rhythm of the town life, calling people to mass, work or rest as well as announcing death, fires, storms, diseases, fog and threats of war. Entirely renovated a few years ago, the tower offers a beautiful view of the town and its environs. Its height makes it an excellent signpost marking the town center.”

The English part of the caption under the photo (also in three languages) reads: “The Cathedral of Mary’s Assumption and St. Nazarius with the city Tower, today the Bell Tower.”

Callouts within the photo show the height of the top of the spire as “54 m” and of the platform at the base of the octagonal top section as “43 m”; the English part of the callout above the ball at the left (in three languages) reads: “The oldest functioning bell in Slovenia from 1333.”

* The Patriarchate of Aquileia was an episcopal see in northeastern Italy, centered on the ancient city of Aquileia at the head of the Adriatic Sea. In the 4th century, the city was the chief ecclesiastical center for a region that included Venice and Istria. In 553, the bishops of northern Italy, including those of Venice and Istria, broke off communion with Rome, and the bishop of Aquileia assumed the title of Patriarch. In 698-99, Old-Aquileia reconciled with Rome, and the Pope granted the pallium to the Patriarch in 723. In the 14th century, the Patriarchate had to face the increasing power of the Republic of Venice. In the 15th century, it suffered a series of inner strifes that in 1411 turned into a war that marked the end of the Patriarchate by 1420. After 1445, only Venetians were allowed to hold the title of Patriarch of Aquileia. However, the Venetian claim to the nomination of the Patriarch had met with an Austrian counter-claim since the 15th century, when Austrian dioceses were included within the jurisdiction of the patriarchate. Finally, in 1751, the Pope suppressed the patriarchate into two archdioceses, one for Venetian territory and one for the Austrian. All that remained of the ancient patriarchate was the parish church of Aquileia, built in Romanesque-Gothic style.

** Vidame was a feudal title in France. The French term derived from the medieval Latin vicedominus. The vidame was originally a secular official chosen by the bishop of a diocese—with the consent of the court—to perform functions on behalf of the church’s earthly interests that are not appropriate for religious officials. However, the vicedominus was at the outset an ecclesiastical official who acted as the bishop’s lieutenant or vicar.

10:13 AM – Koper: Cathedral – view from rear of central nave to main altar in apse (MT in aisle in foreground).

10:14 AM – Koper: Cathedral – main altar in apse.

10:15 AM – Koper: Cathedral – pulpit on left side of central nave.

On the north side of Tito Square was the Loggia.

Koper: Loggia – façade (By [[User:RicciSpeziari| Photographer: Riccardo Speziari]] - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21027317).

Opposite the Praetorian Palace, on the north side of Tito Square, is the 15th-century Loggia Palace (Slovene: Loža; Italian: Palazzo della Logia), sometimes called simply Loggia. It is the only preserved Gothic town hall in Slovenia, with its striking Gothic-style lancet arches. Built on the site of an earlier palace from the 13th century, this is another building from the time of Venetian rule. The earliest part of the existing building dates from 1462, but in 1553 it received the form we see today. After the outbreak of the plague in 1553-55, the façade was decorated with coats of arms, and a terracotta statue of the Madonna and Child was built in a niche above the left corner column. Further large works were carried out in 1698, when a second floor was added, and the façade was extended by two more arches. Today, a café occupies the ground floor. Koper’s first coffee house, Caffe della Loggia, now called simple Loggia, was established in 1846; an art gallery is on the second floor.

Koper: Loggia – west and south sides, with statue of Madonna and Child on corner pillar (By Stephen Colebourne from London, UK - Koper, SloveniaUploaded by sporti, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27179260).

Koper: statue of Madonna and Child on left corner of Loggia, with Cathedral and Praetorian Palace in background (By TICKoper - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44409969).

10:21 AM – Koper: Loggia – statue (protected by metal screen) of Madonna and Child on corner pillar (telephoto 93 mm).

This shore excursion lasted only until 10:30, although it was scheduled up to 11:15.

10:41 AM – Koper: Viking Star at port north of the old town.

Around noon, we went to lunch at the Viking Star’s Pool Grill and has seared ahi tuna (which they seemed to offer every day). Then we relaxed in shaded deck chairs near the pool. Mt read her book; Don wrote notes on photos in is notebook and then read in his new guidebook for Greece.

At 2:15, Don went to run on the track around Deck 2 (4 laps – 1 mile) and did 4 miles.

After Don showered, MT wanted to show him where we could get gelato (Italian ice cream) in the World Café, but we found out they were only open from 11 am to 3 pm for lunch.

At 5:15, we went to the Port Talk for our next stop, Zadar, Croatia. After the general introduction, we unfortunately had to listed to details of 7 optional shore excursions before getting to our (included) Zadar Walking Tour.

At 6:30, we went to the Pool Grill for the Seafood Buffet that was listed in our Viking Daily newsletter. It was very good, after we found out that the first serving line was only for appetizers (two kinds of shrimp, crab, and bread). After the meal, we asked about dessert, and the waiter told us to check at the World Café, where we found the gelato (we both had one dip of vanilla and one of chocolate chip).

Then we went to the Explorer Desk (customer service/concierge) on Deck 1 and found out how to get WiFi on Don’s Android phone (MT already had it on her iPhone).

On the way back to our room, we discovered the launderette on the other side of Deck 4 from our room. It was FREE and had 3 washing machines (which automatically dispensed soap) and 3 dryers. So MT  did 2 loads (light and dark) of clothes we had worn so far.

At 9:15, we went to the Captain’s Reception in the Star Theater at the forward end of Deck 2. The Captain introduced the senior officers in charge of various parts of the crew. After a Champaign toast, a band played, and the cruise director Jenna sang.

The Viking Daily said all passengers needed to be back on board at 5:50, as Viking Star prepared to sail for Zadar, Croatia (170 nautical miles).