The fortified Church of Saint Florian is built on the strategically important apex of the limestone ridge above the valley, while the village stretches below the ridge. The entire complex is one of the most important examples of fortified churches in Slovenia.
The entire architectural complex consists of the large parish Church of Saint Florian standing on the edge of the massif and with the market place in front of it and smaller clustered houses and economic facilities, with the rectory standing out. This is enclosed by an enchampment wall with a dominating tower at its entrance. In 1833, the former pentagonal defence tower was transformed into a bell tower (17.89 m) and a new Church of St. Florian was constructed in 1860, taking almost a decade to built. The original church was built at the end of the 15th century and was painted in the early 16th century. The church is mentioned in the visitation report of the Bishop of Verona Agostino Valier from 1579 and by the Bishop of Koper, Paolo Naldini, in his Corografia Ecclesiastica from 1770. As said before, the church was rebuilt from 1850 to 1860, as evident from the inscription on the lintel, and was consecrated on 12th May 1861 by bishops Bartolomej Legat and Juraj Dobrila.
The church is of a three-aisled basilican type. The main nave is separated from the side naves by three arches on pillars at each side. The main nave continues into the straight square presbythery. The presbytery in the older church is rib vaulted with the rib connections accentuated with copestones shaped like shields. The slightly pointed arhc has been walled in. In the early 16th century, the vault was painted with figures of the Evangelists and angels and the frescoes can be attributed to local masters form the Slovenian and Croatian Istrian hinterlands from the early 16th century who remained faithful to the traditional folk artistic expression despite the influences of the modern Italian Renaissance art of painting. The main altar is made of stone and holds a wooden statue of St. Florian, the village patron, from 1861.
The side altars are also made of stone: the right altar is dedicated to the Our Lady of the Rosary and the left to St. Antony of Padua. Left of the high altar is a painting of the Madonna with Child and Saints by Zorzi (Juraj) Ventura Brajković from 1598, the church's most valuable possession (restored in 1970/71).
Photos
![St. Florian's Church - St. Florian's Church St. Florian's Church - St. Florian's Church]()
St. Florian's Church
![St. Florian's Church - Kubed - St. Florian's Church St. Florian's Church - Kubed - St. Florian's Church]()
Kubed - St. Florian's Church
![St. Florian's Church - Front St. Florian's Church - Front]()
Front
![St. Florian's Church - Portal St. Florian's Church - Portal]()
Portal
![St. Florian's Church - St. Florian's Church from side St. Florian's Church - St. Florian's Church from side]()
St. Florian's Church from side
![St. Florian's Church - Path around the St. Florian's Church St. Florian's Church - Path around the St. Florian's Church]()
Path around the St. Florian's Church
![St. Florian's Church - St. Florian's Church from back St. Florian's Church - St. Florian's Church from back]()
St. Florian's Church from back
![St. Florian's Church - Information board - St. Florian's Church St. Florian's Church - Information board - St. Florian's Church]()
Information board - St. Florian's Church
![St. Florian's Church - House by the church St. Florian's Church - House by the church]()
House by the church
Data
Municipality: KOPER (51794 population)
Settlements in the municipality:
Koper (25521 population), Sv. Anton (1971), Dekani (1632), Spodnje Škofije (1432), Hrvatini (1292),
Pobegi (1254), Prade (1233), Zgornje Škofije (989), Bertoki (985), Šmarje (897), Kampel (770), Vanganel (654), Gažon (624), Šalara (620), Bonini (610), Bošamarin (602), Kolomban (596), Škocjan (587), Čežarji (587), Plavje (565), Marezige (544), Manžan (506), Krkavče (323), Babiči (310), Puče (271), Koštabona (250), Gračišče (244), Črni Kal (229), Boršt (207), Tinjan (197), Srgaši (187), Pomjan (182), Osp (181), Jelarji (180), Kubed (179), Triban (173), Rižana (159), Popetre (150), Čentur (147), Premančan (142), Lopar (141), Podgorje (140), Pregara (138), Hrastovlje (134), Cerej (126), Movraž (122), Kortine (122), Grintovec (118), Barizoni (117), Grinjan (117), Rakitovec (114), Gabrovica pri Črnem Kalu (108), Dol pri Hrastovljah (97), Loka (96), Cepki (85), Kastelec (80), Poletiči (79), Črnotiče (79), Predloka (79), Krnica (78), Zazid (78), Montinjan (76), Labor (73), Bezovica (68), Brezovica pri Gradinu (66), Truške (66), Lukini (64), Topolovec (63), Gradin (62), Sočerga (60), Glem (59), Kozloviči (53), Trsek (51), Trebeše (51), Podpeč (47), Butari (46), Župančiči (45), Sirči (43), Smokvica (37), Bočaji (31), Dvori (29), Zabavlje (28), Socerb (27), Rožar (25), Praproče (25), Fijeroga (23), Koromači - Boškini (23), Abitanti (22), Dilici (15), Stepani (15), Maršiči (13), Šeki (12), Pisari (12), Galantiči (11), Belvedur (7), Tuljaki (6), Olika (5), Sokoliči (3), Karli (2), Zanigrad (0), Brič (0), Močunigi (0), Brežec pri Podgorju (0), Peraji (0)