Koper, one of Slovenia’s oldest towns, was once an island in north-western Istria.  Today’s city centre is limited to the ancient island, while its present appearance is the result of a 2000-year-long continuous development that began in Roman times.

According to tradition, the first bishop of Koper was St Nazarius. He was born between 470 and 480 in the Istrian village of Elpidium – Boste – Boršt. St Nazarius was consecrated Bishop of Koper in 524. The year 524 is therefore also associated with the foundation of the city of Koper.

This year, Koper celebrates its 1500th anniversary. Throughout the year, a series of cultural events will take place; from exhibitions, scientific symposia, conferences and public debates, to theatre festivals, publications and other interesting activities.

A detailed calendar of events can be found below:

Events Koper Capodistria 1500

January

February

March

April

May

  • 1 May – 21 May: Old Loggia: “The Symbols of Koper” exhibition
  • Tiepolo-Gravisi Palace – ISR Koper: Symposium “A decade of decadence: Citizenship, belonging and indifference to the State in the North-Adriatic border area, 1914-1924”
  • 8 May: Central Library Srečko Vilhar Koper: Presentation of the first complete translation of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey by the humanist Andrea Divo from Koper (Venice, 1537) and presentation of his translations of Theocritus, Hesiod and Aristophanes
  • 17 May – 19 May: Festival of Refosco and Slovenian Istria
  • 22 May – 5 June: Old Loggia: Forum Tomizza exhibition
  • 22 May: Servite monastery: Renovation of a Servite monastery: presentation of the research, the starting point and the renovation programme
  • 22 May – 26 May: Street Art Fest Koper
  • 30 May:  Altroke Istria Gourmet Festival – Boršt
  • 31 May: Reception hall at the diocesan headquarters: Presentation of the monograph The Cathedral in Koper – 1500 years since the nomination and arrival of St. Nazarius.
  • 31 May – 15 September: Galerry Loggia: Marko Brecelj: Ložacija Nesprijaznjenega (The Lodgement of the Unreconciled), a retrospective exhibition of the cultural legacy of Marko Brecelj
  • City Tower: Opening of the renovated premises

June

  • 5 June: Central Library Srečko Vilhar  Koper: Presentation of the works of the Capodistrian humanist Girolamo Muzio (16th century)
  • 5 June – 2 July: Old Loggia: St. Nazarius Exhibition
  • 7 June: Diocese of Koper: Presentation of a compendium on the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Bell Tower and presentation of the restored portraits of the Bishops of Koper (Mira Ličen)
  • 7 June: Baptistery of St. John the Baptist: Opening, presentation and blessing of the exhibition of Portraits of the bishops of Koper.
  • 7 june – 22 June: Baptistery of St. John the Baptist : exhibition  Portraits of the bishops of Koper.
  • 8 June: Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Holy Mass with blessing and presentation of the new lace vestments. Holy Mass and blessing of the new lace vestments, modelled on the paleo-christian symbols from a 6th-century stone tablet. Over 117 lace makers from the Diocese of Koper are participating in the project.
  • 8 june: Tito square: Symphony 1500 (celebration of the 60th anniversary of the ZKD Koper)
  • 10 june – 18 june: Churches in the Diocese of Koper: A novena in honour of Saint Nazarius.
  • 14 June: Rotunda of Mary’s Assumption or  Rotunda of Saint Elias: Blessing and presentation of the renovated Rotunda of Saint Elias
  • 15 June: Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Solemn choir and organ concert  of sacred music with the  opening of the exhibition of old liturgic vestments in the baptistery
  • 15 June: Koper Regional Museum: Summer Museum Night
  • 16 June: Gortan square, Taverna and Cathedral of the Assumption: Procession and solemn Holy Mass in honour of Saint Nazarius. Solemn Holy Mass in honour of Saint Nazarius in the Cathedral. Procession with the statue of St. Nazarius.
  • 16 June: Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Solemn Holy Mass in honour of St Nazarius and the procession with the statue
  • 18 June: Gravisi-Buttorai Palace and Tarsia Palace: The exhibition ” Saint Nazarius and Koper. History, Piety, Art, Tradition and Legacy of the Serenissima”
  • 18 June: Cathedral of the Assumption: Vespers
  • 18 June: Praetorian palace: Mapping
  • 19 June: Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: The Feast of St Nazarius – Solemn concelebration of the Feast of St Nazarius. The concelebration of all the priests of the Diocese of Koper.
  • 22 June: A pilgrimage on walking to Boršt, the birthplace of Saint Nazarius. Reception of pilgrims at the Church of St. Nazarius in Škrljevac at 19.00.
  • 22 June: Procession in Boršt
  • 27 June: Altroke Istria Gourmet Festival

July

  • Old Loggia: Modernist Koper exhibition
  • 25 July: Altroke Istria Gourmet Festival

August

  • University of Primorska – Faculty of Humanities: Summer school of conservation
  • Old Loggia: Tourist Attractions of Koper exhibition
  • Koper Theatre: festival Pri Svetilniku (At the Lighthouse)
  • 29 August: Altroke Istria Gourmet Festival
  • 31 August: Rotunda: Ex tempore in the Rotunda, conference, discussions on painting. Organised by Dragan Klarica and Coastal Galleries Piran, in cooperation with the Parish of Koper.
  • 31 August: Loggia Gallery: Visit to the exhibition by Marko Brecelj  with a banquet.  Organised by Dragan Klarica and Coastal Galleries Piran, in cooperation with the Parish of Koper.

September

  • Praetorian palace: “The Koper Cathedral” Symposium
  • 3 September: Central Library Srečko Vilhar Koper: Presentation of the Capodistrian humanist and reformer Peter Paul Vergeri Jr.: “Actiones duae secretarii pontificii” (Basel, 1556)
  • 4 September – 1 October: Old Loggia: “The Urban Morphology of Koper” exhibition
  • International Summer School of Museology
  • 27 september – 24 November: Borut  Popenko: Odpiranja (Openings) -personal exhibition in cooperation of the Piran Coastal Galleries with the Maribor Art Gallery
  • 28 September – 29 September: Altroke Sladka Istra Koper

October

  • Divina – Symposium on Capodistrian Humanists; five Capodistrians who changed the world
  • 2 October – 5 November: Old Loggia: Exhibition of the Association of friends of youth Koper – Art competition: “Tito Square and Koper Cathedral”
  • Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Symposium on the restitution of the two altar paintings and organ shutters  (V. and B. Carpaccio) to the Cathedral
  • 8 October: Central Library Srečko Vilhar Koper: Presentation of the commentary on Avicenna’s Canon by Santorio Santorio (Venice, 1626), Capodistrian humanist and founder of modern medical practice
  • 14 October – 18 October: “The Turkish Books of the Koper Library” – Presentation of the printed edition of the collection, from Bibliotheca iustinopolitana no. 12
  • Svetilnik: a cultural periodical
  • Koper Regional Archives and Koper Regional Museum:  Presentation of the Statute of Koper of 1423

November

  • Koper Regional Archives: Exhibition”The plans of Koper’s noble palaces”
  • 6 November – 3 December: Old Loggia: Exhibition “The plans of Koper’s noble palaces”
  • 5 November: Central Library Srečko Vilhar Koper: Presentation of the oldest Capodistrian humanist, B. Monaldo Giustinopolitano (La Summa Monaldina, Ms.-NUK, 15th century, Lyon, 1516)
  • 8 November: Koper: St Martin’s Path
  • 22 November – 23 November: Young Olive Oil
  • 30 November: Festive lights switch-on

December

  • 1 December 2024 – 1 January 2025: Fantazima
  • 2 December: Central Library Srečko Vilhar Koper: Red and Black Editions of the g choir books by the Venetian typographer Lucantonio Giunta (Venice, 1500-1503)
  • 4 December 2024 – 5 January 2025: Loggia: Bartolomeo Gianelli exhibition
  • Koper Regional Museum: ”200 Years of the Painter Bartolomeo Gianelli” exhibition
  • Srečko Vilhar Central Library Koper: Philatelic exhibition on the occasion of a commemorative stamp, seal and envelope issue
  • University of Primorska – Faculty of Humanities: Presentation of the scientific monograph on the legal protection of cultural heritage