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Koper

Koper (Capodistria in Italian), pop. 25,000, is the largest commercial port in Slovenia, on the Adriatic Sea coast. Sights in Koper include 15th century Praetorian Palace in Venetian Gothic style, the 12th century Carmine Rotunda church, and the Cathedral of St Nazarius with its 14th century tower.

History

Koper rose from an ancient settlement built on an island in the SE part of the Gulf of Koper. In the time of Ancient Greece, the town was known as Aegida, later it became known by its Latin names Capris, Caprea, Capre or Caprista, from which modern Slovenian name stems from. In 568, Roman citizens of nearby Tergestum (modern Trieste) fled to Koper due to a Lombards invasion. In honour of Byzantine emperor Justinian II, Koper was renamed to Justinople. Later, Koper belonged to both Lombard and to Frankish rule. Since 932, trade with Venice is registred. In the war between Venice and Germany (Holy Roman Empire), Koper was on the German side, and was in result awarded by town rights, granted in 1035 by the emperor Conrad II. Since 1232, Koper belonged to the patriarch in Aquilea, and in 1278 it joins the republic of Venice. Koper grows to become the capital of Venetian Istria and is renamed to Caput Histriae, "head of Istria" (from which its modern Italian name Capodistria stems from).

Since 8th century, possibly even since 6th century, Koper was the seat of bishop. In 1828, it was merged the diocese of Trieste, but was restored after WW II to reflect the new geopolitical boundaries.

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