Portorož

Portorož Portorose
Portorož as seen from the pier
Portorož Location in Slovenia
Coordinates: 45°30′59.88″N 13°34′47.89″E / 45.5166333°N 13.5799694°E / 45.5166333; 13.5799694Coordinates: 45°30′59.88″N 13°34′47.89″E / 45.5166333°N 13.5799694°E / 45.5166333; 13.5799694
Country	Slovenia
Region	Slovenian Littoral
Municipality	Piran
Area
• Total	2.97 km2 (1.15 sq mi)
Elevation	31.2 m (102.4 ft)
Population (2002)
• Total	2,849
[1]

Portorož (Italian: Portorose, literally "Port of Roses"), is an urban coastal settlement in the Municipality of Piran in the southwestern Slovenia. It is one of the country's largest tourist areas.^[2]

The settlement and its surrounding areas are served by Portorož International Airport which is located in nearby village of Sečovlje.

History

The beginnings of economic development and vibrant trade in the area of today's Portorož traced back to the Roman times. Archaeological finds suggest that many farms and villas, also named villa rustica were built in the area.

One of the first religious orders, who came to this area were the Benedictinians. In the 12th century, the broader region today Portorož already had four monasteries, and even more churches. Among those, one of the oldest was the church of Saint Marie Rosary which stood by the bay in the beginnings of the 13th century. Its name was Sancta Maria Roxe or S. Maria delle Rose, and in 1251 the bay was named by it Portus sanctae Mariae de Rosa.

One of the most important roles in the history of the settlement was the monastery of Saint Laurence, where paters benedictians healed rheumatic illnesses, ascites and other diseases with concentrated salt water and salina mud.

Tourism development

In the second half of the 19th century, the leaders of the Pirano municipality and local doctors decided to stimulate tourism in the region, by offering health treatment by concentrated salt water and salina mud, and from 1879 onwards dr. Giovanni Lugnano first offerer of such treatment to various visitors.

In 1885 after several years of successful start of a new branch of industry, constructions of new complexes and villas began, and in 1890 the predecessor of the famous Hotel Palace was built. Among the new settlers were various prominent figures, such as Antonelli, Dragovina, Furian, Frennez, Langer, Rastelli, Reinlaner and Salvetti.

Because of the new branch of healthcare treatment that emerged in Porto Rose, the ministry of interior affairs declared the settlement to be a health resort.

In 1908 dr. Orazio Pupini, a prominent Austrian doctor with a noticeable treatment history opened a sanatorium. He was also the main doctor of the Austrian Railways, and a member of the Austrian doctor's Association.

In 1902 The Parenzana Railway system was introduced which increased the popularity of the region, but was later dissolved because of decreased interests.

In 1909 the era of construction of private villas ended with opening of a much bigger building for standards at the time; the Palace Cur Hotel, later known as Palace Hotel. At the initial opening ceremony in 1910 the Hotel Palace was already named »the most beautiful hotel on the Adriatic coast«. The hotel was equipped with most modern therapeutic accessories, and for the needs of high importance guests a casino was built.

The thriving community was halted by the Great War, and a few years after the war (In which they came under the Italian rule) in 1928 they included a new electric therapy among their treatment programmes. In the whole interwar period the settlement was slowly regaining its former glory when the Second World War severely crippled it again. The crisis lasted until 1968 when renovations and new constructions under the new entity of Yugoslavia began to take place along the whole region. Since the secession of Slovenia from Yugoslavia, Portorož became one of the most important tourist sites in the country.^{[3] [4]}

Geography

Portorož belongs to the coastal municipality of Piran, located in the southwest of the Gulf of Trieste (at the northernmost point of the Adriatic Sea) between the boundaries of Italy to the north and Croatia to the south. Part of Portorož are the streets Fiesa and Pacug.

Climate

Portorož has humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with cool winters and warm summers. Winters are cool and mild with a January average of 4.1 °C (39.4 °F) while summers are warm with a July high of 28.4 °C (83.1 °F) and a low of 16.5 °C (61.7 °F). Due to its coastal location, temperatures below −10 °C (14.0 °F) or above 35 °C (95.0 °F) are rare. The average annual precipitation is 931.2 millimetres (37 in) which is fairly distributed throughout the year though September and October see a peak in precipitation levels. Portorož averages 2334 hours of sunshine per year.

Economy

Economy of Portorož is mainly based on tourism. The facilities include a marina,^[6] several casinos, and numerous sporting facilities.

Portorož has been host to the Banka Koper Slovenia Open tennis tournament of WTA Tour since 2005.

In 1958, the Portorož international chess tournament was won by M. Tal; R. J. Fischer finished sixth, and was awarded the title of grandmaster at the (then) record age of 15. Tal went on subsequently to win the candidates tournament and the world title of 1960.

Portorož was host to the International Physics Olympiad in 1985 and to the European Universities Debating Championships in 2001.

In 2008, the new Euro-Mediterranean University of Slovenia,^[7] was inaugurated in collaboration with universities of the EU, the Middle-East and North Africa.

Arts

Achiam : Tribute to the fallen patriots for liberty (1963)

Portorož hosts annual Festival of Slovenian Film (Festival slovenskega filma) with Vesna awards being awarded for best achievements in Slovenian cinematography.

Since 1961, Portorož also hosts a contemporary art biennale, the International Sculpture Symposium Forma Viva.^[8] The works are on display in a sculpture park in the village of Seča.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Portorož.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Portorož.

• Official homepage
• Portorož on Geopedia

v t e Municipality of Piran Settlements Administrative centre: Piran Dragonja Lucija Nova Vas Padna Parecag Portorož Seča Sečovlje Strunjan Sveti Peter Landmarks Franciscan Monastery Judicial Palace Kempinski Palace Portorož Loggia Lucija Parish Church Municipal Palace Piran Aquarium Piran Parish Church Piran town walls Portorož Airport Portorož Auditorium Portorož Parish Church Sečovlje Parish Church Sečovlje Salina Landscape Park Sečovlje Saltworks St. Peter's Church in Piran Strunjan Parish Church Tartini House Tartini Square People Peter Bossman Branko Lenart Giuseppe Tartini

v t e Municipalities, settlements and landforms of the Slovenian Riviera Debeli Rtič Ankaran Bertoki Koper (Gulf) Izola Jagodje Dobrava Fiesa Strunjan Piran (Gulf) Portorož Lucija Seča Parecag Sečovlje