The Piran unit of the Koper Regional Archives is celebrating 70 years of activity in 2025. It was established in 1955 as the Piran Civic Archives, at the initiative of the Municipal People’s Committee, during a time of significant political and social changes following the Second World War. In 1974 the unit was incorporated into the Koper Regional Archives while maintaining its separate location in Piran.
The beginnings of archival activity in Piran actually date back much further. In 1877 the so-called Old Civic Archives were established, operating as a department of the Civic Library and preserving medieval material from the commune of Piran. Among the most precious documents are the city statutes, vicedominal books, notarial deeds and wills, which continue to be a valuable resource for researchers from Slovenia and abroad. They owe their preservation to dedicated archivists such as Count Stefano Rota and the librarian Domenico Petronio, who during the Second World War hid the precious material under the staircase of the town hall, thus preventing it from leaving Piran. Despite numerous relocations and problems with premises, the archive remains a living institution a guardian of history, as well as a place where tradition, modern knowledge and new technologies meet. We also preserve more recent digital records and are continuously adapting to the challenges of the times. On this important anniversary we proudly reaffirm our role as a guardian of cultural heritage and as a bridge between past, present and future.
Matej Muženič, senior archivist
Koper Regional Archives, Piran Unit
