How is the new story of the Servite Monastery being born?

The public presentation of the renovation of the Servite monastery in Koper, under the auspices of the University of Primorska and the InnoRenew CoE Institute, is part of the "Koper 1500" programme, the anniversary of Koper. The Servite Monastery is the only monument of national importance in the historic city centre of Koper. In addition to the famous Gothic-Renaissance cloister, it preserves within its walls and floors precious monuments of past periods - mosaics from Roman antiquity, structures from the High Middle Ages, and extensive Baroque alterations to the monastery building. In the minds of the local population (from Umag to the Karst), this building has become a lasting memory as a maternity hospital, a common birthplace. Since 2010, the University of Primorska has taken over the management of the building, and in 2020 it started a major renovation.

The event is designed as a one-hour presentation of the ongoing renovation of the building, as well as the research results that have been produced in the course of the renovation, and a meeting with the residents who were born or worked here.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to see a demonstration of different ways of investigating heritage buildings, as the InnoRenew CoE research institute will present equipment for determining the mechanical properties and moisture content of materials (focusing on wood), for scanning rooms in 3D, and for using a thermographic camera and an acoustic camera. The results of the fungi (mould) sampling carried out in the monastery building will be on display. All of this is used to assess the condition of materials and structures, to determine the necessity of interventions in the building and to identify which (harmful) micro-organisms may be overgrowing in the building. At the same time, InnoRenew CoE is exploring how to design new spaces in a way that has a positive impact on the health and well-being of their users.

The public hearing will take place on Wednesday, 22 May 2024, at two dates (11.00 - 12.00 and 17.00 - 18.00), at the Servite Monastery (Santorijeva ulica 9, Koper).