The Kras–Carso II Project invites you to a training course intended for tourist and nature guides: The political, social, and economic development of the north-eastern Adriatic region from the 16th to the early 19th century, and the role of the Kobencl family. The event will take place on Thursday, 26 February 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Kobencl Hall in Štanjel.
You are kindly invite to confirm your participation in advance at grad@visitstanjel.si. The event is free of charge.
The transition from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern period brought numerous social changes, a new economic reality, and a different political landscape in the area where Slavic and Romance cultures meet, between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea. On the internal training course, tourist guides will have the opportunity to explore how this process unfolded, which factors influenced this development, and what role the Kobencl family played, through a combination of expert lectures and a field visit.
Although little known even among guides, the noble Kobencl family is one of the families whose members are believed to have originally been of Slavic origin, and it originated in the Karst region. The history of the family presents an example of social advancement, from a family of originally peasant origin to a noble family, whose members held important diplomatic and other state administrative positions in the Habsburg Monarchy.
Its legacy played a key role in shaping the current architectural appearance of Štanjel, a unique former fortified settlement in Slovenia, with its preserved and restored Renaissance-Baroque castle.
The lectures will be prepared and delivered by Valentin Medvešček, a graduate historian and master’s student of history at the University of Primorska, who professionally researches the history of the noble Kobencl family as well as the political and economic history of the Early Modern period in Slovenia and its neighboring regions.
Program:
8.30: Registration
8.50: Greetings from the organizers
9.00 - 10.00: Lecture: Political, Social, and Economic Development of the North-Eastern Adriatic Region from the 16th to the Early 19th Century
10.00 - 10.15: Break
10.15 - 11.15: Lecture: The Noble Kobencl Family
11.15 - 11.45: Break with light refreshments
11.45 - 13.30: Guided tour of Štanjel along medieval paths, with an interpretation of the area from the perspective of the historical period under discussion and its development, illustrated by examples from the Kobencl family
The event will be held in Slovenian, with interpretation provided in Italian.
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