Zgornje Škofije

Zgornje Škofije stretches along the southwest slope of Tinjan and is a settlement made up of three hamlets. The three old village centres lie below Tinjanska cesta; vineyards and olive groves surround the hamlets. These features give you concrete points of reference when choosing a destination: you can understand the area through its varied settlement pattern, hillside location and cultivated landscape. If you are interested in vineyard and olive-grove landscapes as well as several old village centres, you will find various aspects here that define the character of the area.

Hillside location, views and landscape

The southwest slope is considered somewhat sunnier and sheltered from the bora. From Slatine, there are sweeping views of Trieste, Koper and the Šavrin Hills. This identifies two distinct landscape features to consider when choosing a destination: the character of the slope and the specific view from Slatine. If you like getting to know places through their surroundings, you will find both a general connection to the landscape and a named viewpoint here.

Church and chapel in Zgornje Škofije

The Church of Christ the King was built between 1931 and 1935. It has a single nave and a rectangular presbytery. The bell tower stands against the east wall; its belfry has four semicircular openings. “Single nave” describes a church space with one main nave; the presbytery is the area around the altar. The construction period, floor plan and tower design therefore offer different ways to understand the church’s architecture.

The village chapel is described by different features: it has a rectangular floor plan, a gabled roof and a semicircular entrance. Comparing it with the church draws attention to their different architectural characteristics. For the church, the presbytery and bell tower are noted in addition to the floor plan; for the chapel, the roof shape and entrance are also described. This makes it possible to consider the local religious architecture through specific building elements, rather than summarising the two buildings merely as general features of the area.

Routes, local history and further points of reference

A short turnoff from Tinjanska cesta leads to the hamlet of Rombi. Another route leads from the well in Druga Škofija to the fields of Mandrija and Termun. These details offer different reference points for finding your way: Rombi is reached via the turnoff from Tinjanska cesta, while Mandrija and Termun are reached by the route from the well. If you take the settlement pattern and the named destinations into account when planning your trip, these starting points help you distinguish between the two route descriptions.

Šanse is also a specific point of reference for local history. Stone walls referred to as “limes” have been found at Šanse. In local tradition, Šanse is described as the site of a former Roman fortification or observation post. This connects a specific place, the walls discovered there and a historical interpretation. For history enthusiasts, this is a distinct aspect alongside the church’s construction history and the chapel’s architectural features.

Wine connections in the surrounding area

A wine route runs through the area of Zgornje Škofije and continues towards Elerje and through the Milje Hills. This provides another link to the landscape, in addition to the vineyards and olive groves surrounding the three hamlets. The named onward routes show that wine is not only mentioned in descriptions of the landscape but is also reflected in a route. Along with the village centres, religious buildings and varied landscape features, this gives you a concrete sense of the aspects you can take into account when choosing Zgornje Škofije as a destination.

Discover more destinations: Babiči, Osp, Ankaran, Črni Kal, Truške, Rižana, Gradin, Koštabona

For the main travel overview: Koper.