The Gothic winged altarpiece in the Church of the Holy Cross above Kojsko dates from 1515 and is considered Slovenia’s only and largest almost completely preserved Gothic winged altarpiece. The church was built around 1500; its bell tower resembles a small fortress. The altar, construction date, and tower shape give the church a distinctive character.

Church Art and Architectural History

The Parish Church of the Assumption of Mary tells a different story of construction. Its Baroque section was added to a small Gothic church in the second half of the 18th century; only the choir has been preserved in Late Gothic style. Behind the altar is a Venetian-style curia dating from 1492. Count Coronini donated four valuable paintings; according to more recent studies, they are considered works by the painter De Vito.

The churches show different building sequences: at the Church of the Holy Cross, the construction date around 1500 and the altar date of 1515 are close together. The Church of the Assumption of Mary combines a small Gothic church with a later Baroque extension from the 18th century. These specific dates and surviving features help place the local architectural history in context.

Traces of Rulers and War

The Tabor on Sveti Križ Hill originally had four defensive towers, built during the Ottoman invasions in the 16th century; the fourth tower is now the church bell tower. Lower Kojsko Castle was built in 1594 and had low justice jurisdiction. Numerous inscription plaques and stone coats of arms at the much-reduced Lower Kojsko Castle point to the Coronini family.

A monumental memorial to choir director Srečko Kumar stands in the center of Kojsko. Until the First World War, Kojsko was the cultural and economic center of eastern Brda. The surviving, 300-meter-long, single-track railway tunnel “Na kalehih” points to the strategic importance of the place during the First World War.

The First World War marks a turning point in time: Kojsko had been the cultural and economic center of eastern Brda up to that point; the tunnel points to the town’s strategic role during the war.

Panoramic Views and More to Explore

From the Church of the Holy Cross, the panoramic view reaches as far as the Alps and the Adriatic. Chapels along the Stations of the Cross lead to the church and add another tangible sense of place to Kojsko’s religious character.

Nearby, the caverns and trenches on 609-meter-high Sabotin form the open-air museum in Sabotin Peace Park. The site is complemented by the multimedia visitor center Sabotin – Park miru.

For trip planning, these are distinct highlights: Kojsko combines church art and local history, while the Brda region also offers cycling tours and wine visits. Cycling routes there pass through narrow, quiet villages in a landscape of vineyards, orchards, and olive groves. Professionally guided wine tastings and winery visits are offered through the list of Open Homesteads.

Discover more destinations: Šempas, Vitovlje, Kambreško, Solkan, Miren, Zalošče, Bilje, Podsabotin.

For the broader travel overview: Nova Gorica.