Hrastovlje, New Kempinski Palace hotel

As a little girl I once saw a picture of the "Dance of Death" - a scene of medieval frescoes from the church in village Hrastovlje - which shows people dancing with skeletons before the grave. I really disliked the scene and I thought to myself "why would anybody be impressed with this and want to see it in person"?.

But well, times change and since Slovenia is little, there came a time to see his terrifying picture.

The main goal of the trip to Slovenian Istria was actually the new Kempinski Palace hotel, where guided tours were held on the Sunday afternoon. Palace hotel which was built in 1910 was reopened after being closed for almost 20 years and is now the most luxurious hotel in Slovenia. Unfortunately too many people streamed the Portorož and Palace hotel with the same goal so we didn't make it inside.

Back to the Hrastovlje and the "Dance of death". The interior of the church is rather small but all the walls inside are decorated with frescoes. That was most surprising for me since I though the church is bigger and only parts of church are decorated. As I read there is not a more thoroughly painted church in Slovenia. The second most surprising was the fact that this "Dance of death" is not so scary after all. Huh ...


The entrance fee for the church interior is 2 EUR and for that you get a short but informative audio tour. There you find out that: The church of the Holy Trinity was painted by Janez of Kastva. The painting originated in 15th century, probably with the help of several collaborators. They were hidden under several layers of plaster for a long time and rediscovered in 1949 by Jože Pohlen. Afterwards they were carefully restored but you can see f.e parts of frescoes missing because windows were build over them.
There are many different scenes in the church. The scene from the creation of the world in the main nave, full-figured images of the Apostles in niches in the apse and the Holy Trinity which is centrally positioned in the apse. There are numerous frescoes with saints and prophets. Among the most interesting are those with genre scenes of farm work symbolizing the 12 months.
On the south wall the most famous scene of medieval frescoes in Slovenia is painted: 7 meters long Dance of Death. The rare scene shows people coupled with skeletons, walking in procession toward the grave. 11 characters of different social classes in their typical clothing are represented: from a baby, beggar to the king and the pope. The frescoes show that before Death we are all the same, no matter what are social class is. Probably this originates from a French legend where the three death would meet three living and say to them:

What you are, we were,
what we are - you will be
and nor health or pride neither power
don't have any value in the time of death.