The foundation stone for the former boys’ middle school, which was built according to the plans of the architect Josip Costaperaria, was laid in July 1908, and the school was completed in September 1909.
The massive Art Nouveau building had a spacious school garden, courtyard, summer gymnasium and gymnasium. It was the first middle school on Slovenian territory, in which teaching was conducted in the Slovenian language. From 1920 to 1922, the Trieste painter August Černigoj also taught drawing at the school, who then used his teaching earnings to study in Germany, including at the Weimar Bauhaus. During the Postojna period, some of Černigoj’s early works were created, which are kept by the Notranjska Museum Postojna. With the Fascist abolition of the Slovene language in schools, in the school year 1927/28 the middle school was replaced by an Italian lyceum. Even today, the building is characterised by educational programs for young people and the elderly.
TIP
Stand in front of the facade of the Art Nouveau palace and look for the most interesting detail!
Avgust Černigoj (1898-1985) was a painter from Trieste and the most prominent representative of the Slovenian artistic avant-garde. He became familiar with contemporary art trends, especially constructivism, during his short studies at the Bauhaus in Weimar. During the Second World War, he painted the churches in Knežak, Bač and Dolnja Košana in the Pivka area.
Josip Costaperaria (1876-1951) – Slovenian architect who is the author of many villas and palaces, especially in Ljubljana. He started his career in the studio of Maks Fabiani, where he managed the construction of Narodni dom in Trieste and Trgovski dom in Gorica. With the project of the boys’ middle school in Postojna, Costaperaria won the competition for the first time and became professionally independent.
