Breginj is the westernmost larger settlement along the Slovenian–Italian border (the smaller settlement Robidišče is the absolute westernmost). In May (6th and 11th) and September (15th), 1976, several earthquakes severely damaged Breginj. Only the Church of St. Nicholas with the parish house and two homesteads survived, now renovated and declared cultural monuments.
Architecturally, Breginj developed as a densely built settlement along the Bela stream. In 1666, a major fire destroyed 24 houses and the church. After the fire, all houses were rebuilt in stone, giving the village a recognizable Venetian character. Oral tradition suggests that the original inhabitants were nomadic shepherds. Historical records first mention Breginj in 1084. Under various regimes—Venice, Austria, and Italy—prosperity was elusive until the end of World War II.
Breginj – Church of St. Nicholas
EID: 1-03577Keywords: parish church, bell tower, St. Nicholas
Description: This Neoromanesque church was built in 1865 according to the plans of architect Martinuzzi from Tricesimo. The interior is partially furnished with Baroque inventory, and the painted wooden ceiling is the work of painter F. Pich (Pick). A freestanding bell tower stands in front of the church.
Date: Third quarter of the 19th century (1865)
Authors:
– Martinuzzi (architect; 1865)
– Filip Pick (painter; 19th century) – painted wooden ceiling
– Tone Kralj (painter; 1958) – presbytery paintings
Source: Komelj's notes, 1966
Location: The church stands at the edge of the settlement, south of the old village core in Breginj.
EID: 1-00044 | ESD: 44
Type: Settlement heritage
Description: Remnants of the former village center with 18th and 19th-century Breginj-style houses. Before the 1976 earthquake, it was classified as a first-category monument. The Breginj Museum, a preserved complex of stone houses with wooden balconies (ganka), is the sole witness to the village’s former appearance.