In the time of the Venetian governance Koper’s foundlings were taken care of in the »Spittal« of Saint Nazarius,
where they remained for a brief period before being sent accompanied by a childminder to a Venetian orphanage.
When the French took over the government in Istria in 1806 a beneficent congregation was founded
in the town to take care of the foundlings. After 1814 the »Spittal« in Koper spent 17.056. goldinars for the
care of foundlings and it was relieved of its financial burden in 1826 when the problem was solved by sending
children to the orphanage in Trieste. In 1839 a beneficent kindergarten for poor kids aged from three to six
years was established in Koper by the effort of Antonio de Madonizze, Francesco del Tacca and Francesco
and Marianne Grisoni and followed later in 1859 by a beneficent institution Grisoni being in charge of the
bringing up and the education of children from six to twenty years of age.