Tag Archives: museums in Slovenia

(Re)Discover Tržič with Adele in Slovenia!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Hiking, hiking in Slovenia, hiking trails, ifeelsLOVEnia, ironworking, Museums, museums in Slovenia, skiing in Slovenia, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Slovenian culture, Trzic by

So, the new year is here and with it, in addition to my regular blogs about Radovljica and Žirovnica, this year I will be exploring another destination for you ; this time I’m turning my attention to Tržič – the dragon’s town!

I’m already quite familiar with the Tržič area, as I LOVE hiking its many fantastic trails, and I’m so excited to now have the chance to delve even deeper into the wealth of natural and historical attractions in the area and to share them with you.

Whilst Tržič might not be an obvious choice for many, the town and its surroundings has a fascinating past and is worth adding to your list of places to visit whilst in Slovenia. Since I know that also a significant percentage of readers of my blog are locals, I hope that, through my blog posts, you too will take the time to (re)discover Tržič; yes, its heyday has been and gone, but it still has a wealth of sights and attractions to offer to each and everyone who takes time to discover it.

The obvious place to start is in the historic old town centre.

At the entrance to the old town centre you can see the last remaining original ‘firbec oken‘ window – a window for the inquisitive, or rather, putting it less politely, the nosy!

The bottom of the window protrudes, thus allowing those looking from the window to be able to look directly out and down at those below them – though I can be seen here doing the exact opposite!

Just opposite the window you will find footprints affixed to the ground, which you can follow around the town on the Traces of Industry Trail, which leads to the main sights of interest in and around the old town.

In addition to the window, you can see Kurnik House – the birthplace of the poet Vojteh Kurnik; one of the rooms is devoted to his life and work. The building is an exceptional example of Tržič’s architectural heritage.

And the Germovka forge – the best preserved of its kind in the area.

Although If I’m honest I wasn’t really expecting much of the Tržič Museum, it actually turned out to be the highlight of my recent visit to the old town. Hence, I stand corrected since, following a complete renovation of its museum collections, it is now well up there with some of the best museums in the country. I came away enthusiastically singing its praises to anyone who cares to listen locally and now to you, dear readers, too!

The museum is housed in Pollak’s Mansion (Pollakova kajža), which dates from 1811.

So, it was time to put my best foot forward and discover the inside!

The museum’s numerous collections take you through Tržič’s historic industries including shoemaking, leather, crafts, trade, winter sports, local history, and art.

I particularly liked the fact that so many of the exhibits are interactive, thus making a visit far more interesting and enjoyable, whilst also helping to keep any little ones you have in tow entertained.

The building is also home to the newly-renovated Slovenian Skiing Museum with it’s new ‘Let’s Ski’ exhibition.

So, I hope you will join me in discovering more of Tržič’s history and the area’s myriad hiking and cycling trails, culture, legends, traditional food and more – it promises to be a revelation and adventure for us all!

© Adele in Slovenia

 

The Pivka Park of Military History – A Historic Year!

Posted in adeleinslovenia, Festivals in Slovenia, Green Karst, ifeelsLOVEnia, lakes in Slovenia, Ljubljana, Museums, Postojna, Postojna cave, Slovenia by

It’s been quite a year thus far for the Park of Military History in Pivka. Visitor numbers are up by an astonishing 40%, as word spreads about this fascinating museum and its extensive and diverse collections. Last week the park celebrated its 10th birthday – in true military style of course – with a week of events culminating in the annual Festival of Military History, which I attended on Sunday.

It’s easy to reach Pivka, which is in Slovenia’s Green Karst region. It can be a destination in itself, or you can combine it with a visit to one of the other nearby attractions in the area, such as the Postojna Caves, Predjama Castle or the Lipica Stud Farm. The park is also an ideal place to visit on those pesky rainy days!

For those without transport, a bonus is that it is easy to reach Pivka by train. Direct trains run from Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana and onwards toward Rijeka in Croatia. On arrival you can already see the imposing renovated barracks in which the museum is housed. When exiting the train station, just look for the museum symbols marked on the pavement.

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After crossing the tracks, head downhill, following the green signs, and within 10 minutes you are there!

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One of the biggest draws at the Park is undoubtedly the P-913 Zeta submarine, which visitors have a chance to go inside, accompanied by a guide, to experience the cramped conditions the submarine crew worked under.

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Photo: Simon Avsec – http://www.slovenia.info/

The renovated barracks housing the museum collections were built by the Kingdom of Italy around 1930 in order to defend the Rapallo border and were later home to the Yugoslav People’s Army. Since 2004 the Park has been developing and has now become the largest museum complex in Slovenia, as well as one of the largest military historical complexes in this part of Europe.

Of the numerous military-related events that take place at the Park throughout the year, last weekend’s 10th Festival of Military History, which was meticulously organised, is the largest. Below you can see some of the action that took place.

Demonstrations of tanks operating in combat situations.

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A dynamic display of anti-terrorist measures with the helicopters of the Special Forces and the Slovene Army.

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Recreations of various World War II military camps – Partisan, Soviet, American, and German. At times I felt like I had walked onto the set of MASH!

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There was even fresh Jerry soup!

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A chance to walk through a cavern. Provided, of course, you could get past the guards!

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There was plenty of opportunity to get involved, ask questions, and, of course, pose for a few snaps for posterity!

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A chance to get ‘hands on’ with the ammunition. The first, and hopefully only, time I will be holding such a weapon!

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Not even the occasional torrential downpour dampened the spirits of these strapping Romans (from Ptuj)! Can you spot the odd one out?

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There was also archery, a small market area, a collection of old-timer cars, and free transport to/from the railway station. The festival was a roaring success and another testament to the Park’s popularity.

You can find out more about the Park here – http://parkvojaskezgodovine.si/en/ and also read more about other things to see and do in the area, including the 17 intermittent lakes, in a previous blog from earlier this year – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2016/05/05/pivka-pause-ponder-play/

You don’t need to especially be a lover of museums, history, or military history (I wouldn’t consider myself to be!) to enjoy a visit. The exhibits are fascinating and there’s something for all the family. I highly recommend a visit!

© Adele in Slovenia