Thursday 1 September 2016

Slovenia: Day 12

We visited a nice town called Kropa. It is famous for the iron rails around its houses and streams. It has a museum that specializes in ironmaking. The forest around it has many trails. Water flows in the middle of the city and in between houses and streets.


Dražgoše was next on our agenda. During the Second World War, the Germans killed 23 villagers and destroyed the town, avenging the partisan skirmishes in Slovenia. Now, there stands a memorial in remembrance of this catastrophe. 




In Cerkno, we visited the museum exhibiting the annual carnival where the locals express their desire to drive away the harsh winter. Through wooden carved masks and special costumes depicting 25 characters, the locals try to capture and kill "Pust", an imaginary devil. Once killed, it will drive away bad omens and the people can celebrate the new season.




Then we visited the Franja hospital that had been set up during the Second World War. It was located near Cerkno. The hospital is concealed in the gorges. Through it passes a water stream. The trees above the mountain conceal the hospital underneath from aerial photography. So far, the hospital has treated over 550 cases, out of which only around 70 have died.




Addresses

Towns visited:
Kropa
Dražgoše
Cerkno

The Cerkno Museum
 Bevkova 12, 5282 Cerkno, http://www.muzej-idrija-cerkno.si

Franja Partisan Hospital: same website above

No comments:

Post a Comment