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Description
Idrija is a tiny town known its mercury mine, which is the second largest in Europe. Together with the Spanish mine at Almadén, it has been named as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. It is also the birthplace of a distinct lace-making tradition, has a significant culinary legacy and lays claim to a unique technical heritage.
Our program:
Our first stop is Idrija, an ex mining town and Unesco World Heritage site where we will visit the second largest mercury mine in the world, guaranteed to be an amazing experience. Ensure you wear comfortable shoes!
Next, we venture to the city’s Renaissance style castle, Gewerkenegg, complete with internal arcade courtyard, featuring picturesque Baroque frescoes that are sure to impress! Today the castle houses the Idrija Municipal Museum, which recounts the 500-year-old history of the mercury mine and the town of Idrija. Whilst giving an insight into the difficult life most miners lead, we will also learn about the embellished social and cultural life of the town, symbolized by the snow-white lace their wives and daughters made in the shelter of their homes for additional income.
For lunch try Idrija’s famous žlikrofi, the first Slovenian product to be officially registered by the European Union as a Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG).
After lunch we will visit a former miner’s house, a typical example of the time and learn how this type of dwelling shaped the image of the city and reflected the working class character of Idrija. We will also discover the “Kamšt”, a water-powered pumping device that was used to pump cave water from mines. Dating back to 1790, only one “Kamšt” remains, with its special feature being a large water drive wheel, with a 13.6m diameter and taking a full 13 seconds to make one full circle. Experience the mightiness of the largest wooden drive wheel in Europe!
Our last stop will take us to the Divje jezero, where we will see a Karst spring of the Vauclusian type. This lake, which gained national protection in 1967, serves as a natural monument and in 1972, was considered to be the site of the first Slovenian natural museum.
