Holiday apartment in Idrija: mining history, bobbin lace and nature

Idrija brings the history of mercury mining to life through underground routes, technical facilities and historic buildings. Anthony's Main Road is the oldest preserved entrance to a mine in Europe and was established in 1500. During a guided tour, visitors explore underground passages containing cinnabar ore and glittering droplets of mercury; they also visit a unique underground chapel.

Culture and mining

The Hg smelting plant is home to the world's largest rotary kiln for extracting mercury. Experiments, animations, videos and mercury-related equipment explain the significance and applications of mercury there. Idrija Kamšt has Europe's largest wooden waterwheel, with a diameter of 13.6 m. Gewerkenegg Castle was built in the 16th century for the defence and administration of the mine and the storage of mercury; today, it houses the Idrija Municipal Museum. Together with the mining sites of Almadén, the mining sites of Idrija form a unique shared testimony to mercury mining.

Crafts and history

The Idrija Lacemaking School has operated continuously since it was founded in 1876. Visitors can try bobbin lace-making there, while an exhibition showcases timeless masterpieces of lace art. The Church of St Anthony in Idrija dates from 1678. A church stands at the site where, according to legend, a cooper discovered mercury in 1490. The original wooden church was built in 1500 and later rebuilt in stone. Joannes Antonius Scopoli, the first mine doctor in Idrija, worked in this building from 1754 to 1769. The renovated crypt has a gallery and a memorial chapel.

Paths through the landscape

A hiking trail now follows part of the former Feldban railway line, along which numerous remains of the old railway can be seen. The Idrija–Godovič Feldban is considered an important site of remembrance in military history and an integral part of Idrija's cultural landscape. The Feldban Trail leads to a 25 m long tunnel. Historical transport traces, military-historical remembrance and visible relics of the former railway therefore lie along the same route.

Nature and water

The Wild Lake is protected as a natural monument and has been operated as Slovenia's first open-air museum since it opened to visitors in 1972. A nearly flat walking path along the historic Rake water channel leads from Idrija to the Wild Lake. The Zgornja Idrijca Landscape Park begins on the outskirts of Idrija. At the Idrijca River, Lajšt offers opportunities for swimming, relaxing and picnicking.

Cuisine and festivals

Idrija žlikrofi carry national and European designations as a “guaranteed traditional speciality”. In a workshop, participants learn how to prepare filled dumplings and then sample them with traditional or modern sauces. The Idrija Lace Festival is a traditional festival centred around Idrija lace.

Other places

Other places you can access from this page include Bukovo, Cerkno, Črni Vrh, Vojsko, Lome, Srednja Kanomlja, Zakriž.

To the higher-level travel overview: Idrija.