Kobarid Museum

Kobarid Museum

EXPLORE LOCAL HERITAGE

Kobarid Museum

Lake Jasna
66.8 km
1 h 40 min drive
Must see
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

The Kobarid Museum is a history museum in Kobarid (Soča Valley), founded in 1990 with the aim of preserving, researching and presenting the First World War, especially the Isonzo Front. In terms of the number of visitors, the Kobarid Museum is one of the most visited museum collections in Slovenia. In 1992 it received the highest national award, the Valvazor Prize, and a year later the Council of Europe Museum Prize.
The museum opened its doors to visitors on 20 October 1990 in the former Mašera farmstead, which was built in 1739. The house was first owned by the Peteani and Obrez families and later became the property of four generations of the Mašera family. It was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1976, but was rebuilt in 1990.

The collection is displayed in twelve rooms, spread over two floors, representing life on the battlefield and in the rear. The 12th Battle of the Isonzo Front, also known as the “Miracle of Kobarid“, is presented in more detail, and you can find out more about it by watching a short film in the multimedia room.

A cannon and a grenade stand in front of the museum. In the corridor on the ground floor, there are several memorials of the fallen Austro-Hungarian and Italian soldiers on the front. The museum also displays a model of the nearby peaks, showing cable cars, footpaths, mulattoes, and the border between Austria-Hungary and Italy. Visitors can also learn about the cavern where a soldier sits writing a letter to his father. In the uniform room, there are uniforms of different nations. Interestingly, not all soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian army had the same uniform. Those from the Serbian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire had different uniforms from those from the Slovenian area. There is also a collection of weapons; pistols, rifles, grenades, etc.

Ernest Hemingway described the days of terrible trials in his novel A Farewell to Arms, and for Erwin Rommel, the Battle of Kobarid marked an important milestone in his brilliant military career. In addition to a plethora of documentary and photographic material and exhibits, the museum offers a subtle insight into the social, economic, and political fabric of society at the time, and exposes the absurdity and profound unethical nature of war through the narratives of experienced guides.

How to get to the Kobarid Museum?

From Kranjska Gora, you can either drive to the museum via the Vršič Pass and the Trenta Valley (1h 45 min) or through Italy via Trbiž and the Predil Pass (1h 25 min), passing Bovec to Kobarid. The route through Italy is faster by about 20 minutes and less steep. On this route, you can also stop at the beautiful Lake Rabelj. The route over Slovenia’s highest road pass is very scenic as it is surrounded by the Julian Alps. Along the way, you can stop at the Russian Chapel, at various viewpoints, take a break and have lunch in one of the lodges along the way or at the top of the pass and look for the face of the Pagan girl in the rocks.

Sights in the immediate vicinity

If you head to the Kobarid Museum, you can also see:

  • the Soča River and the water activities (rafting, canyoning, etc.)
  • the Virje waterfall
  • Tolmin Gorges
  • Kozjak waterfall
  • Tolmin Museum
  • Bridge on the Soča

Opening hours

  • January – March 10:00 – 17:00, every day
  • April – June 9:00 – 18:00, every day
  • July – August 9:00 – 20:00, every day
  • September 9:00 – 18:00, every day
  • October – December 10:00 – 17:00, every day

Visitors can visit the museum individually or in a group. The exhibitions are in Slovene, Italian, German, and English. For visitors who do not speak any of these languages, we offer a short summary in the other languages, which you will receive when you buy your ticket.
For groups of more than 15 people, a guided tour of the museum is already included in the ticket price. Individual guided tours are charged according to the price list.

Guided tours of the exhibitions are available in Slovene, Italian, German, English, Croatian, French, and Spanish. A typical guided tour of the Museum lasts one and a half hours and includes a 20-minute documentary film screened in Slovenian, Italian, German, English, French, Spanish, Czech, and Hungarian, subtitled in Hebrew, Russian and Croatian. The guided tour can be tailored to the wishes and requirements of the visitors. The museum is also open outside opening hours for groups with prior notice.

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Kajznik House

Kajznik House

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Kajznik House in Ratece

Lake Jasna
Easy
!
Elevation: 818 - 870 m
4,7 km
*
52 m of height difference
1 h walk
Asphalt - Macadam
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

Kajžnek House is one of the restored buildings with preserved traditional architecture. The eastern façade of the house preserves a fresco of St Florian, while the southern façade has a sundial. Inside the house, evidence of the existence of the original wooden building has been found. The 19th-century appearance of the house has been partially preserved but without the outbuildings. Of the carefully crafted joinery, parts of the built-in cupboards and the stucco decoration in the house survived, in addition to the front door, the black kitchen, and the pantry.

There you can see a reconstruction of the equipment of the black kitchen and the pantry, exhibitions on Rateče traditional costumes and local history, old films on the still preserved customs and ski jumping in Planica, and an exhibition of handicrafts – products of the members of the Rateče – Planica Tourist Association. In 1995, the Municipality of Kranjska Gora bought the Kajžnek House, which had been damaged by fire, and gradually restored it under the expert guidance of the Kranj Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage until 2004.

Escape room museum

In 2022, the museum was transformed into one of the few ‘escape room museums’ in Europe. A fascinating escape game program was created, steeped in the rich history of Rateče. The experience is the perfect activity for families or friends who want to learn a lot about the traditions and history of the Alpine village while having fun. The game is made up of 2 to 5 players and usually lasts 1h.

How to get to Kajžnek’s house?

The Escape Museum is located in Rateče, the last Alpine village before the border with Italy. It can be reached by taking the main highway past Kranjska Gora and Podkoren.

Nearby attractions

If you head to the Kajznik Museum, you can also see:

  • Zelenci nature reserve
  • Alpine village Ratece
  • Climb up to Tromeja (triple border/Italy-Austria-Slovenia) and enjoy the view of the Austrian mountains
  • Visit Planica and climb to the top of the Planica flying hill
  • Fly in the wind tunnel in Planica
  • Try the zip-line in Planica
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Liznjek House

Liznjek House

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Liznjek House

Lake Jasna
Easy
!
Elevation: 811 m - 806 m
1.3 km
!
Height diference: 5 m
16 min walk
Asphalt road
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

Built in the second half of the 17th century, the homestead is today an example of an authentic Slovenian Alpine house. It is located in the center of the village of Kranjska Gora and has been part of the museum collection of the “Gornjesavski museum Jesenice” since 1983.

National costume of Gorenjska

Inside the homestead, you can see, among other things, the old black kitchen, the “čumnata” (smaller room), the old stove, the paintings on the facades (frescoes, stitched edges, and tasseled ornament), the stone semicircular portal and the wooden balcony. A carved rosette with the year 1781 on a beam has also been preserved. Visitors can see the rich 19th-century furnishings of a wealthy farming family and various tools of some local trades. The house often offers space for various exhibitions and workshops.

How to get to Liznjek House?

The homestead is located near the center of the village of Kranjska Gora. To reach it, you have to go past the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and go on in the direction of the “Pri Martinu” guest house. You can park your car at Vitranc Hall and walk to the museum.

Nearby attractions

If you head to the Liznjek Museum, you can also see:

  • Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the center
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Slovenian Alpine Museum

Slovenian Alpine Museum

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Slovenian Alpine Museum

Lake Jasna
15.7 km
19 min drive
Must see
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

The Slovenian Mountaineering Museum houses a rich collection of historical artifacts and an extensive specialist library. It reminds visitors of the importance of mountaineering in Slovenia with a variety of photographic and archival materials. You can see the permanent exhibition, learn about the historical development of mountaineering in Slovenia and choose from a variety of souvenirs and books on mountaineering in the shop. An introductory film and eleven different sections with challenges, tests, and tasks add variety to the experience. If you collect all the stamps along the way, there’s a prize waiting for you at the end.

The museum regularly organizes various temporary exhibitions, events, and activities. It also acts as an information point for the Triglav National Park, where you can get all the information you need about weather conditions in the mountains, open lodges, guides, and mountain trails.

The first records of the establishment of the Mountaineering Museum date back to 1901. The Triglav Museum collection, which was accumulated in Mojstrana until 1984, was managed by the Dovje Mojstrana Mountain Association. It was not until 1997 that the collection became part of the “Gornjesavski museum Jesenice”, and the independent museum began to take on its modern form only ten years later. The inauguration ceremony took place in 2010.

All guests of Reset Apartments can benefit from a 20% discount on tickets.

How to get to the Mountaineering Museum?

From Kranjska Gora, take the main road towards Jesenice and turn off towards Mojstrana. The museum resembles a high-mountain alpine shelter and is located on the left side of the road towards the Vrata valley.

Sights in the immediate vicinity

If you head to the Slovenian Mountaineering Museum, you can also see:

  • Aljaž’s House in Vrata
  • Peričnik waterfall
  • The village of Gornja Radgona
  • Lake Kreda
  • the Alpine village of Dovje

Opening hours

Summer opening hours (1 May – 31 October)

  • Every day: 9.00 – 17.00

Winter opening hours (2.11. – 30.4.)

  • Tuesday – Sunday: 9.00 – 16.00
  • Monday: closed

Parking at the museum is free for visitors. For more information, please contact the museum staff.
Last admission: one hour before closing.

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Planica Museum

Planica Museum

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Planica Museum

Lake Jasna
Easy
!
Elevation: 818 - 950 m
5.5 km
*
132 m of height difference
1 h 15 min walk
Asphalt - Forest
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

In the middle of the world-famous valley famous for its legendary ski flights, the Planica Nordic Centre is a museum of Planica’s history and tradition. It showcases the achievements and records that have shaped the Slovenian ski jumping scene and its development during the 1980s, starting with the record set in 1934. On these ski jumps, for the first time in the world, a record of over one hundred and two hundred metres was broken. On the first floor you will learn all about Stanko Bloudek and the Bloudek Giant, and on the second floor you will learn all about the famous Gorišek brothers.

The technical development of ski jumping with all the equipment and interesting facts about this winter sport are also presented. There are not only two ski jumping simulators where visitors can try out the role of ski jumpers, but even an interactive station to try out the role of a ski jumping judge. Peter Prevc, Jurij Tepeš, Franci Petek, and other ‘Eagles’ will talk to you on the hologram. Every year, at the end of the winter season, thousands of enthusiastic fans from all over the world gather in this very place to support the brave young ski jumpers.

Nearby attractions

If you head to the Planica Museum, you can also see:

  •  the world-famous ski jumps… take on the challenge of walking up the countless stairs to the top of the Giant flying hill
  • the lodge in Tamar
  • Nadiža waterfall
  • zip line Planica
  • Planica wind tunnel
  • cross-country skiing in the cross-country tunnel
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Russian Chapel

Russian Chapel

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Russian chapel

Lake Jasna
Medium
Must see
!
Elevation: 818 - 1.132 m
7.3 km
Local heritage
*
Height difference: 325 m
1 h 44 min walk
Asphalt road
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

The Russian Chapel was built in honor of the Russian soldiers who were building the road over the Vršič Pass in World War I and were tragically buried by an avalanche. Reportedly, 170 to 300 Russian and 10 to 80 Austro-Hungarian soldiers died during the road construction. Kranjska Gora was an important strategic point on the Isonzo Front at this time. The Orthodox wooden chapel of St Vladimir was built in 1916 and next to it is the grave of one of the buried soldiers with the Russian inscription ‘To the Sons of Russia’. The chapel is wooden and has a stone foundation. The two domes imitate the typical Russian Baroque style.

The Russian Chapel is dedicated to the memory of the Russian soldiers who were buried in an avalanche during the construction of the road over the Vršič mountain pass.

In 2006, the road to Vršič has renamed the Russian Road and connects Kranjska Gora with Bovec. All the turns are paved and numbered. Every first Sunday in September, the “Juriš na Vršič” or Goni Pony cycling event takes place on the road past the chapel.

Already at the time of Slovenia’s independence, the Kranj Institute for Nature Conservation and Cultural Heritage restored parts of the Russian Chapel, restored the graves of Russian prisoners at Erjavec lodge (Erjavčeva koča), cleaned and restored the grave of the unknown soldier next to the chapel and erected an information billboard. Since 1996, a Memorial Ceremony has been held at the Chapel every last Sunday in July, attended by many important Slovenian and Russian representatives. In the following years, the chapel’s deteriorated elements were continuously repaired, until in 2005, with the help of the Ministry of Culture and a donation from Russian sponsors, it was completely restored with its surroundings.

In 2015, the ceremony was attended by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and a year later by Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

How to get to the Russian Chapel?

You will have to drive past the Jasna lakes, uphill towards the Vršič mountain pass, and past the Mihov dom mountain lodge. The Russian Chapel is located at the fifth kilometer of the Kranjska Gora – Vršič road at an altitude of 1,100 m. The area around the chapel is fenced and landscaped with paths and benches. On the opposite side of the road, there is a parking space for visitors to the chapel.

Sights in the immediate vicinity

If you go to the Russian Chapel, you can also see:

  • Jasna Lakes
  • Panoramic view on the way to Vršič (the Prisank window is particularly nice)
  • The Vršič mountain pass itself and the frozen face in the Prisank wall – the Pagan Girl
  • Have refreshments in one of the lodges on the way
  • Visit the Land of Kekec (Kekčeva dežela) with your children
  • Descend into the Tamar Valley and visit Bovec
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