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The main artery of Gornja Štajerska is the Drava River, which cut its path between Kozjak in the north, and Pohorje in the south. From Maribor onwards it flows through flat land, it has flown that way since long time before the first settlements were founded there. On the east, there is another big river of Styria, Mura, and on the south, it flows much smaller (except when it?s flooded) river Dravinja. An extensive area around Pohorje hills is named Pohorsko Podravje. Geologically, Pohorje is a part of the Central Alps, as it is almost entirely built of metamorphic and igneous rocks. Pohorje has the widest and the most rounded ridges of all alpine hills, and they migrate into narrow ravines at the end. Large group of mountains, more than 50 kilometers long, 25 kilometers wide and 1500 meters high, contains Črni vrh (1534 m), Velika kopa (1542 m) and Rogla (1517 m).
There used to be shepherds, workers in ironworks, charcoal workers and raftsmen. Peace in the area of eastern Pohorje is ensured by St. Areh with pilgrimage church from the year 1659. On the north, there are the largest settlements Lovrenc and Ribnica na Pohorju, both facing towards the river Drava. From the year 1942, an unfortunate place Osankarica is known. It is also a place of bravery and pride, where German troops finally defeated Pohorje battalion with legendary commander Alfonz Šarh ? Iztok and his three sons.

Maribor
On the eastern part of Pohorje and under the first hills of Slovenske gorice emerged the second largest city in Slovenia, the capital of Štajerska, Maribor (more than 100000 inhabitants). Former German Malbur has been surrounded with wall and many towers already from 18th century and has some remaining of the old wall: Vodni, Sodni, Židovski etc. They also tidied the riverbank of Drava, called Lent, where the oldest vine in Europe grows. Specialties of the city are also monasteries: Minorite, Jesuite, Franciscan and their churches. The cathedral of St. John the Baptist is a center of Lavant ? Maribor archbishopy from the year 1859, when bishop Anton Martin Slomšek changed center from Carinthian St. Andrew to Maribor. With that move, Slomšek connected Slovenian speaking people of Maribor.

General Rudolf Maister finally defeated the determined German minority, when he disarmed the German army in 1919 and conquered the region on the north of Maribor, up to the today?s border with Austria. If he wouldn?t be held back by the cautious rulers in Ljubljana, he would probably also occupy Klagenfurt. After Germans, Italians from Trieste, persecuted by fascism, came to Maribor. The city has some noble buildings. We should mention Rotovž (city hall), late gothic building from the year 1515, which was later renovated in renaissance style. Then there are Vetrinjski dvor, Salzburški dvor, Žički dvor and others. A famous plague mark is placed on the main square Glavni trg. You can make shorter trips from Maribor to Piramida, Kalvarija, Mariborski otok island, Trije ribniki Pekerske gorce, Bentava mansion, Pohorje and other destinations.
Former typical workers? city with well developed (heavy) industry is recently becoming intellectual and cultural center of great importance for whole Slovenia (university, Borštnikovo srečanje meeting). In the year 2012, Maribor will become the cultural capital of Europe.

If we follow the Drava River, as the main artery of Gornja Štajerska, from Maribor to Ptuj, we can admire wavy land of Dravsko polje and Ptujsko polje fields on the right side and the slopes of Slovenske gorice on the left side. Soon we arrive to the city which is the oldest populated settlement in Slovenia and was the largest settlements in the area in Roman times. We are talking about Ptuj (Poetovio). The most recognized sign of the city and the whole Ptujsko polje is ?kurent?, and from the 12th century on also a mighty castle, which was later perfected by renaissance and baroque. Today it is a museum with rich collection, which attracts many visitors. Actually, the city itself is a kind of a museum, with Orpheus? monument, Roman tombstone under the city tower, church of St. George (with gothic wing altar), with Minorite and Dominican monastery and many other features. Here?s also a thermal health resort, boasting with a brand new hotel (Terme Ptuj) with five stars. It also has new bridge Puhov most, which discharged heavy transit traffic from the city center.

Also the surroundings of Ptuj are worth visiting. Not far from the road Ptuj ? Ormož is a castle Dornava and a town Ormož. You should also stop in Gorišnica and see a beautiful renovated Dominikova domačija. Right before Ormož, there is Velika Nedelja with Romance church and a castle. Towards the south is Hajdina, known for its miters and on the northern part of Haloze Ptujska gora, a pilgrimage destination with a church with three naves (votive institution of the Counts of Ptuj) and a relief of St. Mary with a coat. Known baroque castle Štatenberg is located on the southeast, on the eastern end of Dravinske gorice.

In the direction from Ptuj towards Slovenska Bistrica, the largest and most known place is Kidričevo with a bauxite and aluminum factory. Slovenska Bistrica like Slovenske Konjice proves that there was a fierce fight for Slovenian nation. Former ?national homes?, German or Slovenian, are the most beautiful buildings in mentioned cities. Most of the towns in the area boast with more or less preserved castles and churches, known for their gilt baroque altars of Styria (baroque of Styria). Such church is also St. Barbara?s church by Slovenske Konjice.

Already early in times of monastery founding (1160), one of the most magnificent buildings of its time, Žička Kartuzija, was built near Slovenske Konjice. It is getting its shine back nowadays.

Eastern of Maribor, extensive Slovenske gorice hills extend form Svečina and Šentilj to Ljutomer and the center by the Drava River in the direction from northwest to southeast. It is a hilly and populated land with Lenart, as the largest town between Maribor and Gornja radgona, and Ljutomer as the center of Prlekija on the eastern side of Slovenske gorice. Nearby Radomerščak is the birthplace of a linguist, known in whole Europe, Fran Miklošič. Generally this part of Slovenia, Gornja Štajerska, boasts as the biggest intellectual reservoir of Slovenian nation. Here is the home of whole generations of Slovenian intellectuals, priests, poets, writers, politicians and others, without whom Slovenia wouldn?t be such, as it is today.

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Administrative region of  Zasavje is not considered as Spodnja Štajerska anymore (even less than Posavska), but it would be the right thing to mention it here. Especially because geographic area from west of Ljubljana Basin to the hills around the Sotla River is called Posavsko hribovje, recently also Vzhodno Predalpsko hribovje. The area contains almost 10% of the area of Slovenia, and it is more than 25 kilometers wide and 70 kilometers long.

On the north, Posavsko hribovje hills border on Tuhinjska dolina valley and Celjska kotlina basin, and on the south on the plateaus Nizke Dinarskokraške planote. Parallel mountain ridges are directed in Alpine direction from east to west, with intermediate systems of valleys. All the highest peaks in this area, Črni vrh with Čemšeniška planina, Mrzlica, Kum, Lisca and Bohor consist of limestone and dolomite, but otherwise, geological structure is very complicated, which is a consequence of intensive tectonic activities in the past. Valleys are covered with sediments of the former Pannonian Sea, which are rich in mostly already exploited brown coal. The highest peak is 1219 meters high Kum, which is also called Triglav of Dolenjska or Triglav of Zasavje, even though it cannot be compared with the real Triglav.

As the surface is water impermeable, water network here is very dynamic and the rivers cut many valleys, among which the biggest is the one, which was cut by the river Sava, from the confluence with Ljubljanica to Radeče. It is barely wide enough for a road on one side and a railway on the other. At Zidani Most, Savinja, which is flowing past Celje, perpendicular to mountain ridges of local hills, outfalls to Sava. That?s why Zidani Most became an important railway crossing, across which goes the lowest passage from Ljubljana to Celje Basin. By the railway and mines of brown coal, many miners? towns emerged, for example Zagorje, Trbovlje and Hrastnik. Mines in this region are closing down nowadays, but the importance of other activities is rising: chemical, glass, cement, electric and other industries. Thermal power plant Trbovlje is still very important.
The most famous among the persons, who characterized this area, is Janez Vajkard Valvasor, the author of the first encyclopedia about Slovenia ? Slava Vojvodine Kranjske (1689). It became known throughout all Europe. This project cost so much, that Valvasor had to sell his birth castle Bogenšperk with a rich library and move to Krško. Near Bogenšperk, there is Šmartno pri Litiji with new gothic parish church of St. Martin, and Litija, former important river port, which also has some industry today. From here is not far to GEOSS or Vače, known for Celtic vase Vaška situla. If we turn from these districts towards Trojane, we pass Izlake and Medijske Toplice, and we are already enjoying doghnuts in Trojane.

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Also Spodnja Štajerska is divided into several parts. At the upper part of the Savinja River, there is Zgornja Savinjska dolina valley with Logarska dolina, one of the most beautiful Alpine valleys, where the river Sava springs in the waterfall Rinka. Zadrečka dolina by the river Dreta is also considered a part of Zgornja Savinjska dolina. The highest mountains in this area are part of Kamnik-Savinja Alps (Planjava, Ojstrica), but also Oljševa with Potočka zijalka and Velika Raduha (2062 m) with Snežna jama are very famous. Two of the biggest settlements there are Solčava with gothic parish church of Saint Mary of the Snow and Gornji Grad by the Dreta River. This place was owned by patriarchs of Aquileia, which have also built Benedictine monastery in Gornji Grad in 12th century (in year 1140). It was later taken over by the Habsburgs and given to the newly founded archdiocese of Ljubljana in year 1461. Wide valleys by the rivers Savinja and Dreta are on the south side closed by plateaus Menina and Dobrovlje.

Farms, scattered upon the slopes, and dispersed settlements in the valleys make the area looks agrarian, but in fact, it is not agrarian any more. People earn more with wood, agro tourism and timber industry in the biggest settlements Mozirje, Ljubno, Gornji Grad and Nazarje. This industry has developed from centuries of the sawing, lumbering and wood crafting tradition. Recently, some other forms of industry have developed in the area, for example in Nazarje.

The basin Velenjska kotlina is not particularly big, but it is very important for the whole country. It is separated form Savinjska dolina with the hills Ložniško gričevje. Geologically, the basin is a tectonic sink, which occurred at the end of the Tertiary period (the only younger basin in Slovenia is Ljubljansko barje). Between the layers of sand, there are also layers of a coal ? lignite, which is 165 meters thick in the central area. The first mining of coal occurred in the second half of the 19th century, and the miners there are still active today ? they acquire around 4 million tons of coal per year, mostly for the thermal power plant in Šoštanj. More important in economy today is a factory of household appliances Gorenje, which has become one of the biggest producers of household appliances in the Europe and in the world. These were also the foundations for the development of the city Velenje, the fastest growing city in Slovenia (around 30000 inhabitants) and the fifth largest city in Slovenia. The second largest city in the basin, Šoštanj, remained in its shadow.

Velenjska kotlina (called Šaleška dolina by the locals) ascends toward Vitanjsko-Konjiške Karavanke with the highest peaks Konjiška gora, Paški Kozjak, Boč and Donačka gora in the east. Somewhere under the tow towered church of the Holy Cross on the Oljka Mountain, Zgornja Savinjska dolina ends, and Spodnja Savinjska dolina starts. Transitions of the Slovenian area are the best shown in the area of Celjska kotlina basin. Due to its climate characteristics, it is considered to be a part of the Pannonia region, but geographically, it is a part of the highlands and the Alpine hills. Like the Basin of Ljubljana, Celjska kotlina is a big tectonic sink, which is very dynamic in the north, but in the south and west, it is a flat land, called Savinjska ravan. Majority of this flat land is covered with gravel, which has been transported by the river Savinja, and with clay from the tributaries. Since the climate and ground in the area are favorable, the locals turned a great part of Spodnja Savinjska dolina to extensive fields of hops. Hop was produced only for trade, but as it is not as valuable as it used to be, also the hop industry is dying out. But it has contributed a great deal to a development of the basin, especially the countryside, which makes an impression, that the area?s economy is well developed.

The third largest city in Slovenia, Celje (Celeia), was founded at the confluence of the rivers Savinja, Hudinja and Voglajna already in antiquity. In Šempeter, by the former Roman road, leading past Trojane (Atrans) and Vransko to Celje, Romans built a necropolis for important families from Celje. Near the city, the river Voglajna, which comes from the area of Šmarsko Šentjursko podolje and past Štore, outfalls into Savinja. Soon after that, Savinja turns between the hills and outfalls to Sava at Zidani Most. Two known health resorts emerged by the Savinja?s path through Posavsko hribovje hills ? Laško and Rimske Toplice. Besides the health resort, Laško is also famous for its brewery from the year 1821, nicely renovated castle and an event Pivo in cvetje.
Celje
When we talk about Celje, probably every Slovenian thinks about the Counts of Celje, who were the most powerful feudal family in Slovenia at the end of the middle ages. In the time of Sigismund of Luxemburg, they even achieved honor of dukes (1436) and had equal authority as the Habsburgs. It is very likely, that Celje would become the capital of Slovenia, if the events in the past would occur in some different way. The Counts of Celje left only a few trails: Carthusian monastery Pleterje, the relief in Minorite monastery, some coats of arms and other things. But despite that, Celje has some magnificent buildings: a museum, the renaissance building from the 16th century with illusionistic ceiling paintings, lower castle (Knežji dvorec) of the Counts of Celje, abbey church of St. Daniel with Romanic core from 12th century and so on. In the beginning of the 20th century, Celje got two national homes, Slovenian and German.

Celje is also a city with developed chemical, metal and agricultural industry. Recently, Celje with its international craft fair made itself valued as a center of craft and business, not only in Slovenia, but also outside the country?s borders. Celje is also becoming a powerful sports center. There is also a known hill Aljažev hrib, with a mighty church of St. Joseph and an institution of Lazarists nearby. Not far away from Celje, there is Teharje, an unfortunate place, so instead, we should mention thermal spa resort Dobrna, Sladka Gora pri Lembergu (the pearl of the baroque of Styria), Šentjur (the birthplace of the family of doctors and musicians Ipavec) and Šmarje pri Jelšah with Kalvarija and known church of St. Rok.

Spodnja Štajerska extends to the southeast of Celje. Extensive and hilly land is named Kozjansko, after the largest place here, Kozje. The area was considered to be the least developed part of Slovenia for a long time. Transitional area between the rivers Savinja, Sava and Sotla is historically part of Štajerska, but it is often considered an independent (statistical) region. Posavje. Among the places in the area, we should mention Brežice, an old town with a castle (first a property of the bishops of Salzburg and later the Habsburgs) at the confluence of the rivers Sava and Krka. The castle in Brežice is today known for the festival of old music, which is today also held in different places across Slovenia. The castle Mokrice between Brežice and the border with Croatia and the castle Pišece are also quite famous and not far away. More than the castles, people are attracted by spa resort Terme Čatež.

If we go upwards by the Sava River, we arrive past Videm ? Styria part of Krško, to Brestanica, where the oldest castle in Slovenia, Rajhenburg, greets us from the cliff above Sava. The first owners of the castle were the bishops of Salzburg. In 1941, Germans transformed it to a gathering camp for around 45000 Slovenians, who were then deported to Germany, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia. There are many other places, if we continue our road by the river Sava: Sevnica, with nicely preserved castle from the middle ages, Boštanj with a castle and a hydroelectric power station, Loka pri Zidanem Mostu (Primož Trubar worked as a priest there for around 15 years), Radeče with an old paper factory, and then we arrive to Zidani Most.

Among the places further away from Sava, we should mention Jurklošter, one of four Slovenian Carthusian monasteries, which was closed the first. Castles are everywhere, even if we travel by the river Sotla upwards: Bizeljsko, Podsreda (a center of the memorial park Trebče), Podčetrtek (with renaissance castle), Olimje (the castle was transformed to a monastery with one of the oldest pharmacies in the Europe). There are thermal spa resorts in Olimske Toplice and Podčetrtek. We can also take a turn past Bistrica ob Sotli and go to Sveta gora, one of the oldest pilgrimage destinations in Slovenia. No less than 5 churches are located on the mountain ridge and the peak with the same name, Orlica.

On the north, we can see the mountains Boč (979 m) and Donačka gora. A town Rogatec with a museum in the nature, church of St. Jernej and the castle Strmol is located at the foothills of Donačka gora. Nearby Rogaška Slatina is the most cosmopolitan Slovenian natural health resort, and also known for its glass factory.

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Styria is the largest Slovenian region. It is probably going to be divided into three parts ? new administrative regions. In that area, Styria is going to be divided into two parts, one at the Drava River ? Podravje or Gornja Štajerska (Upper Styria), and the other at the Savinja River ? Savinjska or Spodnja Štajerska (Lower Styria). Let?s take a look at Spodnja Štajerska for the beginning, also because we can reach Savinjska and then Gornja Štajerska over already mentioned passes Črnivec, Motnik, Trojane and Kanderše.

Gornja Štajerska (Upper Styria)
The main artery of Gornja Štajerska is the Drava River, which cut its path between Kozjak in the north, and Pohorje in the south. From Maribor onwards it flows through flat land, it has flown that way since long time before the first settlements were founded there. On the east, there is another big river of Styria, Mura, and on the south, it flows much smaller (except when it?s flooded) river Dravinja. An extensive area around Pohorje hills is named Pohorsko Podravje. Geologically, Pohorje is a part of the Central Alps, as it is almost entirely built of metamorphic and igneous rocks. Pohorje has the widest and the most rounded ridges of all alpine hills, and they migrate into narrow ravines at the end. Large group of mountains, more than 50 kilometers long, 25 kilometers wide and 1500 meters high, contains Črni vrh (1534 m), Velika kopa (1542 m) and Rogla (1517 m). Read more…

Zasavje
Administrative region of Zasavje is not considered as Spodnja Štajerska anymore (even less than Posavska), but it would be the right thing to mention it here. Especially because geographic area from west of Ljubljana Basin to the hills around the Sotla River is called Posavsko hribovje, recently also Vzhodno Predalpsko hribovje. The area contains almost 10% of the area of Slovenia, it is more than 25 kilometers wide and 70 kilometers long. Read more…

Spodnja Štajerska (Lower Styria)
Also Spodnja Štajerska is divided into several parts. Zgornja Savinjska dolina with Logarska dolina valley is one of the most beautiful alpine valleys, and it starts in upper part of the Savinja River, at the source of the river, waterfall Rinka. Also Zadrečka dolina ob Dreti is a part of Zgornja Savinjska dolina. The highest mountains in this area are part of Kamnik-Savinja Alps (Planjava, Ojstrica), very famous are also Olševa mountain with Potočka zijalka and Velika Raduha (2062 m) with Snežna jama. Two of the biggest settlements there are Solčava with gothic parish church of Saint Mary of the Snow and Gornji Grad by the Dreta River. This place was owned by patriarchs of Aquileia, which have also built Benedictine monastery in Gornji Grad in 12th century (in year 1140). It was later taken over by the Habsburgs and given to the newly founded archdiocese of Ljubljana in year 1461. Wide valleys by the rivers Savinja and Dreta are on the south side closed by plateaus Menina and Dobrovlje. Read more…

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Region around the Mur River is considered as a part of or an extension of the Pannonian Plain. A part, which lies over the Mur River, is named Prekmurje, and it is divided into two parts, the hilly and the flat part. Goričko (Nature Park) is the northernmost region of Slovenia. From the border of three countries (Slovenia, Hungary, Austria), it descends to a flat land (Ravensko, Dolinsko) of southern Prekmurje and over Mur River passes to a hilly region of Slovenske gorice. For many centuries, the Mur River region with Porabje was a battlefield, so it was hardly worth to build a house.

Rulers of this land were foreigners, Austrian, Croatian and Hungarian noblemen. Under their influence, a part of the region converted to Protestantism. The most known protestant of Prekmurje is Štefan Kuzmič, who translated the Holy Bible into a dialect of Prekmurje. Despite the pressure, the dialect of Prekmurje was preserved by the effort of friendly local people. Names of places, ending with ?ci? (Šalovci, Martjanci, Beltinci, Odranci, Križevci?) indicate genuine Slavic origin. Special character is given to the land by around 7000 non-native Hungarians and Romani people.

The land by the Mur River was presented to Europe by a painter Janez Aquila (14th century) from Radgona, who painted the church in Turnišče with themes of stories about Hungarian king Ladislaus of Hungary, and the church of St. Martin in Martjanci. Even older is a circular chapel, made of bricks at the village Selo. Also Jože Plečnik added his mark to the European land by the Mur with his restorations of Romanesque ? Gothic church in Bogojina.

More than by religious monuments, tourists are attracted by many tourist resorts, which commonly use the foreign word ?terme?. Healing water springs in Radenci (Radenska), Banovci, Moravci, Lendava and elsewhere. In Lendava, oil industry is in decline, but they have a new cultural home for Hungarian minority. The land is rich with good wine, which, along with ?gibanica?, other goodies and friendly locals, attracts many visitors from near and far. The most recognized wine growing region is Radgonsko ? kapelse gorice on the Styrian side of the Mur River, with the wine cellar in Gornja Radgona. Radgona also has nicely renovated castle, but the bigger castle can be found in Murska Sobota, which is administrative and cultural center of Prekmurje, and with Mura fashion clothing factory also the biggest industrial point in the region. The largest castle stands in the region Goričko, in the settlement with the same name. It is being restored with EU funds.

Pomurje has been for centuries known for its typical low, straw-covered Pannonian houses, with too little space for so many people (that is why many of them worked abroad). Also floating mills on the Mur River are history now, but the symbols of Pomurje, storks, are returning to the land. This region is overall the most rich with animals of all Slovenian regions.

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Under the authority of Austria, Notranjska was part of Carniola, which extended from Ljubljana Basin to Kras and Istria. Borders of Notranjska are not simple to define at all. The best way to do this is probably to follow the borders of former municipalities, today administrative units. Notranjska consisted of municipalities Vrhnika, Logatec, Postojna and Ilirska Bistrica, while Idrija has always been specialty in administrative and language respect. It has been considered as a part of Severna Primorska, Notranjska and even Ljubljana. Also the municipality Ilirska Bistrica wants to become a part of the new coastal province, instead of Notranjska. Those municipalities are connected with common landscape characteristics, karst phenomena and transient territory.

If we arrive from Ljubljana, Notranjska begins in the Ljubljana?s suburbs. Past Ljubljana swamp on left and the Polhograjski Dolomites on right, we soon arrive to the birthplace of Slovenian writer, Ivan Cankar. We can also turn to former monastery of Carthusian monks in Bistra, which is now a technical museum of Slovenia. In direction towards Polhov Gradec, we should stop at the village Dvor, with mighty church of St. Peter from year 1577. Quickly developing ?double? Logatec boasts with majestic manor and strong timber industry. Soon, we have to take another turn, right towards Godovič and Idrija, or forward, towards Planina and onward to Cerknica in the plateau Bloke, Menešija and Rakitna.

Idrija has developed in the middle of nowhere, thanks to mercury, which was found there in year 1490 by some farmer. It gained municipal rights already in the beginning of 18th century. Even before, in 1575, the mercury mine became the property of Austria. It made nice profit for Austria, as it was also the second biggest mercury mine in the world, just behind Spanish Almaden. Mine?s administration was staying in an eminent castle Gewerkenegg, while the miners worked in unhealthy conditions under the Earth?s surface. They have developed many technical devices, which are today proudly exhibited in a museum.

Idrija was also attractive for many scientists, like botanist Janez Anton Scopoli, geologist and mineralogist Baltazar Hacquet, natural scientist Henrik Feyer and botanist Franc Hladnik. Beside technical schools, Idrija also founded the first gymnasium in Slovenia in 1903. Moreover, Idrija has church of the Holy Trinity and a town hall, which is also the birthplace of painter Nikolaj Pirnat. One of the attractions in Idrija are also ?klavži?, blockages, which were used to transport wood logs on water, and a water pump ?kamšt?, which was used to lift water from the mine. We could also mention the famous laceworks of Idria and several other interesting attractions.

The surroundings of Idrija are hilly, but still quite interesting. Divje jezero lake, which is the deepest karstic spring in Slovenia, is located six kilometers above Idrija. The village of Zakojca is the birthplace of the writer France Bevk, and in the gorge under the Vojsko plateau, there is a partisan hospital Franja. Cerkno, with successful factory Eti is also not far away from there.

If we leave highway Ljubljana ? Postojna at the exit Unec, we are already in the land of unusual karst phenomena: Rakov Škocjan and Cerknica with a periodic lake Cerkniško jezero. From Cerknica, one road leads to a remarkable hilly Menešija nad healthy Rakitna, and another road through picturesque Iški Vintgar back towards Ljubljana swamp. Other road leads on the Bloke plateau, the most desolated and wooded part of Notranjska. Past Križna jama we arrive in Lož and Stari trg, and then to the castle Snežnik, which is not far away from 1796 meters high Snežnik, also called ?Triglav of Notranjska?. Clear waters from hills of Snežnik turn towards Ilirska Bistrica, where they become polluted and continue to flow as a river Reka past the castle Perm and through remarkable caves Škocjanske jame, which were proclaimed as natural heritage by Unesco.

Even more famous than Škocjanske jame is world-known cave Postojnska jama near the largest city of Notranjska, Postojna (more than 20000 inhabitants). The cave is known for its stalactites, stalagmites, baldachins, curtains and especially for the animal proteus. The most famous attraction in the surroundings of Postojnska jama is the castle Predjamski grad. Postojna also has an institution for the Karst researches of SAZU, founded in 1947, which is now becoming world famous Mecca of the Karst researches. Southern of Postojna, there is Pivka, which is an important railway crossing, with connections to Rijeka and Trieste. In the direction of Trieste, we meet a polluted Reka again in the valley Vremska dolina, and then we arrive to Divača, Sežana and Trieste.

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Eastern of the road Kranj ? Mengeš we pass the airport of Jože Pučnik, and if we turn towards Kamniške planine at Moste near Komenda, we soon arrive at Kamnik, which was already mentioned before. Famous intellectual Peter Pavel Glavar lived and worked in Komenda and Moste, and also Plečnik left his mark there. We should mention the church of St. Anne in Tunjice, with an energy center nearby. There is poorly maintained castle Stari grad, proudly strutting over Kamnik, and above it, under Velika planina, distinguished Sveti Primož with two chuches, worth visiting.

Mali grad castle in the center of the town, Zaprice castle, Sandikar?s collection and many churches are better maintained than Stari grad. Franciscan church also has a monastery with an extensive library. Also monastery Mekinje in direction of Kamniška Bistrica is well known. Kamnik is a starting point of roads through Tuhinjska dolina valley and Črna valley, across the pass Črnivec (902 m) to Styria. We can also access Styria by highway past Domžale through Črni graben to Trojane (Atrans), or through Moravška dolina valley across the pass Kandrše. This is near geometric center of Slovenia, near Vače (vaška situla), but this is not a part of Gorenjska anymore, but Zasavje.

Description of Gorenjska is not perfect without the description of its capital city, Kranj. Without it, Gorenjska is almost meaningless. Kranj is an old settlement, which is proven over and over again with archeological excavations. Roman Carnium was renamed to Chreina by the bishops of Brixen. The name comes from the times of Celts and Illyrians, who liked to name places with the word ?kar? (rock, stone). In the middle ages, Kranj was the center of the lower Karnija, headquarters of arch parish and border county. Urban and spiritual center of Kranj is Glavni trg square with town hall Mestna hiša, church of St. Cantianius from 15th century and other respectable civic buildings. Near is also the church of the Rosary, former center of the Protestants, with Plečnik?s arcades. The castle Khiselstein used to be headquarters of border count, but today there are various cultural institutions and one of the main stages of cultural events in Kranj. Another such center is the theater Prešernovo gledališče with a statue of the poet and professional group of actors. Kranj got a gymnasium already in the times of Napoleon (1810).

France Prešeren, the greatest Slovenian poet, finally decayed and eventually died in Kranj. That?s why sometimes Kranj is called the city of Prešeren. The hose, where he worked as a lawyer in the last years of his life, is nicely renovated and maintained.

Kranj is also an important industrial, commercial and banking center with strong rubber (Sava) and electronic industry (Iskratel), Merkur and Gorenjska banka. Today, it has more than 40000 inhabitants.

Gorenjska – Kranj, Kamnik, Gorenjska – Radovljica, Škofja Loka, Gorenjska – Triglav, Bled, Bohinj

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Almost 200 kilometers long mountain range of Karavanke begins far before Jesenice, but shows the most beautiful part right above the town, in the Alpine meadow Golica, and then it ascends to the highest peak, 2236 meters high Stol. Towns under Karavanke are birth places of many clever Slovenians, for example linguist Matija Čop in Žirovnica, beekeeper Anton Janša in Breznica, writer and priest Franc Saleški Finžgar in Doslovče and writer and priest Janez Jalen in Rodine.

Another significant town in this area is also Radovljica, ancient parish and important administrative center of the region. It is known for Thurn?s manor with beekeeping museum and annual concerts of old music in summer. Another notable building here is the church of St. Peter with priest?s house. Radovljica is also the birthplace of the first Slovenian writer of comedies, Anton Tomaž Linhart. One road from Radovljica leads to Kropa, old center of iron craft and forward past Jamnik and Dražgoše to the valley Selška dolina, with the largest town in it, Železniki. This town is named after iron ore (iron foundry) and is still important industrial town (Domel, Alples). If we come to Selška dolina from Bohinj across Soriška planina and through the village Sorica (Ivan Grohar), we can admire the valley from the beginning to the end, from Zali Log to Škofja Loka.
Škofja Loka celebrated its 1000 years of existence already in 1973, which makes it one of the four oldest cities in Slovenia. Company of Škofja Loka in Gorenjska is a bit younger Kamnik. Škofja loka with its surroundings was most of the time owned by the bishops of Freising, who also built the famous castle Loški grad, which was later transformed to the Loški muzej museum with gallery. Škofja Loka is known for its many churches: Parish church of St. James, the Ursuline and the Capuchin church with two monasteries, church of St. George in Stara Loka (ancient parish). Especially worth mentioning is ancient Kašča, which is today gallery Miheličeva galerija. Squares Mestni and Spodnji trg are dividing citizens also by their social situation. Industry has developed by the railway on Trata (Termika, Jelovica, LTH).

If we come from Ljubljana, Škofja Loka is a starting point to the valley Poljanska dolina, where the river Poljanska Sora flows. It is approximately as long as Selška dolina, and ends in Žiri with known factory Alpina. We can get to Primorska over the pass Kladje. Hills of Škofjeloško hribovje are located between these two valleys, from Lubnik over Škofja Loka over Stari vrh and Blegoš (1562 m) to Črni vrh. The valley is known for the birthplaces of several important Slovenian artists, especially painters, with the Šubic family as the most famous family of painters. Also famous are Anton Ažbe and many other self-taught painters. In Visoko near Poljane stands Tavčar?s mansion, but no one knows, for how long will it stand in the future.

We have mentioned Radovljica, on the north of the Sava River. From there, it?s not far to Begunje with Elan factory, to castle Kamen (the valley Draga) or to the place of pilgrimage, Brezje, with the largest Slovenian pilgrimage church. Under the Karavanke mountains and at the beginning of Kamniške Alpe, there is a city Tržič and nearby mountain pass Ljubelj and Dolžanova soteska gorge. Tržič is known center of leather and weaving craft. Along the road under Storžič (2132 m), we pass Golnik (known hospital) and arrive to Kokrica near Kranj, where another road leads by the river of Kokra past Predvor to Jezersko, with the pass of the same name.

Gorenjska – Kranj, Kamnik, Gorenjska – Radovljica, Škofja Loka, Gorenjska – Triglav, Bled, Bohinj

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In the direction towards hinterlands, we easily pass the slope of Črni Kal or Kozina by the new highway, and we arrive to Razdrto, where we turn left, if we want to go to the valley Vipavska dolina. For now, we can access it only by the old road, full of bumps, under the hill Nanos. The center of Vipavska valley is Vipava, the birthplace of a diplomat and historian Žiga Herberstein and protestant writer Sebastijan Krelj. Renaissance mansion of count Lanthieri gives a special characteristic to the town. Also the renaissance castle Zemono, a bit forward through the valley, was a property and summer resort of counts of Vipava. Then we arrive to a town, once surrounded by a wall, Ajdovščina. The first Slovenian (communist) government was founded there, in May 1945, but today, the town is known for its factory of fruit juices Fructal.

The ancient settlement Vipavski Križ, walled in post of counts of Gorizia, most recently Attems, is located on a long hill in the middle of the valley. The place is also known for its Capuchin monastery, where the author of baroque sermons, Janez Svetokriški, had worked. Above the valley rises high and extensive plateau Trnovski gozd (forrest), with the highest peak Čaven (1185 m), and on the southern side, there is an area, called Kras.

Karst is a region between the bay of Trieste and the valley Vipavska dolina. It extends from the plane of Soča River on the northwest, to Brkini on the southeast. Altogether, it embraces around 500 square kilometers, a little part of which is in Italy, and everything else is in Slovenia. Single parts of Kras are sometimes referred to as Komenski, Sežanski or Tržaški kras, named after the largest settlements in the area.

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Severna (Northern) Primorska starts at Nova Gorica. This is divided and yet connected community of Gorizia and Nova Gorica, which used to have strong Slovenian minority on the Italian side, but after the World War I, most of them moved from there, as Gorizia was destroyed in war. Until recently, the only notable thing in Nova Gorica was the casino Hit, but recently, also the theater Primorsko dramsko gledališče and a private university ? Politehnika are becoming important. There are several notable castles in the surrounding countryside. Kostanjevica, Franciscan monastery with a vaulted tomb of Bourbons, is located on one of the hills, not far away from Kromberk, another castle. A castle, Dobovo, also stands in Brda. It?s not only a wine cellar, but also an artistic museum (Zoran Mušič). In Brda, we should also mention Medana, the birthplace of a poet Alojz Gradnik, and pilgrimage mountain Sveta gora on the Italian side.

Up along the Soča River, past Anhovo (with a cement factory) and Kanal (the birthplace of an alpinist Valentin Stanič) we come to the town Tolmin, a center of upper Posočje. An extensive area, called Tolminsko, was named after it. This land will not forget three bloody years of the First World War, as well as it won?t forget its poet, Simon Gregorčič, who foretold the sanguinary events on the Soča River in the poem Soči. Most na Soči, with a confluence of Soča and Idrijca, is the birthplace of a writer Pregelj, while Vrsno in the vicinity is the birthplace of a poet Simon Gregorčič. Kobarid (Caporetto), where the Italian army suffered the worst defeat in the World War I, is not far away. Today, Kobarid is known for its magnificent tomb, dedicated to the Italian soldiers, who died in the war, and memorial museum, which was proclaimed as the European museum of the year several years ago.

Mighty mountain Krn boasts above Kobarid, while there is even higher mountain Kanin over Bovec, with the highest ski slopes in Slovenia. Nearby Koritnica, there is the last bigger settlement in Slovenia, Log pod Mangartom. We can find out from the name, which mountain is above it, even though Jalovec is not far away. Over the mountain pass Predel, we come to the Italian side again, but we can still find Slovenian people, as well as we can find them in the northern Kanalska dolina valley. If we continue our way along the Soča river through the valley of Trenta, we pass the monument of a mountaineer and a writer, Julius Kugy, and arrive to the mountain pass Vršič (1618 m) and thus on the division of waters that flow to the Adriatic Sea and to the Black Sea. This is also a border between Primorska and Gorenjska.

Northern Primorska and Soča Valley, Vipavska valley and Karst, Primorska

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