The townof the Passion

This best preserved medieval town, with its guild traditions and a black man in its crest, has many intriguing stories. Every seven years, the town below Škofja Loka Castle comes alive with a colourful passion procession, a special enactment of Christ’s suffering and resurrection using the oldest dramatic text in Slovenian. The mosaic of events and authentic Škofja Loka cuisine bring curious people into the town from near and far.

GLIMPSES OF THE MIDDLE AGES

Wherever you look in Škofja Loka, you can catch sight of medieval beauty. Come and see:

Škofja Loka Castle – the former seat of the local territorial lord, it was renovated after the earthquake in 1511; it houses the Loka Museum collections;

Kašča – the granary, a building intended for storing taxes paid in kind, and built as part of the town walls before the 1511 earthquake; it houses a gallery, restaurant and wine bar;

the Stone or Capuchin Bridge – a bridge more than 600 years old, one of the oldest monuments of bridge building in Europe. On it stands a statue of St. John of Nepomuk with the Škofja Loka crest;

Homan House – a town mansion in the Gothic style with Renaissance elements, it was renovated in the 16th century. Today it houses a delightful confectioner’s and coffee shop;

Martin House – built onto the town walls, dating to the 14th century, and fully preserved in the section next to the house;

Old Town Hall (Rotovž) – dating from the 16th century, the pre-eminent building of Mestni Trg square; it has a Gothic portal, entrance hall and door and Renaissance arcaded courtyard;

Sign of the Virgin – a Baroque sign with statues of St. Roque, St. Anthony and St. Mary, erected by the town in 1751 in thanks for protection from the plague and fire.

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

Preserved behind the walls of the imposing medieval buildings are special features of the past and art of the present:

Loka Museum – featuring archaeological, historical, cultural, artistic, ethnological and natural science collections at Škofja Loka Castle; the museum workshops recreate the old guild crafts;

Ivan Grohar Gallery – a space in the centre of town for attractive ambiental and multimedia installations;

France Mihelič Gallery – the medieval Kašča building houses a permanent exhibition of graphics, drawings and paintings by France Mihelič;

Library of the Capuchin Monastery – alongside priceless incunabula and religious books it houses the original manuscript of the oldest preserved dramatic text in Slovenian – the Škofja Loka Passion.

Nace House in Puštal – an ethnographic monument of Slovenia’s rural architecture heritage;

Centre of domestic craftwork – exhibition of and-made products, working room and the centre for transfer of such skills to young generation.

GREEN: LOCAL CUISINE

Wherever you are, consume what grows there. The dishes of Škofja Loka are based on products from nature. Škofja Loka kruhki buns contain honey from nearby apiaries, and they are baked in hand-carved moulds. Loška smojka, which was once a Lenten dish, is based on home-made turnip stuffed with millet gruel.

BLACK MAN IN THE CREST

What is a black man doing in the town crest? Enjoying gratitude! When the lord of the land, Abraham, and his black servant were travelling here, they encountered a huge bear in a dark wood. The African felled the bear with his bow, and his lord said to him: “You saved my life! I shall reward you by ensuring that later generations know what a hero you were.” And he had the servant painted into the town’s crest.

TOURISM ŠKOFJA LO KA
Kidričeva cesta 1a, SI-4220 Škofja Loka
T: +386 (0)4 517 06 00
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www.skofja-loka.com

Škofja Loka – Ljubljana 22 km Škofja Loka – Bled 38 km Škofja Loka – Koper 125 km Škofja Loka – Maribor 142 km Škofja Loka – Letališče J.P. Ljubljana 18 km