Združenje zgodovinskih mest Slovenije

Radovljica

A walled town

In the Alpine area between Jelovica and the Karavanke range, a town has stood on the river terraces above the confluence of the Sava Bohinjka and Sava Dolinka since the 14th century, and this town boasts unique examples of medieval buildings painted with frescoes. Behind the walls, with their only preserved defensive moat in Slovenia, await the town’s sites of interest, the castle park, museums and galleries and the main square, in which events and festivals are held. Radovljica is also the centre of Slovenian beekeeping. Just 7 km from Radovljica is the tourist location of Bled with its picturesque lake, island with a chapel and the castle perched on a mighty clifftop.

BEHIND THE WALLS AND MOAT

The old town centre is itself a collection of architecturally and culturally surprising structures. The outstanding ones include:

Šivec House – a completely preserved burgher house with a medieval ground plan; the house façade with its intricate edging is adorned with frescoes from the 17th century; the house also has a wedding hall;

Magušar House – with late gothic arcade atrium where exhibitions of ceramics take place;

Mali House – a Gothic-Renaissance building with an upper storey pier and stocks;

Vidic House – a Renaissance Radovljica mansion from the 17th century with a portal made by a famous stonemason’s workshop;

Radovljica Mansion – a Baroque two-storey manor house in the middle of the town, with a renovated Baroque hall on the first floor and Radovljica museum collections;

Church of St. Peter – a 15th century church adorned with towers and the remains of walls that give it the appearance of a defensive encampment; the parsonage next to it is distinguished by an arcade walkway from the 16th century;

The Castle park – the remnant of a Baroque garden with an avenue of beeches;

Gothic Tavern – the space preserved in the rectory with the exhibition of vinorels (paintings with wine);

Chapel of St. Edith Stein – a German bunker from the World War II houses a chapel dedicated to the philosopher, the Carmelite and the patron of the European Union.

BITTERSWEET FEATURES

You can check out a whole range of museums in the town and surrounding area at www.muzeji-radovljica. si. Come and see:

Radovljica Municipal Museum – with its collection on the important Slovenian dramatist and national consciousness figure Anton Tomaž Linhart in Radovljica Manor House;

Radovljica Beekeeping Museum – offering a comprehensive presentation of the Slovenian beekeeping tradition, the native Carniolan grey and painted beehive panels;

Kropa Blacksmith’s Museum – presenting the development of ironworking from ore to nails, life in the ironworking settlement of Kropa, and a collection of artistic smithing work; Hostages Museum in Begunje – a testament to the suffering of the Slovenians during the Second World War;

Avsenik Museum in Begunje – with a collection on the world famous popular folk music created by the Avsenik brothers; www.avsenik.com;

Gingerbread Museum and Workshop – with live presentations of gingerbread making, an old Slovenian craft linked to beekeeping; www.lectar.com;

Mošnje Local Museum – this houses two collections. The first presents the town and its inventory of buildings, societies and events, the school and church, and the second has a rich collection of farm tools and machinery. Close to the village is the archaeological find of a Roman villa rustica;

GREEN: THE CARNIOL AN GREY

Bees are an important indicator of threats to the natural environment. Slovenia has 180,000 bee colonies, and is the only member of the EU to have protected its native species of bee, the Carniolan grey. In Radovljica you can find out everything about the Carniolan grey in the Beekeeping Museum, and to the buzzing of bees you can visit Breznica, which features a reconstruction of the apiary of Anton Janša, the initiator of modern beekeeping in the 18th century.

PEGAM AND LAMBERGAR

Legend has it that in the 15th century Pegam and his army rampaged through this countryside. The Emperor called upon the brave Lambergar for help, and he in turn vanquished Pegam. Pegam then turned into a three-headed monster and vanished into the underworld. Their struggle is also a theme on painted beehive panels, which are on display in the Beekeeping Museum. Lambergar is also recalled in the romantic ruins of Kamen Castle in Begunje, close to Radovljica, which belonged to the Lamberg family.

TIC Radovljica
Linhartov trg 9, SI-4240 Radovljica
T: +386 (0)4 531 51 12
F: +386 (0)8 205 13 36
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www.radolca.si