Things to see and do Idrija

They are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their exceptional size (the second largest mercury mine in the world). The visit begins with a short film that provides a better understanding of Idrija's mining reality. It continues with a breathtaking underground descent. As the visit progresses, we sink deeper underground, crossing here and there a period chapel, narrower and narrower galleries with wet walls. We then think of ourselves as the main character in a Jules Verne novel. Claustrophobic abstain!

In 1997, the museum was awarded the prize for Best European Technical and Industrial Museum. The castle was built in 1523. A fortress against Ottoman aggression, it became the headquarters of the mining administration until 1940. Its remarkable arcaded courtyard now hosts cultural evenings. Unequal quality of the permanent exhibition. The first part, located on the first floor, highlights extracts of local rocks and gems without providing any explanation in a language other than Slovenian. As you continue your itinerary through the museum, you fall in admiration for an impressive mineralogical and petrographic collection that also lacks context. The second part of the exhibition offers an intelligible and concise contextualization, in English, of the exploitation of mercury in the region through its discoverers, the working conditions it requires, its key personalities and its inexorable decline. This transition makes it possible to introduce a last floor of exhibition very rich in information about the 20th century in Idrija: the occupations it has undergone, the particular role of the supporters, the essential place of Idrija lace in the local heritage. The last rooms, where we must praise the effort of interactivity, allow us to get a more precise and global idea of the interest of mercury in our daily lives. As you will have understood, the visit is essential to better understand the specificity of Idrija.

The lace school was founded in 1876 by Ivana Ferjančič and occupies the premises of the former primary school. This training centre works in collaboration with the local high school and organizes internships. An exhibition room on the ground floor allows you to appreciate the work of the expert hands. The result is impressive in its finesse and regularity. Don't hesitate to take a detour to the small shop that sells many pieces, a nice gift idea!

The church was built in the year 1500, after a tank manufacturer discovered by the greatest chance the presence of mercury in this area. Obviously, this underground resource has allowed the rapid establishment of a city to manage its operations. A wooden church was therefore erected on the site of the discovery. In the 1980s, it was substantially modified to ensure its sustainability. The municipal apiary is located in the garden of the religious building.

The trail around the lake is often closed because it is located under limestone cliffs from which many rocks are detached. It is formed from a visible geological crack. Its underground source is 83 m deep. When you bend down to observe, a feeling of vertigo surprises you, the sheer drop is impressive. The Proteus anguinus, close cousin of the salamander, lives here. The river Jezernica which rises from the lake is the smallest in Slovenia (55 m).

It is located in the south-east of the city, a few hundred metres from the centre: it is the largest wood water wheel in Europe with a diameter of 13.60 m. It is more than two hundred and twenty years old. It was in operation until 1948 and pumped water from the mines to a depth of 283 m, at a rate of 2 m³ per minute. Its mechanism is still in a very good state of conservation today. The objective of this technical innovation was to allow miners to access the most isolated areas of the mine. Not to be missed!

The climb is steep from the city centre. However, the difference in altitude makes it possible to reach this church at the top of a hill in about thirty minutes. When the weather is mild, the view of Idrija and the surrounding mountains invites contemplation. The church itself is no longer open to visitors, but it reminds us that the patron saint of miners still watches over his city. A monumental Way of the Cross accompanies the last effort of ascent in a fascinating setting.