Vrhnika: Springs, Trails and Roman Traces

In Vrhnika, trails lead to springs, historical traces and places of remembrance. The Cankar Memorial House is located in the house where the writer Ivan Cankar was born in 1876. The building is designated as a cultural monument. Inside, furniture and other furnishings from the late 19th century have been preserved, illustrating the everyday life of the Cankar family.

Nature

A defining landscape can be found in the Močilnik spring valley. There, the Veliki Močilnik and Mali Močilnik springs flow into the Mala Ljubljanica. Veliki Močilnik emerges beneath 40-metre-high rock walls, also known as Hudičeve skale. Above the bridge at the spring in the Močilnik valley, the rock imprint “Jazonova pest” is also embedded in the rock.

Above Vrhnika lies the wooded Planina at an elevation of 733 metres. It has a mountain hut and a 22-metre-high observation tower. Planina is a junction of several hiking trails, including the European long-distance trail E6. Two named trails differ in their routes: “Pot čez Špico” is the somewhat steeper and shorter ascent to Planina, while “Pot mimo Bukve” is the gentler and somewhat longer descent from Planina.

Things to do

Several experiences connect Vrhnika with the landscape around Močilnik and Planina. The “Tempelj zmaja Lintverna” experience begins in Vrhnika and follows a 4.5-kilometre route in each direction. The final kilometre is a mountain hiking trail. The route is designed as a circular trail and passes through a landscape with a stream, ponds, small waterfalls and wild forest.

The “Pot Cankarjeve mladosti” trail ends in Močilnik at the springs of the Ljubljanica. A three-hour guided version of this trail includes a visit to the Cankar Memorial House. Another guided city tour is “A Walk Through History”: it leads through the centre of Vrhnika and lasts about two hours. It presents Roman Vrhnika as Nauportus; the tour includes visible remains of the Roman defensive wall Claustra Alpium Iuliarum.

Biciklanc provides a bicycle rental system for getting around Vrhnika. It can also be used by visitors who would like to get around Vrhnika more easily by bicycle.

History

Roman traces can be found in several places. In Turnovše, the remains of a Roman observation tower have been preserved; it was part of the Claustra Alpium Iuliarum fortification system. A section of the corner tower of a pentagonal Roman fortification has also been preserved next to the cemetery in Vrhnika.

The “Time Station Vrhnika” exhibition is located in the renovated Vrhnika–Trg railway station, later known as Vrhnika’s town railway station. It covers the history of transport in the Vrhnika area and includes an interactive quiz. “Time Station Vrhnika” also offers a virtual train journey through various historical time stations. The “Ljubljanica River Exhibition” in Vrhnika has ceased its activities.

Cuisine

Planina also has a regional speciality: štruklji filled with plums are offered as a Vrhnika speciality at the mountain hut on the summit of Planina.

For the general travel overview: Municipality of Vrhnika.