kropa settlement
Kropa is a place that is less visited due to its remoteness, but that is why it is even more interesting and worth a visit. The settlement at the bottom of the magnificent natural amphitheater, created by the slopes of the forested Jelovica, takes its name from the Kroparica torrent. The stream that winds through the settlement froths loudly in the rainy season like a ‘crop’ in a pot, hence the name of the place – Kropa. It is famous for its traditional iron and blacksmithing activities. The oldest archaeological remains date back to the antiquity, and the settlement is said to have been established in the 13th century, flourishing from the 18th to the second half of the 19th century. Since 1953, the core of Kropa has been the first place in Slovenia to be legally protected as a cultural and historical monument of national importance.
What is a must-see in KROPA?
The famous ironworks houses, the picturesque old town square, the museums that tell the stories of ironworking, blacksmithing and the history of the town, as well as the traditional events, invite all those who like to explore and look for new experiences.
Traditional events
The sheges, originating from church festivals and work customs have a really long tradition in Kropa. For centuries, at the beginning of spring and summer, the local people have been preserving their cultural heritage in a special way and passing it down from generation to generation.
Discovering the surroundings
You can discover the former routes of miners on foot or by bicycle. You will enjoy the beautiful views from ‘Zidana skala’ above Kropa or from the impressive Jamnik, from where you can see a large part of Gorenjska region
Young ones can enjoy the Little Blacksmith’s Trail and have a pleasant forest experience.
In summer, you can enjoy the public swimming pool at the end (or beginning) of Kropa, which also offers volleyball and tennis courts. and a bar. Entrance fee.
In summer, you can enjoy the public swimming pool at the end (or beginning) of Kropa, which also offers volleyball and tennis courts. and a bar. Entrance fee.
6 sights we recommend you to visit in kropa:
- Slovenska peč / Slovenian furnace – The oldest preserved smelting furnace in Slovenia and one of the oldest preserved in Europe. It was in use until the middle of the 15th century. It represents an archaeological phenomenon in the field of iron-making technical heritage. (The furnace is shaped like a pyramid pointing downwards, measuring about three metres in height).
- Kovaški muzej / The Blacksmith Museum Centuries of forging tradition is gathered in the imposing Klinar House in the middle of the square, the first technical museum in Slovenia.
- Vigenjc Vice – a forge where nails were once made by hand, with the help of water (water wheels). It is the only fully preserved forge for manual nail hammering. In the 19th century, as many as 50 water wheels rotated on Kroparica, at a distance of 1200 m.
- Town square – ‘Plac’ and the famous blacksmith’s houses – an intermediate variant between a peasant’s house and a middle-class house (Potočnik’s house, Mazzolova’s house, Fovšaritnica, Lodnova’s house with a sign and others), Nemška or Gosposka gasa (lane).
- Water reservoir ‘bajer’ and Water troughs – ‘rake’, Zgornje fužine
- The Church of St. Lenart and the subsidiary church of the Mother of God, which was once a pilgrimage destination. There is a legend associated with its construction, which the locals love to tell you.
Traditional events
- The launching of the barge on the eve of St.Gregory’s Day (11 March) is a custom associated with the beginning of spring and has a centuries-old tradition in the town. In the past, when there was no electricity and the sun did not shine in the valley for 4 months, St Gregory’s Day marked a turning point in the lives of the blacksmiths, who no longer needed artificial light for their work. They symbolically welcomed the arrival of spring and light by throwing burning objects into the water: old clogs, baskets and ‘jerbas’. Today, children make different models, put a burning candle in them, and drop them into the water. Worth seeing.
- ‘Kovaški šmaren’ is a local feast day. The celebration commemorates the first consecration of the Church of the Mother of God in Kropa. During the celebration, which takes place on the first Saturday of July every year, you can watch live hand-forging of nails and blacksmith’s wares, the cooking of a charcoal pile and the smelting of iron ore, or try one of Kropar’s traditional dishes and mingle with the locals at the ‘Plac’. A truly authentic experience.
- The painting colony for adults takes place every year during the celebration of Kovaški Šmarn.
- Kropa’s Happy day of culture is one of the major events in the second half of the year.
