by wes eichenwald, june 2003

It wouldn't be exaggerating things to say that Slovenia's heritage is inseparable from the venerable town of Škofja Loka. That said, paying homage to the past needn't be a chore: Loka makes a delightful day trip in the present tense. Its steep, winding and slightly mysterious streets whet one's appetite with anticipation of discoveries round the bend, and the 16th-century buildings at the core fulfill all expectations with their painted facades and the blossoms peeping from beneath every window. The old town is hemmed in by the River Sora, which branches out in two directions at the town's eastern border, and on the south end by remnants of the old city wall. The northwest border is connected to the outer world by a six-century-old stone bridge (called simply the Stone Bridge, or, alternately, Capuchin Bridge). Walking through the old town feels a bit like traversing an Escher drawing in 3-D, as stone steps take you down one level, from Plac (Upper Square) to Lontrg (Lower Square), and ancient hills back up another way.

Slovenes consider Škofja Loka's architecture, along with that of Ljubljana, Ptuj, Kranj and Piran, to be among the nation's most culturally and historically significant. Buildings not to miss include the frescoed Old Town Hall and the massive Homan House, both of which mix Baroque and Gothic elements; the Špital Church, built in the early 18th century on the ruins of a 16th-century poorhouse; and the 15th-century Parish Church of Šentjakob (St. Jacob), with an interior redone in the 20th century by the ubiquitous master Jože Plečnik. There is also, naturally, a castle on a hill. Retaining basically the same appearance after being rebuilt after a massive earthquake in 1511, the castle now houses the various exhibits and interests of the Museum of Škofja Loka.

Literary-minded Slovenes (aren't they all...) also know Loka for not one but two key national relics: the Freising Manuscripts and the Škofja Loka Passion. Not surprisingly in this church-heavy town, both are ecclesiastical in nature. The passion play, a form deriving from medieval penitent processions, was written in 1721 by the Capuchin monk Romuald Marušič it's the oldest known dramatic text in the Slovene tongue. Revived in the late 1990s, it garners visitors from throughout Slovenia and elsewhere when performed in the open air every other year; 600 participants present the Passion in 20 scenes, in four locations, to over 30,000 spectators.

The area's ecclesiastical history began back in the distant year 796, when the Patriarchate of Aquileia assumed control over missionary activities south of the River Drava. In 973, German emperor Otto II granted present-day Stara (Old) Loka and its surroundings as a feudal estate to Abraham, Bishop of Freising. (The town's name derives in part from škof, the Slovene word for bishop; loka means meadow.) The manuscripts associated with old Abe are 10th-century Latin liturgical texts, along with three that are the earliest known writings in the Slovene language.

Over the last weekend in June, the people of Loka hold a medieval street fair called the Path of Venus (Venerina pot). It couldn't have a more authentic setting; throughout the actual Middle Ages the town was a regional center for craftsmen and their guilds, not to mention a lively trading post.

Škofja Loka is home to one more culturally significant item, kruhek -decorated gingerbread, cast from wooden moolds in various shapes and sizes. Widely made in the 19th century, it was revived as a 20th-century souvenir item; today, every tourist shop in Slovenia seems to have examples.

For lunch, you'd do well to head for the delightful, stone-walled wine cellar that is the gostilna-galerija Plevna on Spodnji trg (a/k/a Lontrg/Lower Square) in the historic Kašča, or granary building. In this attractive cellar pub my future wife and I enjoyed well-prepared grilled squid, pizza and a side of potatoes, along with several glasses of good Slovene wine, for less than 2000 SIT apiece. The Plevna's upper two stories are given over to an art gallery, one floor of which shows rotating, usually local, exhibits, the other devoted to the dreamlike, often hauntingly dark visions of painter France Mihelič (1907-1998), who was born nearby.

Wandering out in the vicinity, the inquisitive traveler can discover many fascinating old churches and country homes. You might visit the Kalan homestead in Visoko village (owned for a time by the writer Ivan Tavčar, whose surroundings inspired him to pen the Chronicle of Visoko); the country Church of the Annunciation at Crngrob, north of Loka, which dates to the late 13th century and houses remarkable 15th century frescoes; or hike on or in the vicinity of Mt. Lubnik, past caves and ruined castles. (This is a particularly good area for my favorite bit of travel advice: venture off the beaten path whenever you can.)

And when you get home, wherever home is, you'll remember the fast-rushing Sora, the old stone bridge, the graceful painted faces of the grand houses, the welcoming air of the tavern, the ancient, perfect cobblestones, the swooping, slanted streets, the hospitality of the citizens, and the extraordinary beauty of what's not just another small town in Slovenia.

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Getting there: Only 21 km northwest of Ljubljana, Škofja Loka is an ideal day trip from the capital, easily accessible by public bus or private car.

Contacts: Tourist information center: Mestni trg 7, 4220 Škofja Loka, tel. +386 (0)4-512-02-68. Gostilna Plevna, Spodnji trg 1, tel. +386 (0)4-512-43-00.

Web resources: The town's official website, www.skofjaloka.si, in Slovene, English, German and Italian. E-mail: [email protected].

The website of the regional tourist association for Škofja Loka and three other towns, www.lto-blegos.si, contains a wealth of information in five languages about the truly abundant leisure activities the area offers to those willing to explore.

Škofja Loka is a member of the Slovenian Association of Historic Towns (Združenje zgodovinskih mest Slovenije). Established in Ptuj in 2001, its aims include promoting the restoration and preservation of old town cores, economic development, and educating Slovenia's youth. The website, in Slovene and English, is at www.zdruzenje-zg-mest.si, and is warmly recommended to anyone with an interest in Slovenia's medieval legacy.

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