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BOHINJ
by
ALOHA DEAN
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Bohinj (German Wochein) is an alpine valley and a municipality
in the north-west of Slovenia, in the Julian Alps. It is
recognisable by its periglacial lake, Lake Bohinj (Slovenian
Bohinjsko jezero, German Wocheinersee). Some 20km long and 5km wide, Bohinj is the name given to the entire Sava Bohinjka basin southwest of Bled. The valley consists of four regions; Spodnja Dolina, Zgornja Dolina, Ukanška kotlina, Nomenjska kotlina (Upper Valley, Lower Valley, Ukanc, Nomenj). It is bounded by Komarča on one end and Soteska, which is in fact a narrow canyon, at the other. However, the municipality of Bohinj covers a much larger area than only the Bohinj Valley. The Lower Bohinj Mountain Range represents its southern border. The Sava river has carved a canyon between the Jelovica and Pokljuka plateaus in the east. To the north, Triglav, Slovenia's highest mountain is also a part of the municipality. Geographic circumstances have contributed to isolation of Bohinj in the past. The 5000 inhabitants are mostly descendants of the native people of Bohinj. There are historical findings that prove the valley was populated as early as in the Bronze Age. France Prešeren, Slovenia's leading poet, wrote an epic poem Krst pri Savici (Christening at Savica) that is largely fictional, but depicts the time of violent baptism of pagans and battles between the Christians and pagans. Most of the story takes place in Bohinj and in Bled. This is a magic place at any time of year. Beautiful lake at the foot of mountain Triglav (symbol of Slovenia) Ribcev Laz, Stara Fužina, Ukanc, Zgornja Dolina...Houses, flats, rooms and hotels... the beauty of it is the fact that the traditional tourist offer is still deeply rooted in the spirit of this place, the beauty of these mountains, forests, this lake, that is often frozen during the winter, but where you can swim during the summer. The water is extraordinary clean. The system of 8 lakes flows into Slap Savice, a waterfall where the big river Sava is formed, the river that has been following us on this journey all the way to Belgrade, where it meets Danube. |
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