Jakob Aljaž Monument

Jakob Aljaž was a Slovene Roman Catholic priest, composer and mountaineer.

Aljaž was born in a small Upper Carniolan village of Zavrh pod Šmarno Goro, northeast of Ljubljana, in what was then the Austrian Empire. He was a priest and also a successful composer, singer and choir master. His works are still very popular among Slovenes. He became known for his role fostering the development of mountaineering in the Slovene Lands. By far his most well known construction is the Aljaž Tower, built on the summit of Mount Triglav, the highest mountain of the Julian Alps and of Slovenia, which he purchased to secure the area for Slovene rather than German mountaineers. He also designed shelters and huts, and worked with the Slovene Mountaineering Society to improve use of the land on Triglav.