Gemeinde Idrija

Idrija's Essential Mining Heritage and Natural Wonders

Idrija’s landscape is shaped by five centuries of mercury mining, a legacy preserved within the UNESCO-listed Anthony’s Shaft and the 16th-century Gewerkenegg Castle. The town’s industrial history is complemented by the "klavže" water barriers—massive stone dams used for timber transport—and the emerald waters of Wild Lake, a karst spring of exceptional depth. This selection explores the subterranean depths of the world’s second-largest mercury mine alongside the surrounding forests that hide WWII partisan printing shops.