Church of St. Just

Koseč is a scattering of farms and houses on the slope above Kobarid, in the Soča Valley, under the wall of the Krn massif, and the small Church of St Just, in Slovene Sv. Just, stands among them on the edge of the woods. It is a modest village church, of the kind that dots the slopes of the Julian Alps, with a short nave, a small chancel and a bell tower, built of local stone and plastered white. Its origins are medieval, and like most churches of this kind it has been repaired and altered over the centuries, so that its present form shows more than one period.

St Just, or Justus, is a martyr of the early fourth century who is the patron saint of Trieste, and his cult spread through the region around the northern Adriatic and the Soča valley. A church with his name suggests the long links between this upland valley and the cities of the coast, which were joined by trade routes over the passes and along the river. For the farming families of Koseč, the church was the centre of religious life, a place for Sunday Mass, for processions on feast days and for the funerals of the village, and it still serves that function for the small community that remains.

What makes the church worth a visit is its setting and the quiet that surrounds it. The path from Kobarid climbs through meadows and woodland, with views back over the valley and the green line of the Soča, and the route can be turned into a pleasant half-day walk. Along the way, the walker passes old farm buildings, stone walls and small shrines, and in spring and early summer the meadows are filled with flowers. The church itself is usually closed except for services, so most visitors enjoy it from outside, though it is worth asking in the village about access.

The church lies close to other sights in the area. The Koseč Gorge, with its stream and rocky channel, is within walking distance, Slap Kozjak can be reached by another path, and the Napoleon Bridge crosses the Soča gorge nearby. In Kobarid itself, the Kobarid Museum tells the story of the First World War on the Isonzo Front. A walk to Sv. Just provides a quiet counterpoint to the more dramatic history of the valley, and it suits walkers who enjoy small, unhurried places.