Large Rožman/Bloudek hill

Bloudkova velikanka, the Large Rožman/Bloudek hill, is the oldest of the great ski jumping hills of Planica and one of the most historic sporting structures in Slovenia. It stands on the eastern side of the Planica valley, below the Ponce ridge in the Julian Alps, and its tall timber and steel in-run is a landmark that can be seen from the road into the valley. It is named for the people who made it: Stanko Bloudek, the engineer who designed it and who did more than anyone else to make Planica a centre of ski flying, and the Rožman name that is attached to the hill in its full title.

The hill was built in the mid-1930s, at a time when ski jumping was entering a new age. Jumpers were pushing farther every year, and organisers wanted a hill big enough to allow flights well beyond what was then considered possible. The Planica hill was designed with a long, smooth profile and a steep run-out that allowed them to land safely at great distances. In 1936 the Austrian Sepp Bradl became the first person in the world to jump more than 100 metres here, and the achievement made Planica famous overnight. For decades afterwards, world records fell here regularly, and the valley became a place that every jumper dreamed of visiting.

The hill has been rebuilt and altered over the years to meet modern standards, but it keeps the shape and the character of the original. It is still used for competitions and training, and it forms part of the Nordic Centre Planica together with the larger Gorišek Brothers' hill, a newer flying hill built on the other side of the valley when jumpers outgrew the old one. The two hills stand side by side, and the contrast between the old and the new, the smaller classic and the giant modern structure, tells the history of the sport.

On competition days, especially for the World Cup finals each March, the valley fills with fans and the atmosphere is unlike any other event in Slovenia. Outside events you can walk around the base, look up the in-run, and visit the other sights of the complex, among them the Judging Stations, Ski Jumping Simulators, the Heroes of Planica interactive game, the Planica wind tunnel, the Planica Zipline and the Disc golf park. The hill is not open for casual climbing, and visitors should respect closures and signs.

It suits sports fans, history lovers and families. Check the competition calendar before travelling, because event weekends are busy. Visitors come for the records. Whether they stay for the scenery or the history, the Planica Valley rewards them. With luck, you may see jumpers in training. Slovenian sport and Slovenia’s mountain landscape meet here.