Stara Sava

Stara Sava is the old industrial quarter of Jesenice, a town in the Upper Sava Valley in northwestern Slovenia, at the foot of the Karavanke. Jesenice grew up around iron and steel, and Stara Sava is the part of the town where that story began. Ironworking has deep roots in the region: iron ore was found in the nearby hills, charcoal came from the forests and the Sava and its tributaries provided water power, which together made the valley one of the most important metalworking areas of the Habsburg lands. Over several centuries, the town developed around its furnaces and rolling mills, and the ironworks shaped the lives of its families.

The district preserves some of the buildings and spaces of that era. The Kolpern, an old building that once served as a coal store for the ironworks, has been renovated as a venue for cultural events, exhibitions and gatherings, and other buildings of the old works are being given new uses. The layout of the quarter, with its workers' housing, its administrative buildings and its small church, helps visitors picture how the community lived next to the works. Information boards along the streets explain the history of individual buildings and the work that went on in them, and guided walks are sometimes organised.

The town's wider heritage is also on view at the Upper Sava Museum, which tells the story of Jesenice and the valley, including the history of mining and metallurgy and the daily life of workers. The museum is housed in a historic mansion in the town and is a natural companion to a walk through Stara Sava. Together they give a rounded picture of how an industrial town developed and how it has dealt with the end of heavy industry, as the old ironworks scaled down.

Jesenice also has a well-known sporting side. The town is a centre of Slovenian ice hockey, with a tradition that began among the ironworkers, and its hockey club has been one of the leading teams in the country. The mountains around the town offer walks and views, among them the Belska planina and the viewpoint at Svečica, so industry and nature sit side by side.

Stara Sava suits people interested in industrial heritage, local history and the story of work, and it offers a different side of the Upper Sava Valley from the ski resorts and mountain scenery nearby. A visit takes an hour or two on foot. Events and opening times vary, so check locally for exhibitions and guided tours, and combine the visit with the museum.