Underground Tunnels

Kranj's old town stands on a high terrace of conglomerate rock above the meeting point of the Sava and Kokra rivers, and under that rock lies a network of tunnels about 1,300 metres long. They were dug during the Second World War as air-raid shelters for the townspeople, at a time when Kranj was an important industrial centre and a likely target. Today part of the system is open to visitors as a museum-like route, and it is one of the more unusual things to do in Kranj.

The tunnels were cut through the conglomerate, a rock made of cemented gravel, and because water seeps through it, parts of the walls and ceilings have grown dripstones, small stalactites and mineral crusts, as in a natural cave. The temperature stays cool all year, so a jacket is a good idea, and the floor can be damp. The route leads along corridors that were meant to hold hundreds of people, and an exhibition explains why the shelters were built, how people lived during air raids and how Kranj changed during the war. A sound and light simulation of an air raid gives a sense of the fear and noise that families went through in the dark.

The tunnels are managed by the town's tourist organisation, and visits are arranged through Kranjska hiša, the tourist information centre in the old town, where tickets and information about times are available. Tours generally need to be booked in advance, and group sizes are limited, so it is best to check before visiting. The tunnels have received recognition for their tourism innovation, a sign of how an old wartime structure has been turned into a visitor attraction.

The tunnels combine well with the rest of the old town. The Gothic Church of Saint Kancijan and its Ossuary stands on the edge of the terrace, with painted decoration that is among the most interesting in the region, and Khislstein Castle, a Renaissance residence, now houses an exhibition space. The Prešeren Theatre Kranj is named after the national poet France Prešeren, who spent his last years in Kranj and is buried in the town's cemetery. For a walk in nature, the Kokra River Canyon below the old town offers a short path along the water. Kranj is only a short drive from Ljubljana, so the tunnels fit well into a half-day visit.