Vršic
Encyclopedia
Vršič (el. 1611 m) is a high mountain pass
across the Julian Alps
in northwestern Slovenia
.
The road across the pass was built for military purposes, to supply the Isonzo front of World War I
. Opened in late 1915, it was originally named after archduke Eugen
of Austria-Hungary
. It is currently known as Ruska cesta (Russian Road), so renamed in July 2006 to honor the Russia
n prisoners of war who had been forced to build it. The upper elevations of the road are rendered impassable by heavy snowfall during much of winter.
name was Maistrocca. It connects Upper Carniola
with the Trenta Valley
, rising from Kranjska Gora
in a series of 50 hairpin bends and traversing the high mountains on the Slovenian-Italian
-Austria
n border before descending into the Soča
(Isonzo) Valley.
It is considered an excellent starting point for excursions to surrounding peaks, including Mala Mojstrovka (2332 m), Velika Mojstrovka (2366 m), Planja (2453 m), Prisojnik (Prisank) (2547 m), Razor (2601 m), Šitna glava (2087 m), Slemenova Špica (1911 m), Sovna glava (1750 m), Suhi vrh (2109 m), or shorter hikes in the immediate area.
Several mountain lodges are located near the pass: the Erjavec Lodge (Erjavčeva koča; 1515 m), the Birders' Lodge (Tičarjev dom; 1620 m), Mike's Lodge (Mihov dom), the Forest Lodge (Koča na Gozdu ; 1226 m), and the Postman's Lodge (Poštarska koča); 1725 m).
Just off the main road at an elevation of around 1200 m is a remote Russian Orthodox chapel
, built by the Russian POWs to commemorate their dead.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
across the Julian Alps
Julian Alps
The Julian Alps are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps that stretches from northeastern Italy to Slovenia, where they rise to 2,864 m at Mount Triglav. They are named after Julius Caesar, who founded the municipium of Cividale del Friuli at the foot of the mountains...
in northwestern Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.
The road across the pass was built for military purposes, to supply the Isonzo front of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Opened in late 1915, it was originally named after archduke Eugen
Archduke Eugen of Austria
Archduke Eugen Ferdinand Pius Bernhard Felix Maria of Austria-Teschen was an Archduke of Austria and a Prince of Hungary and Bohemia...
of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. It is currently known as Ruska cesta (Russian Road), so renamed in July 2006 to honor the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n prisoners of war who had been forced to build it. The upper elevations of the road are rendered impassable by heavy snowfall during much of winter.
Geography
Vršič is the highest pass in Slovenia, as well as the highest in the Eastern Julian Alps. Its name is a diminutive form of the Slovene word vrh 'peak'; its ItalianItalian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
name was Maistrocca. It connects Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
with the Trenta Valley
Trenta Valley
Trenta is a valley in the Julian Alps in the northern part of the Goriška traditional region of Slovenia. The source of the river Soča and the settlements of Soča, Lepena and Trenta are located in Trenta. The Vršič pass connects the valley with the Upper Carniola to the east. The Soča flows...
, rising from Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps...
in a series of 50 hairpin bends and traversing the high mountains on the Slovenian-Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n border before descending into the Soča
Soca
The Soča or Isonzo is a 140 km long river that flows through western Slovenia and northeastern Italy. An Alpine river in character, its source lies in the Trenta Valley in the Julian Alps in Slovenia, at an elevation of around 1,100 metres...
(Isonzo) Valley.
It is considered an excellent starting point for excursions to surrounding peaks, including Mala Mojstrovka (2332 m), Velika Mojstrovka (2366 m), Planja (2453 m), Prisojnik (Prisank) (2547 m), Razor (2601 m), Šitna glava (2087 m), Slemenova Špica (1911 m), Sovna glava (1750 m), Suhi vrh (2109 m), or shorter hikes in the immediate area.
Several mountain lodges are located near the pass: the Erjavec Lodge (Erjavčeva koča; 1515 m), the Birders' Lodge (Tičarjev dom; 1620 m), Mike's Lodge (Mihov dom), the Forest Lodge (Koča na Gozdu ; 1226 m), and the Postman's Lodge (Poštarska koča); 1725 m).
Just off the main road at an elevation of around 1200 m is a remote Russian Orthodox chapel
Russian Chapel Vršic
The Russian Chapel at the Vršič Pass is a Russian Orthodox memorial chapel located on the Vršič Pass road in northwestern Slovenia. It was built by Russian prisoners of war engaged in forced labor in the area during World War I.-History:...
, built by the Russian POWs to commemorate their dead.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes