Velika Planina

Velika Planina
Velika Planina Location in Slovenia
Coordinates: 46°17′49″N 14°39′7″E / 46.29694°N 14.65194°E / 46.29694; 14.65194Coordinates: 46°17′49″N 14°39′7″E / 46.29694°N 14.65194°E / 46.29694; 14.65194
Country	Slovenia
Region	Upper Carniola
Municipality	Kamnik
Area
• Total	5.61 km2 (2.17 sq mi)
Elevation	1,611.3 m (5,286.4 ft)
Population (2002)
• Total	4
[1]

Velika Planina (literally 'Big Pasture') is a dispersed high-elevation settlement of mostly herders' dwellings on the karstified Velika Planina mountain plateau in the Kamnik Alps in Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.

The mainly wooden huts and barns in the settlement have a particular architecture. They are single-room dwellings with shingled oval roofs extending nearly to ground level, making the space created by the extended roof suitable for sheltering livestock.^[2] There are very few permanent residents in the settlement, but in the summer months it still has a sizable population of herdsmen who bring their flocks to the highland pastures. It is one of very few herders' settlements of this scale preserved in Europe and attracts visitors throughout the year with facilities for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. A number of houses to accommodate visitors have been built nearby.^[3] It is easily accessible by cable car from Kamniška Bistrica.

Prior to 1939, the architect Jože Plečnik prepared plans to build a church. The church design was modeled on the unique architecture of the surrounding huts. In 1939, the shepherds and dairymaids of Velika Planina used Plečnik's designs and built the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows (Marija Snežna). Located just above the settlement, the small church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In the Second World War the chapel along with 100 other wooden dwellings were burnt down. The new chapel was built in 1988 and is particularly known for its Christmas Eve midnight mass.^[4]

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  Velika Planina in the winter - oil on canvas

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  Photograph of Velika Planina in the winter

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  Curved roof construction is traditional for the huts on Velika Planina

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Velika Planina.

• Velika Planina at Geopedia
• Velika Planina site

v t e Municipality of Kamnik Settlements Administrative centre: Kamnik Current Bela Peč Bela Bistričica Brezje nad Kamnikom Briše Buč Češnjice v Tuhinju Cirkuše v Tuhinju Črna pri Kamniku Črni Vrh v Tuhinju Gabrovnica Godič Golice Gozd Gradišče v Tuhinju Hrib pri Kamniku Hruševka Jeranovo Kališe Kamniška Bistrica Klemenčevo Kostanj Košiše Kregarjevo Krivčevo Kršič Laniše Laseno Laze v Tuhinju Liplje Loke v Tuhinju Mali Hrib Mali Rakitovec Markovo Mekinje Motnik Nevlje Okrog pri Motniku Okroglo Oševek Pirševo Podbreg Podgorje Podhruška Podjelše Podlom Podstudenec Poljana Poreber Potok v Črni Potok Praproče v Tuhinju Pšajnovica Ravne pri Šmartnem Rožično Rudnik pri Radomljah Sela pri Kamniku Sidol Šmarca Šmartno v Tuhinju Smrečje v Črni Snovik Soteska Sovinja Peč Špitalič Spodnje Palovče Spodnje Stranje Srednja Vas pri Kamniku Stahovica Stara Sela Stebljevek Stolnik Studenca Trebelno pri Palovčah Trobelno Tučna Tunjice Tunjiška Mlaka Vaseno Velika Lašna Velika Planina Veliki Hrib Veliki Rakitovec Vir pri Nevljah Vodice nad Kamnikom Volčji Potok Vranja Peč Vrhpolje pri Kamniku Žaga Zagorica nad Kamnikom Zajasovnik Zakal Zavrh pri Črnivcu Zduša Zgornje Palovče Zgornje Stranje Zgornji Motnik Zgornji Tuhinj Znojile Žubejevo Županje Njive Former Bakovnik Dolina Fužine Jastroblje Mala Ravan Nadlistnik Nova Ravan Novi Trg Perovo Peteržilje Reber Slape Spodnji Okrog Žale Zaprice Zgornji Okrog Landmarks Kamnik Bistrica Valley Kamnik Parish Church Little Castle Nevljica Snovik Spa St. Primus' Church Tuhinj Valley Tunjice Natural Health Resort Velika Planina (plateau) Volčji Potok Arboretum Zaprice Castle Notable people Fran Albreht France Balantič Rudolf Maister Francis Xavier Pierz Jakob Savinšek