Mining and Iron Industry

In addition to pastoral economy, mining and iron industry were the most important economic activities ensuring survival of people living at the foot of mountains in the TNP.

Thanks to rich locations of high quality iron ore, the Julian Alps have been a very important strategic area for over 3,000 years. Although the first records of mining date back to the Iron Age period (800 years BC), the activity reached its peak in the Roman period and the Middle Ages. The largest and most widely known Iron Age and Antique iron industry centre was Bohinj, whereas the importance of Bled in terms of iron industry is not adequately researched. Bohinj and Bled were supplied with iron ore dug and collected on the mid-altitude and high-altitude pastures of the entire Pokljuka plateau, Gorjuše, Vogel, all Studor alps, Velo polje, and on the Klek, Lipanca and Zgornja Krma pastures and the Mežakla plateau. The traces of antique and medieval mining in high-altitude mountains have been preserved to the present day. On certain pastures, typical shallow ore caves can be seen, and high above the tree line one can admire the remains of old stone-paved paths along which iron ore was transported to the melting furnaces in the valley.

The traces of medieval mining and iron industry in the valley of Trenta and on the slopes above the valley are evident in the form of deep mine shafts, dug out in the slopes of the mountains Srednjica, Mojstrovka and Prisank.