Matija Čop was not only a friend of France Prešeren but also his mentor and an esteemed linguist, whose life and work you can experience uniquely at Čop’s Birth House in Žirovnica.
This enchanting house, where Matija was born, is now a captivating museum that offers visitors an invaluable experience. In addition to a freshly renovated exhibition on Čop’s life and work, you can explore a exhibition of the famous archaeological site Ajdna – the only standalone exhibitions about Matija Čop and Ajdna in Slovenia. Your adventure continues with a visit to the exhibition on the Žirovnica Path of Cultural Heritage, the first and oldest thematic trail in Slovenia. You’ll get to know the birth houses of Prešeren, Finžgar, Jalen, and Čop, as well as Anton Janša’s apiary through a feature film titled “There is No Fairer Place.“
In 1919, the renowned scholar of Prešeren, Tomo Zupan, placed a memorial plaque in the wall of Čop’s Birth House with the inscription: “In this house, Matija Čop, a giant of erudition, was born on January 26, 1797.” Purchased in 1988, the house underwent careful restoration until 1994, with funds contributed by Slovenian students, locals, the municipality of Jesenice, the Ministry of Culture, and others. Reconstructed in the 19th-century image, Čop’s Birth House has been open to the public since December 1994 and serves as a museum, event venue, and headquarters for the Institute for Tourism and Culture Žirovnica.
This house is a true gem in the cultural heritage of Slovenia, inviting you on a journey through time, where erudition and heritage intertwine in a beautiful symphony.
‘There is No Fairer Place’ is a title of new light-hearted film that takes viewers along the Žirovnica Path of Cultural Heritage to all four birth houses of the famous men from Žirovnica, to Janša’s Memorial Apiary, to mysterious Ajdna and to the green Završnica valley. The film includes interesting information about the lives of the renowned Žirovnica men France Prešeren, Fran Saleški Finžgar, Janez Jalen, Matija Čop and Anton Janša who come ‘alive’ in the film played by local amateur actors. The film is 25 minutes long and is intended primarily for school groups but can also be of great interest to tourists as a presentational film about Žirovnica and its attractions. Click here to watch an expert from the film.
Click here to read more about Matija Čop
Open
Tuesday to Friday: 9am – 4pm, Weekends: 10am – 5pm
Closed
Mondays and from 25th December to 2nd January
During visits by organised groups, entry for other visitors is not possible.
Adults: 3 EUR
Seniors: 2,8 EUR
School children: 2,5 EUR
Pre-school children: 1 EUR
Žirovnica 14
4274 Žirovnica
t +386 4 580 15 03
e info@visitzirovnica.si
w https://visitzirovnica.si/
Muzejska soba Ajdna, foto Mitja Sodja, Čopova rojstna hiša. foto Aleš Košir
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