Return to Current Workshops
Register Now Online
Traveling
in Slovenia offers a new adventure at every turn. Join AiP in restoring
a 17th century cottage to its original beauty – and then set aside time
to go spelunking, cycle through wine country, explore enchanting castles, or tour the beautiful city of Ljubljana.
AiP has supported community-based preservation projects in Slovenia since 2006, with volunteers working in Oplotnica that year and in Šmartno ob Paki
in 2008. This time we will travel to the municipality of Šmarje pri
Jelšah, working in the village of Brecljevo. In this village is a 17th
century stone and timber cottage that has suffered at the hands of a
contractor who misunderstood the value of historic materials and
techniques.
The
Brecljevo cottage has a quaint storybook quality to it. It consists of
a stone rubble core with large support timbers, which meet in carefully
crafted dovetail joints. Its original thatched roof was unfortunately
replaced by the contractor who, instead of restoring the cottage,
actually caused more damage.
This incident illustrates the importance of
conservation skills training and general preservation education.
Fortunately, the cottage’s owner is eager to reverse the damage and see
the cottage properly restored. AiP and our local preservation partner, Zavod ETNO-EKO,
are working with the owner to do so. Once repair and restoration are
completed, the cottage will host various community activities.
Conservators are in the processing of assessing the
condition of the structural timbers. If they need repair, AiP
participants will work with local woodworkers skilled in traditional
wood construction techniques to restore them.
The remaining focus will be on repairing the
collapsing segments of the stone walls. Participants will learn how to
re-lay the stone rubble to blend in with the original stonework. Once
the stone wall is stable, the joints will be raked out as needed and
repointed with appropriate mortar, as determined by mortar testing.
We
will also undertake the intriguing task of restoring the traditional
Slovenian stove, which is a large stone structure used for both heating
and cooking. Given sufficient time and people power, participants will
also tackle repair of several pieces of wooden furniture and begin to
repair the cottage’s flooring.
Although AiP’s workshops are filled with exciting
hands-on work, meeting and visiting with community members and seeing
regional historic sites are also an important part of the experience.
Since this is a great wine-growing region, most visiting is accompanied
by tasting the many local wines and liqueurs. One fieldtrip will
include a tour of the region's largest wine cellar, under the streets
of the city center in Maribor.
Stephen Booker, an Australian Conservation Architect and Heritage Consultant, who was involved in AiP’s assessment and documentation project at the Mlinars Cottage
in 2008, will be leading the workshop. He will work with local
woodworkers and ethnologists to determine the best approach to
restoring the cottage and will guide participants as they work.
The
workshop is one week in length. The fee is US$1,935, which covers
lodging and meals; fieldtrips; workshop planning, materials and
instruction; and insurance. Transportation to Ljubljana is not included
and is the responsibility of the participant.
Lodging
(and most meals) will be at the Bizjak agri-tourism farm, located in
the wooded hills outside of Brecljevo. With fields, barn and vineyard
shed nearby, guests are kept supplied with good wines and delicious
homemade meals. Several family members are skilled musicians willing to
fill the evenings with Slovene songs.
Workshop participants may check in Sunday afternoon,
August 22. Rooms have either three or four beds, with bath down the
hall. One room is available with one double bed, so please tell us at
registration if you need a private room.
Transportation will be provided from the
agritourismo to the work site in Brecljevo. Work hours at the site are
generally Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Lunches will be
provided at the site. Instruction will be in English.
Evenings and the weekend are free for exploring the
area’s many beautiful sites, and several group fieldtrips are planned.
We will tour several sites near Brecljevo, including a visit to the Church of Sv. Rok, one of Slovenia’s foremost monuments of Baroque art. There will also be a one-day trip to Ptuj and Maribor.
You
can fly into the international airport at Ljubljana, capital of
Slovenia, or arrive by train from a variety of European cities.
Airports in Austria (Vienna, Graz, Glagenfurt), Italy (Trieste,
Venice), and Croatia (Zagreb) offer convenient train connections to
Ljubljana. If you would like assistance with travel arrangements,
contact Peace Frogs Travel/Outfitters, AiP’s partnering travel agency.
Participants
may be picked up in Ljubljana, at either the airport or train station,
on Sunday, August 22. Contact us once you have made your travel
arrangements.
Depending on your nationality, you may need a visa to enter Slovenia.
If you need a visa, apply for a short-term (Type C) visa. Be sure to
leave sufficient time for processing, approximately 2-4 months.
The
average daytime high in late August is 25 degrees C (77degrees F)
although it can be much warmer, and it may be humid at times with
afternoon showers. Please bring clothing that is suitable for the
weather that will also be protective while working. Please be conscious
that safety is an important issue at any work site.
Sunday
Arrive in Ljubljana; transportation provided to the agritourismo if needed.
Check into the Bizjak agri-tourism farm, meet other workshop participants.
Monday through Friday
Work 9-5, with lunch provided at or near the work site.
Half-day fieldtrip scheduled during week, along with evening tours.
Saturday
Transportation provided to Ljubljana for departure.
If you have additional questions or would like to discuss this project with AiP staff, please contact us at workshops@adventuresinpreservation.org or call +1 303-444-0128.
Joining
AiP's workshop in Slovenia is a great way to help save the world's
architectural heritage. If you find this project intriguing, but are
unable to attend, you can still make an impact by supporting
restoration work in Slovenia and elsewhere with a tax-deductible
donation to AiP. Your donation will go directly to scholarships,
workshop materials and future workshop planning.
Register Now Online
If you would prefer to mail in a gift, please use our donation form.
