The landscape of Kočevska (south-east Slovenia) was cultivated and managed by German speaking community (Gottscheer), inhabited there by Ortenburger from Kärnten and Osttirol. First Gottscheer came to Kočevska at 1330, and their number constantly increased until the second half of 19th century, when 28000 people lived in 177 villages and hamlets. Emigration due to economic and later also political situation reduced their number to 12500 by the beginning of World War, when the majority was forced to leave their homes.
Nowadays only a few of these villages are still inhabited. The remnants of houses are almost gone; here and there we can see the ruins, overgrown by bushes and trees. The wells seem to be the most persistent built structures. An attentive observer would not overlook terraces on the sunny slopes in the middle of the forest or pasture, and fruit trees on these terraces – a proof that people used to live there. And, last but not least, many toponyms survived as evidence that this harsh, cold and wooded landscape was a home of German speaking community, which preserved their language and culture for more than 600 years.
How to preserve and present this unique heritage and landscape was the challenge for the students of the 2nd year of Master programme of Landscape Architecture study at the University of Ljubljana. Students have addressed the problem considering the available information, initiatives and guidance from local community and developed alternative solutions for some of the abandoned villages: farming, eco-village, local centre with tourism development and camping site with the renovation of former Rog steam saw. One of the challenges was also how to mark and connect these locations with foot and bicycle trails which would enable the visitors to discover at least a tiny piece of history, culture and landscape, which Gottscheer have created and cultivated through 600 years.
- English Title : The revival of Kočevska lost landscapes
- University : University of Ljubljana, SI
- Project was done for Course Unit : Tipologija, upravljanje in varstvo kulturne krajine ( Typology, management and protection of cultural landsscapes )
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- Academic Year : 2012 / 13
- City : Ljubljana
- Project Language : Slovene
- Supervisor : prof. dr. Mojca Golobič, asist. Nadja Penko Seidl
- Location of project : Slovenia
- Image Title : map
- Image Desc : map