Zakriž: Find hotels between the church, fortifications and nature

In Zakriž, tangible traces of local history meet distinctive paths and special features of the landscape. The Italian military fortifications in Zakriž formed part of the 1,850-kilometre defensive Alpine Wall between Genoa and Rijeka. The fortifications include two caverns for housing soldiers and two so-called “opere” bunkers, in which machine guns were intended to be installed.

History

St. Andrew’s Church stands in the centre of Zakriž. The first documented mention of a church in Zakriž dates from 1515; the present church was built around 1767. It is richly decorated; its statues and other furnishings are gilded. The Julijina House in Zakriž is more than 300 years old.

The Križ area is also part of the village’s historic traces: it was recorded as an archaeological site of an ancient settlement. Remains of masonry houses were identified at this site, particularly after major ground collapses and soil movements. A memorial plaque in Zakriž commemorates the beginning of the publication of Partizanski dnevnik. The first issue was published on 26 November 1943 in House No. 5. On 5 June 2022, the memorial plaque was moved to the fire station at Zakriž 12.

Preserved troughs from the oldest water-supply system in the Cerkljansko area can be visited in Zakriž. The village also has four traditional fruit-drying buildings known as “pajštve”. A fruit-drying building on the Pri Zalazarju farmstead has been completely restored.

Nature

After rain, numerous small ponds form in the Jezero meadow in Zakriž. The Russian bear, a butterfly of the species Callimorpha quadripunctaria, which is protected in the Zakriž area under Natura 2000, is also part of the protected natural heritage.

Trails

The Stations of the Cross begins at the chapel below Zakriž, passes through the village and ends with the final station in St. Church. It takes approximately two hours, depending on the route variant chosen and walking speed. On the first Sunday of Lent, the Stations of the Cross is held in the village in the afternoon by residents of Zakriž.

The Bevk Trail passes through Zakriž to the centre of the village. In the centre of Zakriž, the Bevk Trail turns right towards the junction with a wooden agricultural building and the road connecting Gorje and Ravne. For cyclists, cycle route No. 2 turns right towards the centre of Zakriž after the village sign. After about 500 metres, they turn right again towards Cerkno; this is followed by a descent of approximately two kilometres to the starting point.

On cycle route No. 2 through Zakriž, there are views of the Baška Ridge, the Idrijca Valley and the Šebrelje Plateau, with St. Ivan’s Church in the foreground.

Further destinations: Cerkno, Vojsko, Srednja Kanomlja, Črni Vrh, Idrija, Lome, Bukovo.

To the higher-level travel overview: Idrija.