Ig: Pile Dwellings, Wetland Landscape and Hiking Trails

Near Ig, two groups of prehistoric pile dwellings form the Slovenian part of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps.”

Culture

The parish church of St Martin in Ig is a Baroque building dating from the beginning of the 18th century. Part of a Roman gravestone depicting two lions serves as the base of its baptismal font. Another remarkable object is the “Idol from the Ljubljansko barje”: the stylised human-shaped vessel, made of fired clay, wears a decorated garment and was discovered in the area of the pile-dwelling settlements near Ig. The cross motif appears fourteen times on the idol.

Remains of a Bronze Age settlement were found in the valley east of the prehistoric settlement site of Gradišče Pungart near Ig. Remains from the Roman period are also known from the wider area below Gradišče Pungart near Ig. The Kolišče pile-dwelling reconstruction in Morostig comprises five huts. Hiša Morostig supplements information about pile-dwelling settlements and the life of the pile dwellers with a model reconstruction of the Maharski prekop pile-dwelling settlement from the 35th century BC. Hiša Morostig also focuses on the biological diversity of the distinctive wetland landscape of the Ljubljansko barje.

Koliščarski dan is a traditional event in Draga pri Igu. Archaeological, natural history and creative workshops are offered on this occasion.

Nature

Iški Morost is a 63.5-hectare nature reserve. It is open to the public all year round, and admission is free. The reserve includes the Koščeva učna pot educational trail, an observation tower and information boards.

Iški Vintgar is a gorge through which the Iška River flows. It contains gravel banks and numerous pools, while steep, rocky banks define the gorge. A walk through Iški Vintgar offers views of numerous different types of rock. About an hour’s walk from Iški Vintgar stands a partisan hospital that was in operation from April 1942 and was restored in 1966.

Trails

The Pot Morostig thematic trail leads through the Ljubljansko barje. The Koščeva učna pot, together with the surfaced path, is about 2.5 km long and takes approximately one and a half hours. The Iška–Krim trail is 5.2 km long; on foot, it takes 2 hours and 10 minutes.

The Gozdna učna pot Draga pri Igu is an easy circular trail through the forest, slightly more than 3 km long. Along the trail are 27 information boards about common and lesser-known tree species, as well as unusual phenomena in the forest. Krim can be reached via six clearly marked mountain trails. There are further hiking opportunities in the hills surrounding Ig.

The Pot barjanska okna trail is suitable for hiking and cycling. It runs for 1.7 km from Podkraj to the Jevšnik Canal on the Iška and mostly follows a gravel path. At the viewing platform near the Strahomerska okna, soil profiles of the alluvial fan and the wetland, as well as illustrations showing how the wetland windows formed, are displayed.

The Okljuk trail is 13 km long and connects the Iški Vintgar gorge with the outflow near the village of Lipe. It is suitable for pedestrians and recreational cyclists. The different lengths and time estimates for the trails allow for a direct comparison of the routes. The Morostig pile-dwelling village is approximately 2 km from Hiša Morostig.

Market and Everyday Life

At the Tržnica Ig market, produce and products from local and other vendors are sold. Knjižnica Ig offers more than 26,000 library items.

Other Places

Other places: Skaručna, Ljubljana, Preserje, Medvode, Medno, Horjul, Rakitna, Smlednik

To the higher-level travel overview: Ljubljana.