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Slovenia: Blood & Excursion

Slovenia needs an average of 300 to 350 blood donors per day to provide patients with the necessary volume of blood. Donors constitute an important part of the healthcare system, as they provide patients with suitable treatment by blood.

In nearby Preddvor they organised an excursion after the donation, so Rok and me decided to give some blood. After the staff drained our blood we had a snack and then we entered the bus. Group of all generations quickly connected and we were on our way to Krško. Our first stop was the multimedia interactive centre The World of Energy, with some interesting demonstrations like Van de Graaff generator, nuclear power plant startup simulation, Tesla coil,... We had a quick tour around Krško Nuclear Power Plant, that began producing power in 1981. Our next stop was the house of vine, wine and chocolate, owned by family Kunej. The majestic castle Rajhenburg, standing on a hill at the confluence of the river Brestanica and Sava, was also nearby, and we finished the tour with dinner in Gostilna Ribnik Dular.

Nuclear power station startup simulator

Krško Nuclear Power Plant

 

The House of Vines, Wine and Chocolate originates in the family tradition of wine making and wine growing dating back to the end of the 19th century.

On a hill on the right bank of the Sava River, south of the Brestanica settlement, is Rajhenburg Castle

Inside there are many interesting exhibitions: Primož Kozmus – Medals, Penal Institutions at Rajhenburg Castle, 1948-1966, Architectural Development and Renovation of Rajhenburg Castle, Jože Ciuha: Images of time, The Trappist Order in Rajhenburg, The Memories of Brestanica, Brestanica in postcards, 18th and 19th Century Castle Furniture from The National Museum of Slovenia and Slovene Deportees 1941-1945.

 

The Rajhenburg Castle dates back in the 9th century but the current construction derives from the 16th century.

As the Rajhenburg Castle was also a home to the only Trappist Monastery in the Slovenia, their rich legacy became an inspiration for the current exhibitions.

The Romanesque perimeter, built in the 12th century, is noteworthy for the structure and construction of the walls. The castle chapel retains its original Romanesque portal, although the two-storey building itself was sturdily reconstructed in the 16th century.

Within the castle are several profiled timber work ceilings and terraced walls. A unique feature is the architectural decoration of the inner façades. On the first floor is an almost hidden secular Renaissance fresco by the Master from Marija Gradec (1530).

The original structure of the Rajhenburg Castle from the 9th century was demolished at the beginning of the 10th century, but Bishop Konrad of Salzburg had it renovated between 1131 and 1147. The most prominent owners of the castle were the Rajhenburgs, the noble Moscons, the Knights Gradeneck, the Barons Gall Galenstein and the Counts Attems.

Final stage in the Gostilna Ribnik Dular

After a couple of days we were famous in a local newspaper