Koroška is a statistical region in the north of Slovenia. It has the highest employment rate of the country due to the various mines and manufacturing plants. There live about 73,839 people on a surface area of 1041 km².
During WW II the basement of what is now the town hall was used as a prison by the Gestapo. During the WW II, Slovenia was under German occupation and the town of Dravograd was used as a centre of operations for the Koroška region. The local people didn’t like this at all and the local resistance was well organised, which resulted in a lot of attacks on the Germans. The Gestapo had no trouble at all filling their prison, not only with the local partisans, but also with Russians who were forced to work on the water-energy plants on river Drava.
Nowadays, the former Gestapo prison is home to a small, but fascinating museum. The local Tourist Information Office holds the key to the museum and you need to contact them in advance by phone or email. I really would recommend it if you have an hour to play with in the Koroška region. After a short introduction, you can walk around and explore the cells. You can have a look in all five of them. Two of them were punishment cells, in which the ceilings were even lower so the only possible position of the prisoners was to stoop. Graffiti was found in all of the cells, explaining the thoughts of the prisoners. A couple of the cells contain show cases, showing some objects that had been found in the building after it was deserted. There is no admission fee. Visits only by appointment from Monday to Friday between 8.00am-2.00pm. It is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Very special is the 12th century St. Vitus church (cerkev Sv. Vida), which has survived the wars throughout the centuries. It is one of the most important Slovenian Romanesque buildings in existence and therefore is part of the Transromanica project of the EU and UNESCO.
Interesting to encounter are the traditional charcoal burners in the Kobansko Hills, which are an important part of the local cultural heritage.
The tourist office can arrange rafting tours on the river Drava. This will cost you only € 16 for three hours of fun. The price includes food and drinks.
The region is also interesting to bird spotters because in the marshes live numerous bird species like the sandpipers, egrets and various gulls.
Nowadays, the former Gestapo prison is home to a small, but fascinating museum. The local Tourist Information Office holds the key to the museum and you need to contact them in advance by phone or email. I really would recommend it if you have an hour to play with in the Koroška region. After a short introduction, you can walk around and explore the cells. You can have a look in all five of them. Two of them were punishment cells, in which the ceilings were even lower so the only possible position of the prisoners was to stoop. Graffiti was found in all of the cells, explaining the thoughts of the prisoners. A couple of the cells contain show cases, showing some objects that had been found in the building after it was deserted. There is no admission fee. Visits only by appointment from Monday to Friday between 8.00am-2.00pm. It is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Very special is the 12th century St. Vitus church (cerkev Sv. Vida), which has survived the wars throughout the centuries. It is one of the most important Slovenian Romanesque buildings in existence and therefore is part of the Transromanica project of the EU and UNESCO.
Interesting to encounter are the traditional charcoal burners in the Kobansko Hills, which are an important part of the local cultural heritage.
The tourist office can arrange rafting tours on the river Drava. This will cost you only € 16 for three hours of fun. The price includes food and drinks.
The region is also interesting to bird spotters because in the marshes live numerous bird species like the sandpipers, egrets and various gulls.
Address: Trg 4. julija 50, 2370 Dravograd
Phone: +386 2 871 02 85
e-mail: info.dravograd@triera.net
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