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Chapel of Javorca

Javorca inglis On the stone edge overlooking the Tolminka valley and the Polog mountain pasture stands this memorial church. Javorca is the only memorial church of the Austro-Hungarian army in the area of the Isonzo front preserved until today. It was built in eight months on the stone foot above a solemn access staircase. The wooden walls are covered by a shallow saddle roof, which is decorated with a small tower above the entrance. The side facades are decorated with the coats-of-arms of Austrian provinces between the windows. A small bell is hung in front of the entrance, where there is a simple viewing terrace. The interior is a unified area, divided into three apparent naves with several decoratively painted column-bearing beams. Wooden boards hang on the sidewalls. They were taken from ammunition boxes and the names of more than 2800 fallen soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian armada were burnt into them. The altar, painted in the Secession spirit, is more carefully made. The images of painted angels that hang on the wall point to the altar. The building was constructed by soldiers, in memory of their fallen comrades. An added on sanctuary by the front lines was consecrated on 1st November 1916. The plans for the church and the majority of the paintings were made by a Viennese architect and scenographer, Remigius Geyling. The construction was directed by Geza Jablonsky. As the finest monument to the First World War in the territory of Slovenia, in 2007 the church was classed as a historical monument bearing the European Cultural Heritage sign. It is also one of the stations along the historical Walk of Peace trail, which links together monuments and remains from the First World War in the upper Soča region.

Chapel of Javorca

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