Bovec - Slovenia

Monday 28^th

After a monster sleep we had breakfast and decided to go and visit 2 WW1 fortresses up the valley towards Italy & Austria. We scooted up a really nice road and parked opposite Fortress Kluze. It has been here in one form or another since 1500. Napoleon strutted through at some point, then latterly it was the scene of bitter fighting in WW1 along with Fortress Hermann  which is some 200m above it. The museum inside is being developed but had lots to see and read. A fascinating insight into the hardships the soldiers had to suffer. The Germans were also here in WW2 and destroyed the bridge which the Allies rebuilt.

Kluze entrance

Fortress Kluze

 We then walked up to Hermann which was destroyed by the Italians in 1915. It was obsolete the minute it was completed by the Austrians as the concrete was not reinforced!  200 / 3408 bombs was all it took to flatten it. A chilling reminder of the horrors of war. 500,000 Italian soldiers were killed in the bitter fighting when their army was defeated in the Soca area

tunnel on way to Hermann

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ladder to gun posts 14m below Hermann "at your own risk!"

Hermann - with bomb damage visible

are you sure?

We had lunch then went for a walk above Bovec which was longer than planned. We passed this bar on the way back – did they really want to call it this?