Osilnica valley: The land of Peter Klepec

Although Slovenia is a small country, it has a very diverse and rich cultural heritage. Legends, stories and myths, which have been mostly created by oral tradition, as well as characters and national heroes, invented by some of Slovenia’s greatest writers, have become an important part of Slovenian identity. One of the interesting ones is the legend of Zlatorog in the Triglav National Park, or the story about Peter Klepec, a boy who was granted a wish and became a hero of his hometown. The Osilnica valley is nowadays known for being the area surrounded by mountains, where the tale took place and is commonly also called the land of Peter Klepec.

A wish that came true

Peter Klepec is a Slovenian mythological figure, portrayed in the fairy tales and stories written by numerous Slovenian authors, the most known being the version written by France Bevk. The story is talking about a small, weak boy without a father, who lived alone with his mother and was very poor. That is why his mother decided to send him to work with the shepherds and earn some money for them. Right away, shepherds didn’t accept him among themselves because of his size and weakness. One day, when Peter was walking around the valley, he saw a sleeping girl laying on the grass in the sun and decided to make her a shadow out of leaves and branches, to protect her from getting burned by the sun. When she woke up, she told him that she was a fairy and showed her thankfulness by granting him a wish. After drinking the magical water that grants wishes, Peter became incredibly strong, so he took revenge against the shepherds, returned home and continued to use his strength to help people around him.

Explore the valley 

It is said that Peter also used his strength to protect the valley from the Turkish invasion, which is what made him become the hero of the Osilnica valley, now also known as the land of Peter Klepec. The valley has many beautiful sights and activities, for example, the river Krka running through the area, offering its charm to the visitors throughout the year. Hiking and cycling are another two popular ways of spending the time there, with many high mountain peaks and marked paths located in the area. If you are not a big fan of active ways of spending your time in nature, you can relax by the river and observe the view or go fishing in the clear water of the river.

The land of Peter Klepec is waiting for you to come and spend a day or an afternoon surrounded** by stunning mountains and crystal-clear water, breathing in the fresh air of the Osilnica valley**.