Plave: Cultural History and Cycling

Plave offers several specific starting points for a stay focused on the cultural history of the First World War, hiking or cycling. These include St. Aloysius Chapel, the Church of St. John the Baptist, Prižnica Memorial Park, Stage 7A of the Walk of Peace and sections of the Soča Cycling Route. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first consider whether you would like to spend most of your time at historical sites, on a circular trail or on a cycling tour.

Chapel, Church and History

St. Aloysius Chapel was built in December 1916 near a military cemetery. In the months that followed, its interior was decorated with murals. These depict scenes from the First World War, including Italian soldiers raising the Italian tricolour on Mount Prižnica and an Italian infantry attack across a pontoon bridge near Plave in the direction of Prižnica. The construction date and the subjects depicted give the chapel a clear connection to the history of the war.

The chapel can be reached from a small gravel parking area about half a kilometre from the village of Plave. Local access conditions may change; check them before your visit.

The Church of St. John the Baptist offers a different historical perspective. It was built in the Neo-Romanesque style and is believed to date from 1866. The church was destroyed during the First World War and rebuilt in the 20th century. Its architecture, cautiously attributed construction date and subsequent restoration provide a distinct historical perspective alongside the war scenes in the chapel’s murals.

Walk of Peace and Prižnica Memorial Park

Prižnica Memorial Park in the Municipality of Kanal ob Soči is part of the Walk of Peace from the Alps to the Adriatic. The circular trail through the park begins just above Plave. Remains of Austro-Hungarian trenches and fortified positions are still visible in the park. The circular trail therefore focuses on traces in the terrain and fortifications, while the chapel’s murals offer a different way to explore the history of the First World War.

Stage 7A of the Walk of Peace also begins in Plave. The section near Plave follows an old military supply road built by Italian soldiers. The stage’s starting parking area is next to Plave railway station. As local parking conditions may change, check them before you arrive. This means you can take two specific points into account when planning: the historic route along the supply road and the parking area at the railway station as a starting point.

Cycling along the Soča

The Plave–Solkan section of the Soča Cycling Route follows a cycle path and is suitable for families. The Plave–Nova Gorica cycle route runs directly alongside the emerald-green Soča at the foot of Mount Sabotin. These two routes have different features: for the Plave–Solkan section, the cycle path and its suitability for families are the specific points to consider; the Plave–Nova Gorica route is defined by the river and Mount Sabotin.

During the summer months, you can cool off in the Soča River along the Soča Cycling Route. Check local river conditions if you plan to do this during your cycling tour. This lets you choose between historical sites, a circular trail and the cycling routes mentioned for your stay in Plave, without conflating the different routes and their respective features.

Discover more destinations: Lokve, Branik, Šmartno, Nova Gorica, Kostanjevica na Krasu, Podsabotin, Solkan, Renče.

Go to the main travel overview: Nova Gorica.