Vrhpolje near Vipava

Chapel in Gorenja vas

The village of Vrhpolje near Vipava is a sprawling, clustered village, boasting eight chapels and monuments. It has a compact village core (with predominantly buildings and farmhouses following the 14th century coastal building pattern), formed around the Church of St. Cross.

Text prepared by Andrejka Ščukovt, Conservator, OE Nova Gorica.

Vrhpolje near Vipava
Vrhpolje near Vipava

One of the chapels, built at the turn of the 19th century, is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and is located in Gorenjska vas. It forms a small square with the roadside walls, known to the inhabitants of Toppolje as Square of Love. As part of the maintenance work, the ambiance of the Square of Love comprehensively renovated. The roadside stone retaining wall, which is 27 metres long to the south-west and about 11 metres long to the south-east, has been built up with drainage. The restored niche beneath the chapel is equipped with a drinking fountain and paved with Repen stone. The chapel, which had to be relocated some 2 m north of its original location due to the narrowness of the roadway, has undergone a comprehensive conservation restoration.

Defence Tower
Ormož

Defence Tower

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Gruber Palace becomes the new home of the Slovenian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Ljubljana, 25 February 2026 - Today, the Slovenian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (ZVKDS) inaugurated its new premises in Gruber Palace in Ljubljana. One of the most important Baroque settings in Slovenia has thus regained its distinct public mission - it has become the central administrative and professional centre of the national institution for the protection of cultural heritage. The premises were opened by the Minister of Culture, Dr Asta Vrečko, and the Director General of ZVKDS, Jernej Hudolin. The Ministry of Culture allocated EUR 370,000 for the renovation. At the opening ceremony, Minister Dr Asta Vrečko emphasised the broader context of the investments in the Institute's premises. The ZVKDS is one of our largest public institutions, with an extensive network of units across Slovenia, a restoration department and an archaeology department. Following the relocation of the Slovenian Archives, we have dedicated the baroque Gruber Palace in Ljubljana to a new public activity - the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, while renovating it and landscaping the park in front. The administration and various departments have moved in and will now work together, whereas previously some of them worked in rented premises. Last year, we completed the energy renovation of the buildings of the Institute's regional units in Kranj and Ljubljana, and this year we will move the Luška kapitania in Koper, where we will relocate the regional unit in Piran. This will preserve our heritage and create better working conditions for our staff.» The Director General stressed that the merger of key services of the ZVKDS under one roof will bring cost rationalisation, better communication, more efficient work processes and greater cohesion among employees. «Instead of five locations in Ljubljana, we will now work in three - Gruber Palace has become the heart of our operations.» «Today we are gathered in one of the most precious baroque settings in Slovenia. This is not just an architectural jewel. It is a place of knowledge, research, creativity and heritage that has shaped our identity over the centuries.» He added: «We believe that by coming to the palace, we are continuing the centuries-old spirit of exploration, creativity and responsible heritage care.» And he stressed the symbolic dimension of the opening: «This is not just a logistical gain. It is a symbolic gesture: we are the guardians of cultural heritage working in a place that is a world-class cultural monument. We have thus placed ourselves alongside many European heritage services, which are based in outstanding historic buildings.» History of the space Knowledge Gruber Palace was designed in the second half of the 18th century by the Jesuit, architect and scientist Gabriel Gruber as the headquarters of the Jesuit College. From the outset, it was conceived as a place of knowledge, research and teaching. It was the home of many scientists, including Jurij Vega, one of Slovenia's most prominent mathematicians and astronomers. The palace has retained outstanding architectural and artistic elements, including a monumental oval staircase and a richly painted chapel, and remains one of Ljubljana's key Baroque monuments.
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