On Friday, 22 August 2025, the Vintgar Bridge over the Radovna River in the picturesque gorge of the same name was provisionally declared a monument of national importance (Blejska Dobrava - Vintgar Bridge, EID 1-29611). This is an important recognition of an engineering heritage that is often overlooked or even visibly damaged during the modernisation period.
provisionally declared a monument of national importance
Vintgar Bridge
The announcement is the result of good cooperation between the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Culture, Slovenian Railways and the designers leading the upgrade of the Bohinj line. The newly established Working Group for Railway Infrastructure of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage also provided expert support for the declaration. The bridge is an integral part of the Bohinj line, for which a project is being prepared as part of the comprehensive upgrade of the Jesenice-Sežana regional line, which will be carried out in phases. Following the example of the latest Swiss and Austrian solutions for the static rehabilitation of stone railway bridges, whereby the original structure and appearance of the bridge are affected by less invasive static methods, the Institute and the project designer have already found suitable, adapted and innovative solutions that will not compromise the protected components of the bridge. The urgency of issuing the cultural protection acts made it expedient to apply Article 21 of ZVKD-1 with regard to the temporary declaration. The Vintgar Bridge thus demonstrates that the technical achievements of the past can also be the technical achievements of the future and thus remain a valuable part of our cultural identity and are also highly valued internationally.
The bridge is not only important as an engineering achievement of its time, but also for its wider economic, tourist and cultural significance. It was strategically important for the whole of the former monarchy when it was built, but today it transcends regional boundaries and ranks among the treasures of national importance. It also has a strong symbolic value; its prominent position makes it stand out - the view from the Radovna Gorge towards the stone arches reveals a majestic scene, complemented by the natural value of the gorge itself.
Three large stone bridges were built between 1900 and 1906 on the section between Jesenice and Gorizia. Today, the Vintgar Bridge is the only one that has survived in its original form, together with the entrance portal to the Vintgar Tunnel. It is a rare example of an intact and still functioning early 20th century stone railway bridge - not only in Slovenia, but also in the wider cross-border area.
She wrote: Nataša Ülen, mag. Ing. arh., responsible conservator ZVKDS OE Kranj
Bridge plan 1904
Vintgar Bridge, by Grega Žorž, Ministry of Culture INDOK 2025
