Lokev (; also ''Lokev na Krasu''; it, Corgnale,
''Corniale'',
[Palladino, Irmgard, & Maria Bidovec ''Johann Weichard von Valvasor (1641-1693): Ein Protagonist der Wissenschaftsrevolution der Frühen Neuzeit.'' Vienna: Böhlau, p. 62.] or ''Loque'';
german: Hülben
) is a settlement in the
Municipality of Sežana
The Municipality of Sežana (; sl, Občina Sežana) is a municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia, near the Italian border. The seat of the municipality is the town of Sežana. The municipality was established on 6 November 1994, when t ...
in the
Littoral
The littoral zone or nearshore is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal ecology, the littoral zone includes the intertidal zone extending from the high water mark (which is rarely inundated), to coastal a ...
region of
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
, close to the border with
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
.
Name
The name ''Lokev'' refers to a large pond where travelers drank and watered their donkeys.
''Lokev'' and similar names (e.g., ''
Lokve'', ''
Lokvica
Lokvica () is a settlement in the Municipality of Miren-Kostanjevica in the Littoral region of Slovenia next to the border with Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Souther ...
'', ''
Lokovica'') are derived from the Slovene common noun ''lokva'' 'pond, pool, watering hole', from
Proto-Slavic
Proto-Slavic (abbreviated PSl., PS.; also called Common Slavic or Common Slavonic) is the unattested, reconstructed proto-language of all Slavic languages. It represents Slavic speech approximately from the 2nd millennium B.C. through the 6th ...
''*loky'' 'water-filled depression, pond'. The German name of the settlement, ''Hülben'' (literally, 'ponds'; cf. ''Hüle'') is a translation of the Slovene name, whereas the Italian name ''Corgnale'' is a corruption of the German word ''Kornhalle'' 'grain warehouse'—that is, the village granary.
Landmarks
The most prominent cultural monument in Lokev is the defense tower at the Tabor Fortress, which was built in 1485 by the Venetians for protection against the
Ottomans. Later it served as the village granary, and today it is a museum. The
Knights Templar built
Saint Michael
Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...
's Parish Church, which contains frescoes by Tone Kralj. Nearby is the gothic chapel of
Mary Help of Christians
Mary, the Help of Christians ( la, Sancta Maria Auxilium Christianorum) is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, based on a devotion now associated with a feast day of the General Roman Calendar on May 24.
John Chrysostom was the ...
from 1426. On top of Klemenka Hill above Lokev stands the prehistoric Klemenka Fort. The ruins of a church dedicated to Saint Clement, the patron saint of sheep, are still visible on the hill. The villagers prayed to the saint to protect their sheep from wolves. Kokoš Hill (670 m) stands on the Italian border, separating the Sežana Karst from the Gulf of Trieste. Several marked walking, cycling, and riding paths are also maintained.
Vilenica Cave
Vilenica Cave or Vilenica Cave at Lokev ( sl, Jama Vilenica pri Lokvi) is the oldest show cave in Europe. The first tourists to the cave were recorded in 1633. It is located next to the village of Lokev in the municipality of Sežana on the Kars ...
, the oldest
show cave in Europe, is near Lokev.
Fabiani museum shop
A store operated in the Fabiani house from 1869 to 1948. It is now a museum with items that were sold at grocery shops in the past: candy, seeds, shoe polish, baking powder, vinegar, cosmetics, paper, packaging made of tin, glass, and wood,
notions, tobacco products, spices, washing powder, soap, coffee, paint, and enamel and zinc dishes.
Tabor Military Museum
Tabor Military Museum was opened in 1995 by Srečko Rože and his wife in Lokev's 15th-century Venetian Tabor Fortress. The collection has more than 140,000 items, most dating from the first and second world wars. About 4,200 items are on display. The items include military uniforms, among which a red one from the time of
Maria Theresa stands out. A special item is a gold-handled
sabre
A sabre ( French: sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as th ...
that Hitler presented to his officers for exceptional service; only 11 of these have been preserved. Rare items from the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
include children's gas masks and soap from the
Dachau concentration camp. A unique item at the museum is a thick chronicle of the
Habsburg dynasty
The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...
from the time of
Franz Joseph I
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his ...
with a front cover made of 16-karat gold.
References
External links
*
The Official Travel Guide by Slovenian Tourist BoardTabor Military Museum, LokevLokev on Geopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lokev, Sezana
Populated places in the Municipality of Sežana