Without Jakob Aljaž—a patriot, mountain enthusiast, priest, composer, builder of mountain huts, and a visionary—the villages below Triglav would certainly not be what they are today. He was such a dedicated Slovene that he stood up for the purchase of land on Triglav during the challenging political situation of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, intending to eventually hand it over to the Slovenes. If it weren’t for him, this land would be lost forever. He served as a priest in Dovje from 1889 until 1927.
For a long time, Jakob Aljaž nurtured the idea of building a small tower on the top of Triglav, which would serve as a mountain shelter. In the winter of 1894/1895, in the parish room in Dovje, he designed the tower himself, outlining it with chalk on the floor. As both a pastor in Dovje and a mountaineer, he bought the summit of Triglav for one goldinar, thereby securing the legal right to build a modest shelter, later known as Aljaž’s Tower, on Triglav’s peak. He entrusted the construction of the tower to Anton Belec from Šentvid near Ljubljana. The tower was made of six parts, which were transported to Mojstrana by train, and then carried by six porters to Triglav within a week. The tower was built in five hours on August 7, 1895. Jakob Aljaž personally financed the entire construction, covering a total cost of 300 gulden.
The purchase of the land and the construction of the tower led to a legal conflict with German organizations, which accused Aljaž of destroying a first-order underground triangulation point during the tower's construction. They sought to have the tower dismantled, but Aljaž resisted these accusations. The trial lasted six months, during which farmers, mountaineers, hunters, and guides were questioned. Aljaž argued that a civil engineer had previously built a wooden pyramid for measurements at the summit of Triglav, but it was soon destroyed by the weather.
Thus, the tower remained ours, becoming a symbol of the Slovenes. Today it is protected as a cultural monument of national importance. It is said that you only become a true Slovenian if you stand on the top, touch the tower and get hit on the back 3 times with the climbing rope.
Aljaž was also the initiator and builder of other mountain facilities: Aljažev Dom in the Vrata Valley, as well as the chapel and hut on Kredarica, the protected mountain path between Mali and Veliki Triglav, and the Tominšek path from Vrata Valley to Kredarica. The Stanič Shelter, just below the peak of Triglav, is also his work.
His versatile activities extended to composing as well. His most famous song is "Oj, Triglav, moj dom," which he set to music in 1896 and published in his Slovenian Songbook II in 1900.
A statue of him was build in Dovje, pointing towards Triglav, his bust is in front of the primary school in Mojstrana, and there is also a memorial in his native village.
The trail behind Dovje gradually disappears, and via Kopišče (800 m), where there is an excellent view of Mojstrana and Dovje, you will follow the marked mountain path to Mlinca. Locals also call it Tromostovje, where the Mlinca and Žaklja streams converge.
A little further is the turnoff for the third highest peak of the Karawanks - Kepa (2139 m), which you follow all the way through Brvog (1450 m) below Lepa Plevelnica via Gubno (2034 m) to Kepa itself.
The same route will also lead you back to your starting point at the Slovenian Alpine Museum.
Slovenian Alpine Museum (650 m) - Dovje (704 m) - Kopišče (800 m) - Mlinca (1065 m) - Brvog (1450 m) - under Gubno (2040 m) - Kepa (2139 m) - under Gubno (2040 m) - Brvog (1450 m) - Mlinca (1065 m) - Dovje (704 m) - Slovenian Alpine Museum (650 m)
From the Slovenian Alpine Museum, head past the bivouac and down to the main road (pavement). At the opposite side of Pizzeria Kot, turn right and enter Trg Olimpijcev (Olympian Square). Return to the main road and proceed down to the junction. Turn left towards the old part of the village, continuing straight ahead. At the intersection, cross the road and continue along the narrow street until you reach the main road near Požganc's Bridge.
Cross the bridge, taking a moment to admire the Mojstranška gobela. Reaching the main road, cross it and notice the statue of Jakob Aljaž on the right. Begin the ascent up Dovška Gobela. At the main intersection, turn right past the Old School towards the main square. From the square, head up a narrow street (following the signs for path no.17), passing by the apiary. At the next narrow intersection, turn left and continue uphill past Drašler's house. Follow the carriageway to the gravel road, and after two detours, you'll reach the plateau of the former caravan station at Kopišče (800 m), where you'll rejoin the mountain path on the right side. This path will bring you back to the road.
Continue along the road to the next hairpin bend, and 70 meters further on, a path appears on the left, leading through a large clearing. Turn left onto this path, cross the clearing, and rejoin the road. Immediately on the other side of the road, the path re-enters the forest, where a bench awaits. The path leads back to the road once more. Go right along the road to the intersection of gravel roads. At the intersection, right after Mlinca (Kepa signpost). The road then descends to Mlinca, where the stream of the same name meets the Žakelj stream, which flows in from the left.
Cross the stream and continue along the carriageway, turning right at the signpost for Kepa. The path climbs steeply towards Brvog (1450 m) and is well visible. Cross the ravine to the hunting lodge and turn right, heading northeast. Follow the path to the intersection for the Mlinca saddle and Kepa. Turn left here, and a little further on, you’ll find a stream with drinkable water.
Proceed in the direction of Gubno. The path ascends steeply as you follow the ridge beneath Gubno, where you'll reach the stump. This is where the secured route begins. Descend carefully into the den, then exit on the other side.
Next, cross the exposed and partially secured shelves toward Kepa. Continue with extreme caution until you reach the saddle, where a marked path arrives from the Austrian side. From the saddle onward, the path widens, leading you to the summit of Kepa.
Retrace your steps back to Tromostovje (Mlinca). From there, descend along the marked mountain path to an elevation of 900 meters until you reach the serpentine. From this bend, follow the gravel road for approximately 200 meters to an elevation of 880 meters, where you’ll turn right, crossing a wire fence to reach a forest trail heading southwest (the path is no longer marked). Descend along this forest trail to the meadows above Dovje, where you’ll join the unmarked path that leads from Kopišče.
Continue along this path to the fence. Follow the carriageway down, turning right onto the asphalt road at the intersection. Continue to the end of the village on the dirt road, then turn left at the intersection towards the stream. Follow the stream in the direction of Mojstrana. Cross the Dovje road, then cross the main road again. Cross the road once more in Mojstrana and reach Sava’s bridge. Cross the bridge, turning right towards the Proda football field. Circle around the field and follow the asphalt road up to Veliki Breg. At the top of the hill, take the first right at the crossroads. From here, keep to the right, passing beneath Grančišče and the Mojstrana via ferrata entrance, until you reach the intersection with the main road. Turn left to return to the Slovenian Alpine Museum.
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