PST!
Length
35.4
Length 35.4 km ​
Time needed
03:00
Time needed 03:00 ​
Največja strmina vzpona[%]
5
Greatest slope of the ascent: 5 %
Greatest slope of the descent: 6 %
Average slope of the ascent: 2 %
Length of ascents above 5%: 0.40 km
The lowest point of the route: 315 m
The highest point of the route: 274 m
Difference in altitude: 171 m
​
Poraba kalorij
6104
Consumption of energy for men: 6104 kJ (1458 kcal)
Consumption of energy for women: 4974 kJ (1188 kcal)
​
Difficulty
Difficulty: Medium demanding ​
Quality of the surface
Quality of the surface: Mixture
Type of bike: City bike
​
Short description

A more pleasant and relaxed cycling around Ljubljana, full of historic sights. The major part of the route runs along the established and well-marked Pot spominov in tovarištva (PST or POT; Path of Remembrance and Comradeship). You'll avoid the route at three demanding terrain sections and choose an easier path. The first such detour will be in Šiška, at the section between the end of Šiška Industrial Zone, the motorway and Celovška Road. The second time you'll be avoiding a short (200 m) slide descent along the POT between Vič and Vrhovci. And thirdly, you'll make a detour around Golovec rather than push your bike over it.
The route runs mostly along a trodden sandy path and partly along asphalt roads and paths (especially in residential areas).

Course

severno parkirišče Žale – trasa POTi do Dunajske ceste – Tolstojeva ulica – Slovenčeva ulica – Vodovodna cesta – Verovškova ulica - trasa POTi do Litostrojske ceste – neimenovana pot ob AC do Ceste Ljubljanske brigade - trasa POTi do Podutiške ceste – Ulica bratov Bezlajev – Kmečka pot - trasa POTi do Žavcarjeve ulice – Žavcarjeva ulica – Poklukarjeva ulica – Viška cesta – Cesta na Vrhovce - trasa POTi do Barjanske ceste - Marentičeva ulica - trasa POTi do Hladnikove ceste - trasa POTi do Ižanske ceste – Uršičev štradon - trasa POTi do Peruzzijeve ulice – Ob dolenjski železnici – Orlova ulica – Dolenjska cesta – Hradeckega cesta – Litijska cesta – Hruševska cesta - trasa POTi do Balinarske poti – Slape – Zaloška cesta - trasa POTi do Leskovškove ceste – Bratislavska cesta - trasa POTi do Ulice Hermana Potočnika – Jarška cesta - trasa POTi do Tomačevske ceste – severno parkirišče Žale

From Žale to Šiška...
You could start the today's Path of Remembrance and Comradeship (it used to be abbreviated as PST, today POT) at any point of the route; however, due to easier description and the proximity of parking spaces, you'll start at the northern car park of Žale.
Shush! Let's share a little secret - the cycling tour will indeed run along the route of the POT for the most part, but you'll make three short detours in order to avoid the unpleasant traffic and too demanding ascents and descents. The first such detour will be in Šiška at the section between the end of Šiška Industrial Zone, the motorway and Celovška Road. The second time you'll be avoiding a short (200m) slide descent along the sandy path between Vič and Vrhovci, which is in bad condition mostly due to heavy rains. And thirdly, you'll make a detour around Golovec rather than push your bike over it.
So let's start. From the car park cycle towards Stožice Sports Park . After some 350 metres you approach Gramozna jama (gravel pit) (on your left), where Italian soldiers shot Slovenian hostages during World War II. When you reach Vojkova Road, cross it at the pedestrian crossing, turn right and continue past a bunker to blocks of flats. At the last blocks of flats of the BS3 settlement, first turn left, and then proceed past a school and right to Dunajska Road. Along Dunajska Road, the course of the POT route is more clearly marked. When you cross the crossroads with traffic lights, turn to Tolstojeva Street and at the end of it, turn left to Slovenčeva Street. After about 180 m, between mechanical workshops and VO-KA Ljubljana business building, you'll see a short section of the POT route on your right. Continue along it and proceed towards the exit at Vodovodna Road and further over the railway line to Verovškova Street. Warning: crossing the railway line can prove quite unpleasant, as the passage is narrow and in an S-turn and is also badly maintained (sand on the roadway, spaces between railway tracks). When you reach the crossroads of Verovškova Street, turn to the POT route which at this point runs along the pavement. After about 330 m, cross the road and turn back to the sandy POT. Cycle to the crossroads of Litostrojska Road and "Industrijska cona Šiška" motorway exit. Cross the crossroads and leave the POT route by turning right and following the asphalt road which is parallel to the motorway. This section of the cycle lane runs along the power cable route which runs from Litostroj Transformer Station to Šiška Transformer Station . Cycle through the triple underpass and ascend back to the POT route and continue to Celovška Road. Cross the crossroads and head towards the city centre. Be very careful at this point so that you don't miss the route of the POT which turns right between the blocks of flats after 200 m (just after the white kiosk). From here on, follow the lane markings and direction boards.

...to Koseze, past the pond and to Vič...
When you reach the southwest edge of Koseze terraced blocks of flats, you'll again make a detour from the POT in order to avoid the staircase. Just 10 metres before the staircase, turn right and bypass two houses. Turn left at the end of a narrow path to Uraničeva Street, then along Ulica bratov Učakar and Ulica bratov Bezlajev streets return to the POT route. Turn left just before a line of 'rainbow' terraced houses and diagonally cross a small park. You are at Kmečka pot Path which leads past Koseze Pond to the right POT (path). There are 3 kilometres of easy cycling ahead under the linden treetops . After crossing the regulated Glinščica Stream , you soon reach the emerging Park Prijateljstva (Friendship Park) where every year a tree is planted on the Earth's Day .
Shush! Let's share another secret: on Cesta na Brno Road, which you'll also cross at about 10 km in your trip, you'll see an orange house some 200 of metres away on your right, where an illegal printing house called Podmornica (Submarine) used to operate during World War II. In front of it is the bus station bearing the same name.
Now you'll have to hurl up the hill and turn left at the third line of blocks of flats and to the car park, and then descend down Žavcerjeva Street to Poklukarjeva Street. You've just avoided another staircase along the POT and the uncomfortable slide descent down the steep sandy path, full of drain gullies.
When you reach the crossroads with Poklukarjeva Street, turn right past Žabar Inn at the hill and continue to Cesta na Vrhovce Road where you return to the POT after 130 m, and proceed to Dolgi most. You can stop at Vič Cemetery on the way, where you can take a look at Plečnik's masterpieces (the entrance portal and tombstones of the Prijatelj and Šerko families). When you get to the railway underpass, step off the bike and for a safety reasons walk through the underpass .

...to Murgle and Ilovica...
After the underpass, cross the road and ascend to the POT. Cycle to the crossroads with Tržaška Road. Shush! If you look at the information board before the crossroads, you'll be surprised to find yourself at 0 kilometre of the POT. Namely, the POT officially starts at this point and runs clock-wise (in the opposite direction of your arrival). If you wish to begin from the actual starting point of the POT next time, you now know where to come. And even Dolgi most P&R car park is only a stone's throw away, so you can leave your car there.
Continue ahead, as you've only cycled one third of today's route. When you cross the crossroads, continue towards Murgle. You'll be cycling along one of the most beautiful sections of the POT . A peaceful ride is ahead until Barjanska Road. When you reach Barjanska Road, cross it at the first crossing, as the route runs along the left side of Cesta dveh cesarjev Road, and descend to Marentičeva Street. After about 240 m, turn back to the maintained route of the POT. Cycle to Hladnikova Road and to the pavement above the Ljubljanica River, and then after the pedestrian crossing, turn right to the macadam road. Attention! Two parallel sandy paths are in front of you. Choose the left one . Cycle through Dolgi breg and watch out along the last 300 metres, because the residents of holiday houses use the POT route as their own access road . When you reach Ižanska Road, turn right and quickly cycle to Uršičev štradon Road and after 240 m return to the POT. About a kilometre and a half of comfortable cycling is ahead, with lovely views of the surrounding hills and the church in Rakovnik . You can also come across a surprise . Do not cross Peruzzijeva Street when you reach it. Instead, cycle to the railroad and turn left to Ob dolenjski železnici Road. You're now leaving the POT route behind. Namely, the POT from Dolenjska Road onwards first crosses Golovec , and consists of quite a few demanding ascents up a difficult terrain. Since this route was planned to be easier, you'll cycle along the railroad to the crossroads with Orlova Street, and then cross the railway tracks. After that you'll cross Dolenjska Road and proceed past Strelišče shooting range to Hradeckega Road.

Around Golovec to Polje
Watch out for motor traffic at the section of Dolenjska Road and to the bend to Hruševska Road. Hradeckega Road is narrow and equipped with speed bumps. Litijska Road has a cycle lane, but is still very busy.
When you get to Litijska Road, turn right and in the second crossroads with traffic lights take right again to Hruševska Road. Cycle along the northern foot of Golovec until the POT route crosses Hruševska Road. Turn left to the POT and cycle towards Fužine Castle . After crossing the bridge over the Ljubljanica River, you can make a short detour and get 'lost' at Labyrinth of Art , located on the meadow between Chengdujska Road and Studenec Road, which was opened for public in April 2011. If you skip this visit, you have to turn right to the sandy POT after crossing the bridge, and descend to the bypass. Cross the bypass under the Harp Bridge , as the locals call it. Ascend to the settlement of Slape. At the crossroads with Balinarska pot Road, turn right and among the line of garages cycle to Slape Road. Turn left and cross Zaloška Road at the crossroads. Proceed to the POT route which begins in front of the house nr. 168, and then continue past the blocks of flats. Turn under two railway bridges and return back to the POT over the overpass above the motorway (Letališka Road) and a turn to the right. About 2 km of easy cycling along the industrial zone follows next. After crossing Leskovškova Road, turn right after some 200 of metres and then cross Bratislavska Road. It is now up to you along which path you'll cycle to Šmartinska Road: along a two-way cycle lane (the first option) or along the POT (the second option) . Both of them run parallel along this section and will take you to the same place.

Past BTC to Žale
Cross Šmartinska Road at the crossroads, turn left and cycle for about 100 m past the car park and then turn right to Nove Jarše residential complex . Follow the lane markings and continue past Nove Jarše Primary School and Jarše Kindergarten to Jarška Road. Turn left when you get to the crossroads of Ulica Hermana Potočnika Street and Jarška Road. Between houses nr. 57 and 55a, return to the POT. After 200 m you'll enter the area of Žale cemetery. Cycle the last 380 m along the avenue, cross Tomačevska Road and you'll come to the finish line.
You've cycled an interesting and diverse path around Ljubljana, full of historical sights and beautiful hidden places. Next time you'll cycle the route clockwise, won't you?

Enemy-occupied Ljubljana
On 19 January 1942, the commandership of XI. Corpi d'Armata of Italian Army ordered to enclose Ljubljana with a wire fence, isolate the city from the outskirts and destroy the main headquarters of the resistance in Ljubljana. The fencing of Ljubljana started at the end of January and ended on 23 February 1942. The wire blockade with strongholds, guardhouses, posts and fences initially measured 18 km. Because the 'cleaning' of Ljubljana didn't go according to the plans, general Robotti appointed a special committee for construction of the fortified wall around Ljubljana on 11 May 1942. The committee was supposed to carry out the inspection of the existing infrastructure and suggest or plan the construction of a new one. By the end of May, the ring of fences was thus further extended; resulting in 29.6 km long, 5 to 8 m wide and 2 m high ring. The ring included 69 large bunkers, 11 exposed, 53 small and 73 inner bunkers - 206 all together. Ljubljana became a concentration camp. Despite the strict control, the ring was passed by the injured, partisans and the citizens of Ljubljana and surrounding areas. An example of that is the railwaymen who dispatched entire wagons of different goods to the partisan units with false documents.
After the capitulation of Italy, the control over Ljubljana fell into the hands of Germans who were much crueller than Italians. It was only on 9 May 1945, on the 1,170 day of isolation of the city, that Ljubljana became a free city again. In the days after the liberation of the city, people of Ljubljana left the city in masses and went to the surrounding area, to the banks of the Sava River, to Katarina, Šmarna gora and elsewhere as they used to before the war.

Path of Remembrance and Comradeship (PST, or nowadays POT)
After the war, the memories were still very fresh and painful, and the Ljubljana citizens started removing the hated fence, filling up the trenches and demolishing the bunkers. The last bunker was demolished in spring of 1946. The strongholds started being used either as apartments or warehouses.
When the first Slovenian Festival of Physical Culture was organised in 1957, the district committees of NOB League of Combatants suggested to organise a partisan hike along the wire of the former-occupied Ljubljana as a part of the festival. The first hike took place on 23 June 1957.
The first arrangements and markings of the route began already in 1959 with the erection of the first monuments. In 1972, the arrangement of sandy paths with tree-lined allies was planned. The entire arrangement of the POT ended in 1985, when it was formally opened on 9 May and handed over to the citizens of Ljubljana.
Nowadays, the sandy POT measures 33 km and mostly runs along the original route of the wired fence.

Gramozna jama
Gramozna jama is a place where the Italian occupying forces shot Slovenian hostages between 1942 and 1943. Slovenian painter Hinko Smrekar was also one of the hostages.
Memorial complex was designed in 1955 by architect Vinko Glanz and was opened for public in 1957. In 2003, Gramozna jama with its memorial complex (Vinko Glanz) and a monument to the hostages (Boris Kalin) was declared a cultural monument of local significance.

Koseze Pond
Koseze Pond, also known as Koseze Lake, is a smaller lake on the western side of Šišenski hrib Hill and the settlement of Mostec. The pond is not wider than 100 m and not longer than 200 m. The present depth is supposedly 2 to 3 m (the lowest point used to be 11 m deep), which is a result of silt deposits from the Mostec Stream. The lake emerged after the abandonment of a clay pit in the 1960s when the nearby Mostec Stream was directed into it. During the operation of the Agrostroj Factory, the pond was quite polluted, because the factory tested its pumps for irrigation plants in it. The lake and its surroundings were left to natural processes over the years. It was in 2000 that the Municipality of Ljubljana opened an invitation to a public call for landscape arrangement of the pond area which was arranged according to the winning tender. Although the pond is well-frequented recreational sports area, it is not used for swimming due to poor quality of water (huge amounts of silt). Nevertheless, fishing, races with small model motor boats and ice-skating are popular activities on the pond.

Podmornica (Submarine) Printing House
Podmornica Printing House was the first of six illegal printing houses which operated in Ljubljana between 1941 and 1943. It operated in a house at Cesta na Brdo 95 Road in an underground bunker between September 1941 and July 1942. Only Podmornica has been preserved from the six printing houses nowadays. The name Podmornica (Submarine) originates from the time when the level of groundwater increased to such an extent that the water had to be ladled with buckets and poured in the nearby toilet, but only when no one was around. This was due to proximity of the Italian entrance control point to Ljubljana.
The road-oriented façade has a memorial plaque commemorating the importance of the building. Some of the printing equipment is still on display in the bunker. The house is now private property; therefore, prior notice is required before visiting.

Labyrinth of Art
Labyrinth of Art was opened at the Ljubljanica River on the meadow near Fužine Castle in April 2011. Labyrinth consists of 287 Canadian hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) which still have a long growth phase ahead of them in order to show all of their glory. The trees are planted along a 620 m long paved path. A library under the treetops is located in the centre of Labyrinth.
Labyrinth of Art emerged as a part of Ljubljana World Book Capital 2010 project.

 

Walk Along the Wire
This is a traditional recreational hike along the POT in the memory of the liberation of Ljubljana in 1945 which was enclosed by a wired fence put up by the Italian and German occupying forces during World War II. The first official organised (partisan) hike along the wire of the formerly-occupied Ljubljana took place on 23 June 1957. The hike is held every year in the first half of May (around 9 May, the Liberation of Ljubljana Day).
This three-day event includes hikes of kindergarten children (Thursday) and pupils of Primary and Secondary schools (Friday). The climax is on Saturday when recreational enthusiasts and running trios set out for a hike.

Trio Race
Trio Race is also a part of three-day events within the Walk Along the Wire. It is carried out along 12.5 and 29 km long tracks. Trio Race officially began in 2000, although the participants of the Walk Along the Wire ran already at the very first hike along the wire of formerly-occupied Ljubljana in 1957. It was in the same year that quintets ran the entire path in combat gear which included a rifle and a 12-kilogram rucksack.

You shouldn't set out along the POT route at the time of the traditional hike along the wire.
Spots or sections where extra precaution is necessary:
− crossing of the railway line at Vodnikova Road,
− the railroad underpass at Vič,
− the section of Dolenjska road until the bend to Hruševska Road where the road is very busy with motor traffic; Hradeckega Road is narrow and equipped with speed bumps; Litijska Road has a cycle lane, but is very busy.