…and the people
It is recorded that first settlers came to the valleys under Mt. Kočna already in the first century A.D. and were probably mostly hunters. First written documents about people settling here are from the year 811, when a wooden chapel, a shelter for merchants and monks who travelled further on to Carantania (Kranjska) or in the other direction through Carinthia (Koroška) towards the sea, was built. In the time of plague in the 14th century more people settled in the valley, mostly those who were running away from the deadly disease. An important part of the history was the 1348 earthquake with the epicentre near today’s Villach in Austria; earthquake shocks were felt all the way to Naples, Strasbourg and Krakow. The earthquake that lasted for 40 days caused a lot of damage to the buildings as well as cracks in the ground into which lake water slowly disappeared. Once flooded land now became wetlands, which was from 17th century on mostly drained, but still some of the wetlands have been preserved.
The Turks invaded Jezersko in the 15th and the 16th century, leaving behind destroyed land. People retreated to higher places for their safety. A disappearing lake gave space and land for agriculture and the whole valley was soon full of grain and other harvest people needed to survive. The main activity in the 17th and the 18th century was sheep grazing and locals connected with neighbours from Solčava region with whom they raised a sheep breed, so called Jezersko-Solčavska breed, which adapted to survive in the mountainous environment. In addition to farming, people started to make money by transporting goods between Carniola (Kranjska) and Carinthia (Koroška). Better road connections to Carniola and the establishment of ironworks in Kokra valley enabled better possibilities for transportation of goods, at that time mostly coal for ironworks. Later on, when ironworks was in decline, mill saws and wood business started growing and much known Jezersko larch tree was at first sold and transported to Trieste for making ship masts and later on to railways in Ljubljana and Kranj.
In the late 19th century Jezersko started to become interesting for the newly developing tourism industry. Many of the houses already had guests’ beds and were selling food and drinks (recorded already from the 16th century on for the sake of the transportation business), but also visits by people who wanted to see and enjoy its natural beauty was increasing fast. Businessmen from Czech, at the time owners of many factories in Carniola, built Češka koča m ountain hut in 1900 and many of the locals fastly adapted to the new "wave”, preparing and renting more tourist beds. Along with tourism other trades also started to develop. First World War caused some decline in business but it got back on its feet and developed rapidly after the war. Good air quality enabled healthy environment and building of the hospital for eye diseases which attracted even more people. Things changed after the Second World War and in 1982 the only resort in the area, hospital for eye diseases, was closed down. Reorganisation in farming made people moving to Kranj, farms were regressing and their number decreasing. During the last decade the economic situation has improved and more young families decide to stay and look for possibilities for employment in the valley. We have learned something from the past and success of our grandparents should be guidance for development in future. Climate, appropriate for treating eye diseases, unspoiled nature, high mountains, centuries of preserved tradition and special cuisine is what Jezersko has to offer to everyone who comes to visit!