Around 600 wounded from different nationalities were treated at the hospital during the war. Nine years ago the hospital was almost entirely destroyed by floods, but later it was completely renovated. It now offers visitors an authentic look at how it operated during WWII. The Idrija Municipal Museum, which manages the Franja Hospital, organizes regular guided tours in the summer.
The Franja Partisan Hospital is a site of national cultural importance. It's also on the Unesco World Heritage experimental list, and last year it once again received the European Heritage Label award for its symbolic value and role in European history and culture. A Cerkno museum curator, Milojka Magajne, says the award has sparked additional visits: "We recorded a significant rise in the number of visits last year, especially compared to the year before. We have visitors coming from all around the world, from all continents and different nationalities. Last year we counted more than 20.000."
The Franja Hospital has so far been seen by a total of more than 1,5 million visitors. The museum organizes guided tours for groups. For the first time last year it also introduced guided tours for individuals. "Visitor reactions were very good and we have therefore decided to offer the tours during this year's summer months as well," added Magajne.
Guided tours in Slovenian language are available twice a week - on Wednesdays and Saturdays.