At an altitude of 1611 metres, the mountain pass at Vrsic is the highest in the eastern Julian Alps and provides a link between the Savska and the Soska valleys. We can have a relaxing cub of tea or even stay the night at the Ticarjev mountain hut, which is located at the top of the pass. There are five mountain huts on Vrsic offering refreshment and rest.
Just off the main road winding up Vrsic, at an altitude of around 1200 metres is located the Russian chapel. It is a Russian Orthodox memorial chapel which was built by Russian prisoners of war engaged in forced labor in the area during the First World War. During the war Kranjska Gora was an important cross – roads of military passages. When Italy declared war to Austria in May 1915, the connection with the front line on the river Soca was a strategic importance. In the years 1915 to 1916 Austrian military command engaged more than 10.000 Russian war prisoners to build the road from Kranjska Gora over the Mojstrovka (Vrsic) mountain pass to Trenta.
In March 1916 more than a hundred Russian prisoners and some Austrian guards were buried by an avalanche. Two burial grounds in the vicinity of the Erjavceva koca, the tomb and the Russian Chapel, built in 1917 by the surviving Russian prisoners in memory of their fellow soldiers, are the reminders of the tragic events.
Photos
![Russian Chapel - Vrsic - Russian Chapel Russian Chapel - Vrsic - Russian Chapel]()
Vrsic - Russian Chapel
![Russian Chapel - Road to Vrsic Russian Chapel - Road to Vrsic]()
Road to Vrsic
![Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel by the road from Kranjska Gora to Vrsic Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel by the road from Kranjska Gora to Vrsic]()
Russian Chapel by the road from Kranjska Gora to Vrsic
![Russian Chapel - Parking area near the Russian Chapel Russian Chapel - Parking area near the Russian Chapel]()
Parking area near the Russian Chapel
![Russian Chapel - Russian Road - Russian Chapel Russian Chapel - Russian Road - Russian Chapel]()
Russian Road - Russian Chapel
![Russian Chapel - Stars to the Russian Chapel Russian Chapel - Stars to the Russian Chapel]()
Stars to the Russian Chapel
![Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel in Vrsic - Information board Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel in Vrsic - Information board]()
Russian Chapel in Vrsic - Information board
![Russian Chapel - View back to the road Russian Chapel - View back to the road]()
View back to the road
![Russian Chapel - Path to the Russian Chapel Russian Chapel - Path to the Russian Chapel]()
Path to the Russian Chapel
![Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel and the tomb of the unknown Russian soldier Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel and the tomb of the unknown Russian soldier]()
Russian Chapel and the tomb of the unknown Russian soldier
![Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel below Vrsic Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel below Vrsic]()
Russian Chapel below Vrsic
![Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel build in 1916 Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel build in 1916]()
Russian Chapel build in 1916
![Russian Chapel - Chapel Russian Chapel - Chapel]()
Chapel
![Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel by the road to Vrsic Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel by the road to Vrsic]()
Russian Chapel by the road to Vrsic
![Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel]()
Russian Chapel
![Russian Chapel - Entrance Russian Chapel - Entrance]()
Entrance
![Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel - Cultural monument Russian Chapel - Russian Chapel - Cultural monument]()
Russian Chapel - Cultural monument
![Russian Chapel - Vault with the monument in the form of a pyramid with the label Russian Chapel - Vault with the monument in the form of a pyramid with the label]()
Vault with the monument in the form of a pyramid with the label "To th...
![Russian Chapel - Tomb of the unknown Russian soldier Russian Chapel - Tomb of the unknown Russian soldier]()
Tomb of the unknown Russian soldier
![Russian Chapel - Neighbourhood of the Russian Chapel Russian Chapel - Neighbourhood of the Russian Chapel]()
Neighbourhood of the Russian Chapel
![Russian Chapel - On this place was camp of the prisoners of war Russian Chapel - On this place was camp of the prisoners of war]()
On this place was camp of the prisoners of war
![Russian Chapel - Monument with the map of the Russian Road to Vrsic Russian Chapel - Monument with the map of the Russian Road to Vrsic]()
Monument with the map of the Russian Road to Vrsic