In his poem, "Zdravljica" (A Toast), part of which also became the Slovenian anthem, the great Slovenian poet France Prešeren mentioned and honoured Slovenian women with the lines "To you, our pride past measure, Our girls! Your beauty, charm and grace!". Particularly noble beauties, often headstrong, but all the more extraordinary and precious, have grown among all of these flowers.
There are many powerful, exceptional Slovenian women who stand out from the crowd. They can be found in various fields, i.e. in art, culture, sport, science, politics, economics and humanitarian work. We can only mention some of them who, with their achievements and charisma, also inspired the experiences and tourist offer in the places they came from or where they worked. Follow their stories and perhaps you will find inspiration for yourself, too.
Tall, slender, unusually beautiful, intelligent, gifted with a natural talent for politics and diplomacy… This is how history describes Barbara of Celje, a member of the mighty dynasty of the Counts of Celje. By marrying Sigismund of Luxembourg, the most powerful European monarch of the 14th century, she also became one of the most influential women of that period. She became the Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia and thus the highest royal in Slovenian history. Learn about Barbara of Celje and the dynasty of the Counts of Celje by visiting the Old Castle in Celje.
A petite woman of strong will and spirit – this is a suitable description of Alma M. Karlin, an "influencer" of her time, who set out on a journey around the world with scarce funds and a typewriter. This was quite an unusual venture for a woman after the end of the First World War. The determined woman from Celje described her often unusual and exotic experiences on her eight-year journey in articles and books that were published in various countries and at lectures at European universities and elsewhere. Her works bear great value as they consist of unique and comprehensive descriptions of the countries she visited. Her life and journey are showcased in the Celje Regional Museum and her house.
Ita Rina was an indisputable queen of film in the 1920s and 1930s. Some place her alongside stars such as Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. The 20-year-old woman from the Karst tried her luck in Berlin, which was the cinematic metropolis of Europe at the time. There, she was immediately hired to make a film. Her career sky-rocketed, mostly due to the films, Erotikon (1929) and Tonka of the Gallows (1930). She received numerous offers from Hollywood studios to continue and build her career in the USA, but she chose to get married and move to Belgrade. You can explore the story of this film beauty at the Museum of Slovenian Film Actors in Divača.
An original painter who defied the social norms of the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century and lived in accordance with her own rules. She decided on a career in painting very early on, at the tender age of 16. Her work encompasses more than 350 paintings, among which Summer and Women Ironers must be mentioned, which were also exhibited at an international show in Paris. One of her most renowned works is Coffee Drinker, a painting that was dear to the painter herself, as she refused to sell it during her lifetime. The collected works of Ivana Kobilca can be admired at the National Gallery in Ljubljana.
You’ve probably heard of the Franja Partisan Hospital, a unique monument to humanity, where the lives of numerous partisans were saved during the Second World War. The hospital was operating in a remote narrow gorge in the area of Cerkno. It was named after an exceptional physician, Dr Franja Bojc Bidovec, who took over the management of the hospital with great care and sacrifice and saw to its expansion. Before the war, she had to face many challenges that brought her to her decision to become a doctor. The most known Slovenian amateur cycling event was also named after her – the Franja Maraton.
One of the best female chefs in the world was first noticed in 2016 when she attended the Cook It Raw event in competition with her male colleagues and gained instant acclaim. Roš was brought into the limelight after participating in the Netflix series Chef’s Table and was declared the best female chef in the world in 2017. This self-taught chef, who left her career as an expert in international relations to dedicate herself to gastronomic creativity, finds her specific inspiration in the culinary tradition of the Soča River Valley. Her creative spirit and combining of local flavours in a modern way also impressed the gastronomic giant Michelin, which awarded Hiša Franko, Roš’s gastronomic playground, three of its prestigious stars.
Janja Garnbret’s climbing is a kind of poetry on a rockface. She overcomes difficult challenges with incredible ease while solving boulder problems. Garnbret drew attention to her talent early, as a teenager, and has developed into the best sports climber in the world in just a few years. She won all the bouldering competitions in one season, a first in the history of sports climbing. Garnbret was the first to win all three world championship titles at one world championship (2019) and she repeated this achievement at the 2022 European championship. She’s also made history in sports climbing as the first ever Olympic gold medallist. Garnbret is an ambassador of Slovenian tourism as well.
The endearing Alpine skier, who tackles all her challenges with a smile on her face, is among the best female downhill skiers in the world. She is one of the few female Alpine skiers to succeed in winning gold at two consecutive world championships and the title of world downhill champion. Although her career has been beset by injuries, Štuhec always rises again like a phoenix from the ashes and makes her way to the top of speed events. Štuhec lives in Maribor and is also an ambassador of Slovenian tourism.
Would you like to know which experiences in Slovenia are closest to the hearts of these Slovenian women who represent their country in the world? Find inspiration for active spending of leisure time outdoors, creating in the kitchen or exploring the green country.
Mountaineering in Slovenia has produced many top Alpine climbers who have conquered the highest peaks in the world and climbed numerous new routes. These also include Slovenian women who were some of the first in the world to compete against their male counterparts in the most challenging routes.
The pioneers of Slovenian Alpine climbing were Pavla Jesih and Mira Marko Debelak, whose Alpine achievements on the most difficult routes in the Slovenian Alps made them stand confidently shoulder to shoulder with the best male Alpine climbers.
Marija Štremfelj made history as the first Slovenian woman to climb Mount Everest. Štremfelj and her husband Andrej were the first married couple on top of the highest mountain in the world. You can learn about the daring Slovenian Alpine climbers at the Slovenian Alpine Museum in Mojstrana and in the story that reveals their immense courage.
If we wanted to mention all the women who have defied social norms, bravely and sometimes stubbornly followed their dreams and rose above the average, the list would be very long. Among the names that stand out are many mistresses of the written word, such as the author Zofka Kveder, also a women’s rights activist, and the poet Lili Novy, who are mentioned in the international Women Writers Route.
There are many top female athletes who have become sports legends. One of these is Alpine skier Tina Maze, a two-time Olympic and a four-time world champion, who still holds the record number of points scored in one world cup season. Alenka Artnik moves the limits of what is possible and continues to improve her record freediving depths.
Did you know that a Slovenian woman received the Nobel Peace Prize? As a member of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Slovenian climatologist Dr Lučka Kajfež Bogataj was among the recipients of this prestigious award in 2007.
Every museum has its own treasures for everyone. Museum corridors and exhibition rooms are permeated by vivid, captivating stories from the past. If you dismiss this idea, saying that you are unmoved by dusty exhibits and historical facts, you may change your mind when you receive an invitation to visit somewhat untypical museums. Quench your thirst for exploration and choose a museum to your taste.
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