Outdoor art
The garden of the Mrak Homestead brings together nature, heritage, and art. Among the fruit trees and greenery, visitors can discover a number of larger sculptures by Slavko Oblak. The sound of the Rečica stream accompanies the experience, while views open out towards the Karawanks. A special feature of the garden is the preserved beehive, a reminder of a time when beekeeping formed an important part of everyday life and the rural economy in Carniola. Beekeeping is also an interest of Slavko Oblak.
The sculptures become part of the setting of the former homestead, changing with the light, vegetation, and seasons. The garden offers a place for a walk and a different way to experience art, outdoors and in direct contact with nature.
THE BEEHIVE AS PART OF THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
Beekeeping heritage
A traditional beehive stands in the garden of the Mrak Homestead, reflecting the rich beekeeping heritage of Upper Carniola. Beekeeping was once an important part of life on rural homesteads, while beehives, in addition to their practical purpose, became a distinctive feature of the cultural landscape.
Upper Carniola is also closely associated with Anton Janša (1734–1773) from Breznica near Žirovnica, a pioneer of modern beekeeping and the first teacher of beekeeping at the Imperial Court in Vienna. Painted beehive panels are another part of this tradition and, with their distinctive imagery, became a unique expression of Slovenian folk art.
The beehive at the Mrak Homestead represents a mountain variant of the traditional Carniolan type. It is characterised by its tall wooden structure, steep gabled roof, and wide eaves. This design protected it from snow, rain, and damp conditions and was well suited to the climate of Upper Carniola.
As you explore it, look out for the traditional timber joints, wooden pegs, hand-forged nails, and solid doors with wooden hinges. Preserved notches in the structure also reveal how the beehives were once arranged inside.
One of its most distinctive features is the roof, covered with wooden shingles made according to the traditional shingle-making techniques of Bohinj. The beehive therefore preserves not only a characteristic architectural form, but also traditional woodworking knowledge and craftsmanship.
In 2014, it was entered on the register of Slovenian beehives under the number 1.04. The identification plaque can still be seen on the beehive today.
The beehive complements the story of the Mrak Homestead and its connection with life, work, and nature. It shows how practical knowledge, craftsmanship, and a sense of beauty came together in an everyday agricultural structure.
