- Lipica
Lipica (Ital. "Lipizza") is a village in the municipality of
Sežana ,Slovenia , near the Italian border.Lipica is one of the main tourist centers of the Slovenia's Karst region. It is the origin of the
Lipizzaner horses. The Lipica stud farm was established in 1580 byCharles II, Archduke of Inner Austria (son ofFerdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor ). Today the stud farm is fully functional and breeds the finest horses for haute-école riding. The stud farm now also includes a hotel and leisure complex, a modern adjunct to a historical setting.The name is derived from the Slovenian word "lipa" 'linden tree', which is common in the area. The staff at the Lipica stud farm plant a new linden tree for every foal born, with the local epithet 'Lipa, Lipica, Lipizzana'.
Other places of interest in and near Lipica:
*The
Avgust Černigoj gallery
* The Škocjan cave system ("Škocjanske jame"), a natural monument included on theUNESCO WorldHeritage list.
*Vilenica Cave , possibly the world's oldest show cave (with guided tours since1633 )
* The Valley of Our Lady ofLourdes ("Dolina Lurške Matere Božje"): an outdoor church and a localpilgrimage destination
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
