SOCIETY TD ŽIRI
The Žiri Tourist Society has been operating for 48 years. All those years we have been striving for an orderly and positive image of our town. Each year we organise a campaign for selecting the most beautiful homes and gardens of Žiri, the Žiri Cycling Tour, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary, a carnival, a flower fair, a hiking tour along the Rapallo border and the Žiri Tourist Day with free guided tours for visitors.
We represent the town of Žiri at the Alpe-Adria Fair–tourism and spare time. We cooperate with local societies in organising exhibitions and other events. Each year we organise at least one travel lecture and one expert lecture covering the topic of garden and plants.
Tourist and Information Centre
In the centre of Žiri there is a Tourist and Information Centre (TIC). It is open for business on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month (i.e. when the local market is also open), during major events in Žiri as well as at request. We organise guided tours and trips around Žiri and its surroundings for groups at request.
Management board and membership
The society with 161 individuals is managed by 15 board members.
Become a member
Join us! Fill in the following form and send it to Turistično društvo Žiri, Trg svobode 2, 4226 Žiri or to info.tdziri@gmail.com
»Hey! Our home at the end of the world is called Žiri where we all live happily...«
This is how our anthem begins. However, Žiri is not in the end of the world, it is right in the middle of it. It lies at the junction of three Slovene regions – the Gorenjska, Notranjska and Primorska region, by the natural divide between the Adriatic and Black Sea, between the Sava Valley and the Soča Valley, and between the Sora River and the Idrija River. It was the geographic position which contributed to different administrative divisions being brought together at this very place in the past.
During WW1 and WW2, what is known as the Rapallo border ran along the outskirts of the Žiri Basin, dividing the Kingdoms of Yugoslavia and Italy of the time. Žiri was a border town at the time. Both countries were building fortifications along the border with many of them still being scattered across the surrounding hills. The most impressive was the Rupnik Line – a system of underground fortifications and small bunkers at Žirovski vrh.
Before this place was settled, a lake was here surrounded by nothing but forest. The latter still covers more than two thirds of the Žiri municipality. Initially, beech was predominant, which is the Žiri “family tree”. No wonder, the town got its name after the fruit of the beech tree (in Slovene: žir).
Activities in Žiri
The most important traditional activities in Žiri are shoemaking and lacemaking activities. The shoemaking tradition led to the foundation of the Alpina factory which has established itself mainly as the manufacturer of sports footwear. A more than 110-year-old-tradition of lacemaking has been preserved by the Žiri Lacemaking School and the Cvetke Lacemaking Society.
Cooperation with local societies
We traditionally cooperate with local societies in organising exhibitions and other events. During major events we are always available at our tourist and information spot. All this time we have been striving for even better cooperation and networking.
ACTIVE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ŽIRI Delavsko prosvetno društvo Svoboda Žiri, Društvo glasbenikov Žiri, Društvo pihalni orkester Alpina Žiri, Glasbeno društvo Frekvenca, Klekljarsko društvo Cvetke, Konjeniški klub Žiri, Kulturno društvo Anton Jobst, Moto klub Sairach, Ribiška družina Žiri, Romarsko društvo Šmar Žiri, Kmečke Žene Žiri, Planinsko društvo Žiri, Muzejsko društvo Žiri, Taborniki Rod zelenega Žirka, Turistično društvo Žirovski vrh, Skavti, DPD Svoboda Žiri, Društvo šoferjev AMZS Žiri, SSK Norica Žiri, Zasebni zavod Vrt in galerija Kržišnik and other sports and other associations.
SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO: We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Žiri photographers for capturing the most beautiful spots and moments and for contributing their photos to the archives of the Žiri Tourist Society and the Žiri Municipality, and for publication on this website.
Photographers: Polona Mlakar, Tanja Mlinar, Jošt Gantar, Foto Viktor, Jera Šink, Neva Šink, Katja Jemec, Majda Treven, Jožica Kacin, Darjan Kacin.