While I was picking up supplies from my local Virginia beekeeping vendor, I mentioned that I was going to be fly fishing in Slovenia. He said "you know that's the international capital of beekeeping". I didn't, but after a little research, found that it was true and that the Slovenian Apiculture Museum was located near where we were staying in Ljubljana. So I pitched the idea to Kathi that we stay overnight in Ljubljana and take the train to Radovljica. She graciously agreed, here we were taking the train to the beekeeping museum!
Me and my good sport!
As we ascended, we were treated to beautiful views of the Julian Alps. Unfortunately, the peaks of Triglav and Rjavina are lost in the clouds. Lake Bled is in the valley in the center of the photo.
Triglav is the highest in Slovenia and the highest in the Julian Alps. It is the pre-eminent symbol of the Slovenian nation, appearing on its coat of arms and flag.
Above the train station, a signpost also reminded us that many paths crossed Europe to lead pilgrims to Santiago on the "way of Saint James".
The museum wasn't open yet, so we grabbed a seat at this outdoor cafe for a cappuccino.
Lovin' the sheep's wool seat coverings!
I nside, on the second floor, the museum is thoroughly modern (in contrast to the historic building).
Inside the museum, we learned may things about the history of beekeeping in Slovenia and Slovenian contributions to the art of beekeeping throughout the world.
But first, a little about honey bees in Europe and the unique Carniolan bee native to this region...
(I've included some slides are from a PowerPoint presentation I made for my local beekeeping club)
The Carniolan bee is found in the southeastern area of the Alps. It is more widespread in central Europe and in the southern part of Austria and in a large part of Hungary, while it is also present in a small part of northern Italy, Croatia, in part of Romania, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
But first, a little about honey bees in Europe and the unique Carniolan bee native to this region...
(I've included some slides are from a PowerPoint presentation I made for my local beekeeping club)
The Carniolan bee is found in the southeastern area of the Alps. It is more widespread in central Europe and in the southern part of Austria and in a large part of Hungary, while it is also present in a small part of northern Italy, Croatia, in part of Romania, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
Due to its favorable morphological and ethological characteristics, the Carniolan bee is also present in other countries of Western Europe and the wider world, thanks to the contributions of bee merchants in the past.The Carniolan bee was identified by August Pullman in his 1879 book, considered to the first valid description of the species Apis mellifera carnica.
From the mid 19th to the mid 20th century there was a lively trade in Carniolan bees, known for their exceptional calmness, tameness, adaptability, good yields on pastures, low food consumption over the winter, and rapid spring development.
These were the traits that grew in demand from beekeepers all over the world. The sale of bees was even more profitable than sales of honey and other products, so more Slovenian beekeepers engaged in that trade.
In Slovenia, Carniolan bees are covered by the Livestock Act, which provides it special protection, care, and conservation.
Now more about the history...
Below is a portrait of Saint Ambrose - the patron saint of beekeepers and candlemakers.
Legend has it that a swarm of bees settled on the mouth of a baby when he was sleeping in his cradle, but none of them stung him. This was said to herald his exceptional oratory skills. After this event, he was re-named Ambrosia, the Greek word for nectar - the food of the gods that gives eternal youth and immortality. He later became Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (339-397) - the patron saint of beekeepers and candlemakers; he is thought to protect against bee stings.
The first reliable record about the use of apiaries is in the depiction of the Zonek Castle near Ljubljana in a book from 1689.
The hives were placed in a special "bee house" to protect them from weather.
Anton Jansa was born in 1734 in Breznica into a family known for it's long tradition of beekeeping and their painting of beehive panels. He picked up the family tradition at an early age and became a pioneer of organized beekeeping.
In 1775, Empress Maria Theresa issued a patent for the establishment of beekeeping schools based on Jansa's model. State instructions for master beekeepers were written according to Jansa's findings and were ordered to be followed by all teachers of beekeeping in the Empire.
Through his professional work, inventions, teaching and theories, Anton Jansa influenced the development of modern beekeeping around the world and due to the initiative of the Slovenian government, the United Nations declared May 20, Jansa's birthday, as World Bee Day!
He had a number of commercial apiaries and one designed specifically for breeding queens.
Jan Stragar was the most prolific bee merchant in the first half of the 20th century. Due to his exceptional advertising, perseverance, and good service, in a few years, he overtook all domestic competitors and, following the death of Mahael Ambrozic in 1904, became the largest exporter of Carniolan bees.
Technological progress led to the development of beekeeping in the second half of the 19th century.
The invention of the comb frame, comb foundation, the honey extractor, and the queen excluder in the mid 19th century led to the era of modern beekeeping. The beginning of Strgar's foreign trade dates back to 1903. He was one of the first to raise queen bees at breeding stations and he sent these and bee colonies all over the world in traditional Carillon bee hives called kranjici (cranium), because they produced strong swarms and were suitable for stacking in an apiary and for transport.
His bees were exported to Russia, Australia, India, Brazil, Japan, Cuba and the US. In the area between the two World Wars, he exported a lot to Egypt. He set a world record for sending his bees over long distances and even after several weeks of travel, his queens arrived at their destinations unscathed. Strgar was the recipient of numerous awards, medals, and decorations. His collaboration with many experts and scientific institutions contributed to the establishment of the Carniolan bee throughout the world.
Technological progress led to the development of beekeeping in the second half of the 19th century.
The invention of moveable combs, which took place independently in different parts of the world, made a great contribution as well. Slovenian beekeepers have always successfully incorporated innovations in their approach to beekeeping.
On March 4, 1883, a meeting of 70 beekeepers, meeting in Lesce, agreed on the establishment of the Beekeeping and Fruit Growing Association of Carniola. The association was formed to connect beekeepers in the area.
On March 4, 1951, after several different organizational forms, the society was renamed the Radovljica Beekeepers' Association and today is part of the Gorenjska Beekeepers Association and the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association. Breeding stations were subsequently established, lectures organized and a shop with beekeeping supplies opened.The slide below shows the differences between the Slovenian "AZ Hive" and the Langstroth-Root hive popular in the US.
The Langstroth-Root Hive (popular in the U.S.) was designed by Lorenzo Loraine Langstroth (1810-1895) and Amos Ives Root (1839-1923). The box hive system uses 8-10 hanging frames, usually in two or more hive boxes. The queen excluder separates the brood chamber from the honey chamber. LR hives are tended from above.
A model of an AZ hive in the museum...
Examples of older hive designs...
What I found the most fascinating was the tradition of the painted panels of the front of all the hives.
Made for the traditional Carniolan "kranjic" hives, they are a unique part of Slovenian folk art, found no where else in the world.
The themes of the panels were often religious (Old and New Testament, Saints, the Madonna and Jesus, etc.)...
A popular panel depicting Saint Florian..
He was a Roman soldier who refused to persecute the Christians and was ordered burned to death and although he climbed atop the pyre, the Emperor refused to make him a martyr but later had him scourged and drowned. His body was recovered and he was made a saint and protector of fire fighters and floods.
The painted panels also included themes from everyday life and folklore.
Men drinking and playing cards...
Of course, beekeeping was a common theme...
I'm grateful Kathi agreed to indulge my growing interest in beekeeping, and adapt our itinerary to accommodate a trip to the Slovenian Museum of Apiculture. It was interesting and informative and it gave me an even deeper appreciation for the tradition I was now a part of.
We arrived back in Trieste around 7 pm, dropped out bags at the Hotel Solun, donned raincoats and ventured back out for a last dinner in Trieste. On our way, we stopped to honor the tradition of giving the statue of James Joyce a pat on the shoulder. He lived in Trieste for 15 year and is well loved there.
We passed the Borsa Vecchia, an historic landmark in the Piazza della Borsa.
