The Slovenian tourist information site begins its description of Kamnik like this: "There are many cities in the world distinguished for their size, importance, location, beauties, and history. To compare Kamnik with any of these is a difficult task ..." To me, that makes it an interesting-sounding destination!
Sitting around 30km north-northeast of Ljubljana, it's a direct and relatively short 50 minute train ride away.
As a reminder of the horrors that we can (and unfortunately often do) inflict on others, Kamnik is the site of a mass grave from the period immediately after the Second World War. The Cuzak Meadow Mass Grave is located in the southeast part of the town, in a grassy area encircled by a road. The grave contains the remains of several hundred soldiers and civilians, mostly Croats but also some Serbs, that were murdered on 11 May 1945. However, I didn't make it to this site, as it's not open to the public.
As it is just out of winter, unfortunately almost everything was shut. While Mali Grad (Mali Castle) was open to roam around, the highlight is apparently the chapel which has three levels, but this is only open from June to September. However, the Zaprice Castle and museum were open; this proved to have a very interesting history of the town across its three floors - particularly good value at just 2.50 Euros. There is also a lovely old town to wander along the main street of, which today was pleasantly devoid of any traffic (like most of the town); I'm sure that it does get busier in summer (at least some things would be open).
I'm just going to put a selection of Kamnik together:
It was amazing to look at this item, so old, so fragile, and yet in many ways so developed - it made me realise that we have had the technology for a very long time, indeed: this just happens to be the oldest one that has been found, no doubt preserved because of the mud it was in, with its low oxygen levels. Along with the wheel, there is an axle.
I'd like to share this quote that was in the City Museum: