The Russian chapel in Vršič, also known as the St. Vladimir Chapel, is an Orthodox chapel dedicated to the holy equal-to-the-apostles Prince Vladimir. It is located at the high mountain pass of Vršič in northwestern Slovenia and was built by Russian prisoners of war during World War I.
In July 1915, a camp for prisoners of war was organized near Kranjska Gora, at the intersection of modern borders of Slovenia, Austria, and Italy. Their task was to construct a strategic road through the Vršič pass. Most of the prisoners were Orthodox Russian soldiers, as before Italy's entry into the war, Austria-Hungary, of which Slovenia was then a part, was only fighting against Russia.
In 1916 and 1917, Russian prisoners of war built a wooden chapel in memory of their compatriots who perished on March 12, 1916, due to an avalanche at the Vršič pass. From 1915 to 1917, during the existence of the Austro-Hungarian camp for Russian prisoners of war, used for the construction of the strategic road connecting central Slovenia with the west, at least 10,000 Russian soldiers died.
The chapel was renovated in 2005, costing 90,000 euros, and now serves as a military memorial and a symbolic link between Slovenia and Russia. In July 2006, the bypass road was renamed "Russian Path."
Every year, the Society of Russian-Slovenian Friendship organizes a memorial service near the chapel. Representatives of the Russian state attend the ceremony; for example, in 2015, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was present. In 2016, to commemorate the centenary of the chapel's construction, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the ceremony.
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