Cankar Memorial House

The Cankar Memorial House is an important cultural monument in Vrhnika town centre. Its address is na Klancu 1. It is located on the site of the wooden, thatched-roof cottage where Ivan Cankar (1876–1918), the greatest Slovenian writer and playwright, was born. The cottage burned down in 1879, forcing the Cankars to take shelter in abandoned stables and houses elsewhere in Vrhnika. In 1880, the new owners rebuilt the building and that is how it remains today. The interior is divided into a living area, a bed chamber – izba – and a black kitchen.

A guided tour is available of the collection of objects illustrating the living conditions of a family on the verge of poverty at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century that is on display in the Memorial House. The shelves and showcases display first editions of Cankar's works, and photographs of the writer, his relatives, friends and benefactors from the author’s Ljubljana and Vienna periods, as well as his self-portraits and drawings.

The Cankar Memorial House is open all year round. For larger groups, tours outside opening hours can be arranged.