Jakob Aljaž (July 6, 1845 – May 4, 1927) was a Slovene Roman Catholic priest,

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

and mountaineer. Aljaž was born in a small Upper Carniolan village of

Zavrh pod Šmarno Goro Zavrh pod Šmarno Goro (; sl, Zavrh pod Šmarno goro) is a settlement in the Municipality of Medvode in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. Name Zavrh pod Šmarno Goro was attested in written sources as ''Newdorf'' in 1372, ''Kollenperg'' in 1 ...

, northeast of Ljubljana, in what was then the Austrian Empire. He was a priest and also a successful composer, singer and choir master. His works are still very popular among Slovenes. He became known for his role fostering the development of

mountaineering Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, a ...

in the Slovene Lands. By far his most well known construction is the

Aljaž Tower Aljaž Tower ( sl, Aljažev stolp) or the Triglav Tower () is a tower, a storm shelter and a triangulation point on the summit of Mount Triglav in northwestern Slovenia. Along with Triglav, it is a landmark of Slovenia and a symbol of the Sloveneh ...

( sl, Aljažev stolp), built on the summit of Mount

Triglav Triglav (; german: Terglau; it, Tricorno), with an elevation of , is the highest mountain in Slovenia and the highest peak of the Julian Alps. The mountain is the pre-eminent symbol of the Slovene nation. It is the centrepiece of Triglav Natio ...

, the highest mountain of the Julian Alps and of Slovenia, which he purchased to secure the area for Slovene rather than German mountaineers. He also designed shelters and huts, and worked with the Slovene Mountaineering Society to improve use of the land on Triglav. The endeavours of Jakob Aljaž had a very influential role in the emergence of Mount Triglav as one of the central symbols of the Slovene people. The first verse from the patriotic poem '' Oh, Triglav, My Home'' () by Matija Zemljič, put into music by Jakob Aljaž, is engraved in the Slovenian 50 cent euro coin. Since 2007, its first stance has been the anthem of the

Alpine Association of Slovenia The Alpine Association of Slovenia ( sl, Planinska zveza Slovenije) is the association of voluntary association, volunteer Alpine clubs () providing the conditions for the development and exercising of mountaineering and hill walking in Slovenia a ...

. Jakob Aljaž died in the village of

Dovje Dovje (; german: Lengenfeld) is a village in the Municipality of Kranjska Gora in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia, located on the southern slopes of the Karawanks at an elevation of 703 m. It has a rich history and rural tradition and is kno ...

in Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

References

* *

External links

* 1845 births 1927 deaths People from the Municipality of Medvode Slovenian composers Slovenian male composers Slovenian mountain climbers 20th-century Slovenian Roman Catholic priests Yugoslav mountain climbers Triglav 19th-century Slovenian Roman Catholic priests Slovenian male musicians {{Slovenia-musician-stub