Pungert Skywalk
Pungert je ime za najjužnejši del skalnega pomola, na katerem stoji mesto Kranj. Ime izhaja iz nemške besede za sadovnjak – Baumgarten. Ta del mestnega jedra ima že vsaj 6000 let dolgo zgodovino. Najnovejša arheološka izkopavanja dokazujejo, da je bil Pungert poseljen že v mlajši kameni dobi, pred šestimi tisočletji. Na Trubarjevem trgu so stala prazgodovinska bivališča, našli pa so tudi odlomke keramike, kosti in kamnitega orodja. Ta prostor je bil očitno naseljen tudi v stoletjih pred našim štetjem, v času železne dobe. Arheologi so našli bronasto sponko za obleko, veliko odlomkov lončenih posod in ostanke bivališč. Iz časa pozne antike, okrog leta 500, ko je bil Karnij pomembna vojaška postojanka, pa so odkrili ostanke treh lesenih, s slamo kritih hiš, ognjišče in nekaj bronastih novcev, kose lončenega posodja in odlomke koščenih glavnikov. V ta čas sodijo najstarejši ostanki obzidja na Pungertu.
Kako pa je bilo na Pungertu v srednjem veku? Po imenu in po tem, da prostor ni bil pozidan, lahko sklepamo, da so kranjski meščani tu imeli vrtove in sadovnjake. Na Pungertu najdemo danes še edini v celoti ohranjen obrambni stolp iz 16. stoletja. V 19. stoletju je stolp služil za mestno ječo, dogradili so mu tudi prizidek s stopniščem. V njem je bil leta 1810 zaprt tudi kranjski slikar Leopold Layer, ker je med francosko okupacijo v času Napoleona ponarejal denar. V stolpu so bila pozneje celo stanovanja.
In danes? Mestna občina Kranj je na skrajnem delu pomola, visoko nad reko Kokro naredila zanimivo razgledno točko, točno na mestu, kjer je nekoč stal obrambni stolp, ki pa se je zrušil v globino. Tam imamo občutek da lebdimo visoko nad kanjonom. In prav tja se bomo morali podati, če bomo hoteli logirati ta virtualni zaklad kot najden. Nalogi sta namreč dve. Prva je seveda, da pripnete sliko, ki ste jo naredili na razgledni točki. Ni nujno, da ste na sliki prav vi, nedvomno pa tudi ni nič narobe. In druga, da po pogledu z roba razgledne točke v globino preštejete število vseh pokončnih steklenih plošč (ograja) na samem razgledišču. Število sporočite po eni od običajnih, geolovcem nedvomno dobro znanih, komunikacijskih poti. Potem pa si le še vzemite čas za raziskovanje zanimivega mesta, njenih znamenitosti, ulic in trgov, ljudi. Mogoče celo najdete še kakšnega izmed v mestu ali okolici skritih zakladov.
Pungert Skywalk (translation by Dulsineja)
PUNGERT Pungert is the name of the southernmost part of a rocky tip, on which the town of Kranj has been built. Its name is derived from the German word for an orchard, ie. Baumgarten. This part of town boasts at least 6000 years of history. The latest archeological excavations have proven that Pungert was settled as far back as the Neolithic six millenia ago. At the Trubarjev trg square there were prehistoric dwellings. Ceramic and bone pieces have been found there, as well as stone tools. Obviously, this area was settled also several centuries BC, ie. in the Iron Age. Archeologists have found a copper pin, lots of pieces of clay kitchenware and remains of the dwellings. In Late antiquity, around year 500, Carnium (present-day Kranj) was an important military base. This period is presented by the remains of three wooden cottages with thatched roofs, a fireplace and some copper coins, pieces of clay kitchenware and bone combs. The oldest remains of the Pungert town wall date back to this period.
What was Pungert like in the Middle Ages? Both its name and the fact that it was not a built-up area of town, help deduce that the town-dwellers used it for gardening and maintaining orchards. At Pungert you'll find the only 16-century tower that has remained intact to date. In the 19th century, the tower served as a city dungeon, and an extension with a staircase was added. In 1810, the Kranj-based painter Leopold Layer was kept prisoner in the tower for having forged money during the French occupation by Napoleon. Later on, the tower was used as a housing facility.
What about today? The government of the City of Kranj has built an attractive viewing platform at the very end of the Pungert rocky tip, high above the Kokra river. The viewing platform has been built exactly at the point where a former defence tower had been standing before crumbling down into the canyon. It will make you feel as if you were floating high above the canyon. You'll have to visit this spot to be able to log this virtual cache as found. There are two tasks to complete. Logically, the first one is to attach a photo taken at the viewing platform - it is not necessary for you to figure on the photo, though nothing is wrong with it anyway. The second task is to count the vertical glass panels (fence) on the platform. Send me the answer via the usual geocaching messaging. Now look down from the viewing platform (a bit scary, isn't it?) and finally, spend some more time exploring this interesting town and its attractions, streets, squares and people. Let's hope you also find some more caches hidden in or around the town.
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.