Partisan hospitals

During World War II, a total of 24 partisan hospitals were built in the Kočevski Rog area, connected as the Slovenian Central Partisan Military Hospital. Today, only the preserved hospitals of Jelendol and Zgornji Hrastnik remain open to visitors, both marked as cultural heritage sites.  

The first hospital in the Kočevski Rog area began operating in early June 1942, in a former forestry cabin on Daleč Hill. It was soon burned down by the Italians, which led to the construction of new, secret partisan hospitals starting in September of the same year. To remain hidden, they were built in deep, forested sinkholes.

At first, the hospitals were low, with few windows and shared sleeping areas. Later, more windows were added to let in as much light as possible. Separate barracks for the staff, an operating room, a kitchen, a bread oven, and a bunker were also built. To cover their tracks, they used retractable ladders and in winter, they would later cover the paths with snow.

Jelendol 

It operated from spring 1943 until the end of the war. For a few months, it housed the hospital administration and a dental clinic. A total of 330 wounded were treated in its 10 barracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3YtRb9aS-s&ab_channel=Primo%C5%BEPrimec

Zgornji Hrastnik

It was intended for the most severely wounded, and an aseptic operating barrack was built for them. They had their own bacteriological laboratory. More than 400 wounded were treated in the hospital.