Chapel of St John of Nepomuk

The Chapel of St John of Nepomuk is closely connected with the river that shaped life in Laško for centuries. The saint, patron of people associated with water, protected raftsmen travelling on the Savinja and at the same time guarded the town against floods. The chapel once stood on the opposite side of the bridge across the Savinja, where it formed part of a lively urban space, now almost forgotten, made up of houses close to the river. When these houses were removed during redevelopment of the riverbank and the old riverside fabric disappeared, the chapel was removed as well.

In 1989 the chapel was rebuilt beside the new bridge across the Savinja according to plans by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, and it still stands there today. Inside is a valuable Baroque wooden statue of St John of Nepomuk, previously restored by the Laško woodcarver and conservator Tone Podkrižnik. During that restoration the sculpture was stabilised, its original polychrome decoration uncovered, its missing lower section reconstructed and its halo with five stars restored and gilded.

In 2018 the statue underwent another thorough restoration by local academic sculptor Matej Prihovec under the supervision of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. The damaged parts and the distinctive golden halo were carefully repaired. The chapel itself was also restored that year and returned to its purpose.