Since 2009, the Giant Charcoal Pile (Kopa velikanka) has been set up at the Medved Charcoal Homestead in Suhadole. Usually, it consists of about 200 cubic meters of wood. However, the largest European charcoal pile, containing as much as 320 cubic meters of wood, was built in 2021. The height of the pile exceeded 4 meters, and its circumference measured a lengthy 42 meters. From 1,300 hours of invested labor, they produced approximately 33 tons of charcoal.

The construction of the Giant Charcoal Pile begins early in the year, when the entire Medved family spends several months in the forest preparing mostly beech and hornbeam wood and transporting it to the designated charcoal hearth. The stacking of the meter-long wood and covering the pile (blackening) takes about two weeks. After ignition, it is necessary to be present day and night to monitor the so-called “ripening” of the pile, creating and closing vents to ensure the wood does not burn away. This process takes a good three weeks until the charcoal is “cooked.” Once the pile cools down—usually within three days—it is dismantled, followed by drying the charcoal and packing it into bags.

The initiators of the Giant Charcoal Pile project are the Charcoal Makers Association of Slovenia, the Charcoal Makers Association of the Charcoal Land Dole pri Litiji, and the Medved Charcoal Homestead. Supporters include the Slovenia Forest Service, SIDG (Slovenian State Forests), the Municipality of Litija, the Tourist Association of Slovenia, and other local organizations and individuals who annually organize a ceremonial lighting of the Giant Charcoal Pile accompanied by a cultural and social program.

The Giant Charcoal Pile at Dole pri Litiji is not only a technical feat but also a cultural event that connects the community and preserves the rich heritage of charcoal making in Slovenia and Europe.