Ostale zanimivosti

If you still have time, don’t miss the following local sights:

SVETE GORE
Svete gore are hills famous beyond Slovenian borders, with their surroundings attracting visitors as early as Roman times. Throughout the centuries, Svete gore have become a well-known and popular pilgrimage site, and since 2000 include 15 stations of the Way of the Cross, produced by an academy-trained sculptor, Stane Jarm. Worshippers, tourists, and connoisseurs of church architecture are awaited on Svete gore by five sacred buildings: the main Church of St Mary, dedicated to the birth of Mary and mentioned in documents as early as 1257, Lourdes Chapel, Sebastian’s Chapel, George’s Chapel with an orant, and Martin’s Chapel. The climb to Svete gore is worth the effort, as it present a spectacular view, all the way from Pohorje to Croatian Zagorje.

SAINT PETER
You are just a few steps away from the Church of St Peter, since this church, which had in the past given its name to the village, lies by the main road into Bistrica ob Sotli. Take a look at its nave, decorated in pre-Roman style, a presbytery joined on three sides, with a star-shaped rib vault and two baroque side chapels dedicated to St Joseph and St Mary. Stained glass panels by sculptor France Kokalj, the relief tombstone of Janez Kodrič, who died from the plague, and the baroque Way of the Cross will undoubtedly attract many art connoisseurs.

HOLY CROSS
On Vina gora, rising over Sotla River, in the village of Ples, stands a succursal Church of the Holy Cross. It was built in 1607, but took on the shape it has today in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its climbs towards the sky with its bell tower, whereas its interior is inviting you inside with a large altar. Nowadays, worshippers visit the Church of the Holy Cross twice a year, specifically on the Ascension of Jesus, and on the Slovenian Christian Thanksgiving Sunday in November.


KOLAR HOMESTEAD
We also recommend a visit on nearby Trebče, where you will discover the typical local homestead architecture from the end of the 18th or the start of the 19th century, composed of four separate buildings, each with its own story and interesting features. Ana Kolar, born Javeršek, the owner of the homestead, was the favourite aunt of the former president Josip Broz Tito, and her homestead was often the location of his vacations, strategic meetings, and family visits, as is shown in a short film at the homestead.

TREBČE POND
Before 1972, Bistrica River flowed below the aforementioned Kolar Homestead. When constructing the road that connects Bistrica ob Sotli and Podsreda, the river was redirected under the foot of Ostrica, thus forming an oxbow lake by the wooden house of Kolar family, which they turned into the Trebče Pond. The pond, fed by Periše Stream (“perišče” means washing site in Slovenia, and the mouth of the stream was where they used to wash clothes in the past), which later flows to Bistrica River, is full of life. Many amphibians thrive in the warm waters, and the pond is also a favourite site of fishermen.


PRIŠJEK CANYON OF BISTRICA RIVER
The canyon that winds its way between lush Trebče and Zagaj is about 3 kilometres long and renowned as one of the most preserved river canyons in Slovenia. Over 200 million years ago, the river cut its bed through the rocks, and is still surrounded by steep, forested, and rocky slopes even today. Even though the canyon is not easily accessible, it will enthral you with its pristine nature. Chamois, birds of prey, wild hogs, dragonflies, trout, Carniolan lily, common houseleek, Jovibarba hirta, butcher’s-broom, and many other protected animal and plant species find a suitable and welcome shelter here. The canyon has an extremely diverse and picturesque landscape.

DAVJEK KARST SPRING
You can observe many karst phenomena in Obsotelje and Kozjansko. If you are curious, head over to Dekmanca, where you can observe a spring from Middle Miocene, called “Davjek”. This interesting karst phenomenon was formed because of various permeable and non-permeable rocks meeting. The stream surfaces in a shallow, ten-metre-long basic, at a surprisingly high temperature – it’s already 16 degrees Celsius. The flow of the stream various throughout the year, and its aquatic life flows onwards into the Sotla River.

 

Operacijo delno financira Evropska unija iz Evropskega sklada za regionalni razvoj. Operacija se izvaja v okviru Operativnega programa krepitve regionalnih razvojnih potencialov za obdobje 2007−2013 za obdobje 2012-2014, razvojne prioritete »Razvoj regij«; prednostne usmeritve »Regionalni razvojni programi«.