Cities of culture

Cities of culture

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www.slovenia.info

Travel from one special city to another!

over the bridge for a morning coffee by the river. Then around the market stalls. Along the medieval streets for a wander up to the castle. Just a few steps to the museum. Descending to subterranean mysteries. Returning to the lively city for a chosen event. In the morning a trip to see natural features. Slovenia is also green in the city.

The old slovenian towns and cities, proud of their special qualities, are linked together in the association of Historical Cities of slovenia. These cities, easily accessible to each other, possess an architectural heritage indicating a diversity of culture from prehistory through the Middle ages to the Baroque and the present day. a full third of slovenia’s cities are protected as monuments. The cities in the association work to ensure the preservation and revival of their special features and to provide an abundance of events, every day of the year. so why just visit one? in slovenia you can notch up a whole range of urban experiences in a short time.

The old slovenian towns and cities, proud of their special qualities, are linked together in the association of Historical Cities of slovenia.

04___ Embraced by green sloveniaCoME and takE a ClosEr look

06___ slovenia at first glanceCHoosE YoUr dEstinationon tHE MaP

08___ CeljetHE town of PrinCEs and CoUnts

10___ idrija laCE and MErCUrY

12___ kamnika town EMBraCEd BY MoUntains

14___ kopertHE CitY of tHE sUn

16___ kranjHigH fasHion in anCiEnt jEwEllErY

18___ ljubljanaslovEnia’s CaPital

20___ MariborColoUr YoUr daY

22___ novo mestoCitY of sitUlaE

24___ Pirantartini’s town

26___ PtujtHE trEasUrE-HoUsE of MillEnnia

28___ radovljicaa wallEd town

30___ slovenske konjicea town of flowErs and winE

32___ Škofja lokatHE town of tHE Passion PlaY

34___ tržičtHE vEniCE of gorEnjska

36___ town to townCHoosE YoUr own PrograMME

44___ Providers of HistoriCal CitiEs of slovEnia

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HOT LINKSGeneral:www.slovenia.info/lovebookingwww.slovenia.info/lovemapwww.slovenia.info/loveeventswww.slovenia.info/loveshopwww.slovenia.info/lovepublicationswww.slovenia.info/lovegreenBusiness:www.slovenia.info/loveboardwww.slovenia.info/lovepresswww.slovenia.info/lovephoto

9 HOTTESTFACTSCome and take a closer look.

CULT CULTUREThe creative crossroads of the European Alps, the Mediterranean and the Pannonian Plain.

DEEP FORESTThe magical Kočevje virgin forest, our preserved natural heritage.

URBAN URBANEThe architecture of the famed Plečnik spread all over the capital city of Ljubljana.

GOOD WATERNumerous thermal-water springs reaching the surface at 32-73˚C are one of the greatest Slovenian treasures.

UNDERGROUND, OVERGROUNDThe unique Karst landscape stretches over approximately 500 square kilometres.

THE WISHING BELLFascinating Lake Bled with its island, where you can ring the bell at the church and make a wish.

GREAT-GREAT-GRANDVINEThe oldest vine in the world, the 400-year-old vine in Maribor.

ALPINE DANCE MUSICThe Avsenik Brothers established a new kind of folk music by combining piano accordion, trumpet, clarinet, bass and guitar.

MYSTIC MEDITERRANEANThe famous veduta of Piran, this medieval pearl, gives a memorable seaside view.

Embraced by green slovenia ____ 5

Embraced by green Slovenia with their heritage, their legends and their modern pulse, slovenia’s towns and cities are tied in surprising ways to their environments, so each one is very different.

open your eyes. glimpses of prehistory in archaeological sites, roman times and ancient roads, the Middle ages behind castle and town walls, romanesque and gothic churches, the renaissance and Baroque on facades, art nouveau in different building styles, the originality of famous architects – a diversity of periods sets the scene for unforgettable experiences in slovenia’s cities.

experience culture and nature at the same time. numerous slovenian towns and cities enjoy a surprisingly mod-ern cultural scene. They host cosmopolitan festivals and tie presentations to traditional events. The precious items in the museums and galleries point the way to the technical and natural heritage in the city and its surroundings. wherever you are, you will be close to nature parks, magnificent forests, growing areas for endemic plants and ancient vineyards. Through their inseparable ties to the surrounding land, what are at first glance little slovenian towns offer quite grand experiences of culture and nature at the same time. so natural, so alive, so permanent!

Go local. Being green means experiencing what is local! This also means tasting what is local: in slovenia’s cities and surrounding areas you can discover a wealth of traditional dishes made from naturally produced food. The fantastic culinary, craft and other traditions spice up countless local festivals and fairs in many of slovenia’s cities and towns!

Be green. discover slovenia’s cities in a green way: they are just the right size for exploring on foot or by bike. along the way, refresh yourself with the tap water – it is good to drink throughout slovenia. Unwind in the em-brace of the parks and forests – slovenia is one of the most forested countries in Europe.

You can depend on safety and easy access. Choose your city and explore it at any time of day or night. slovenia is known as a safe country, where you can wander around at any time without fear. Experience more: slovenia’s advantage is that everything in it is easily accessible. from any town or city you can get to green surroundings in just a few minutes walk, and it is a short drive from one city to the next. in just a few days you can experience more cities in slovenia than anywhere else. Head out on a thematic exploration, or just travel around slovenia at will. it’s fun!

national border

international border crossing

main road

panoramic railway, museum train

international airport

sports airfield

gondola cable car

tourist information

port, marina

winter sports centre

spa

casino

conference facilities

golf course

show cave

winegrowing areas

EdEn - European destination of Excellence

white-water activities

triglav national Park

regional park

slovenian Mountain trail

European long-distance walking Path E-6, E-7

church

monastery

castle

museum, gallery

natural sight of interest

archaeological monument

technical monument, mine

cultural monuments, visit recommended

interesting architectural complex

world heritage monument – UnEsCo

geometrical centre of slovenia

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slovenia, tourist map, 1 : 630 000 - 2009, 1st edition / Published by: slovenian tourist Board / design and editing: Primož kete, dr Branko rojc / Cartographic processing, realisation and pagelayout: geodetski inštitut slovenije, jamova 2, ljubljana, slovenia / sources: tourist map of slovenia 1 : 500 000, (2008); data from the geodetski inštitut slovenije and data from the slovenian tourist Board; Cultural monuments selected by gojko Zupan; natural sights of interest selected by dr Peter skoberne./ all rights reserved. reproduction or modification of the map, in whole or in part, without the permission of the geodetski inštitut slovenije, is strictly prohibited.

SeCReTS oF CelJe’S olD CASTle

The Old Castle (Stari Grad) of Celje is supposed to have been connected to the city and surroundings via four tunnels. The first, which led past the walls, was supposedly high enough to ride through, without the horseman having to duck at any point. The second tunnel led to a tower that was part of the city walls, and the third led right to the centre of the city, while the fourth, the biggest of all, supposedly ran under the hill by the Savinja River on which the castle once stood.

CELJE

GReeN: ReSPoNSIBle WASTe MANAGeMeNT

Celje is a city of environmental projects. in recent years it has built a large-capacity treat-ment facility and a state-of-the-art waste handling centre. Both green points of the city are open for tours by private groups.

romantic streets in the old city centre, green hideaways for discreet conver-sations in the city park, imposing architecture showing the diversity of the city’s history, the colourfulness of the present day and their links revealed by the museums, galleries and theatre – all this awaits right in the city cen-tre. a diversity of experiences in a small area is what gives Celje, the city of princes, its special charm. in Celje everything is just a few steps away.

Institute of Cultural events and Tourism Celeia Celje

TIC CeljeKrekov trg 3, SI-3000 Celje

T: +386 (0)3 428 79 36TIC Stari grad

T: +386 (0)3 544 36 90e: [email protected]

www.celeia.info

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Celje – Maribor 51 kmCelje – Ljubljana 79 kmCelje – Bled 129 kmCelje – Portorož 198 kmCelje – Graz (Austria) 110 km

Recommended public transport:

Themed activities at the old Castle Celje

iMPosing CitY of PrinCEsCelje was home to one of the leading medieval families in Europe, so its main features of inter-est are linked to the Celje princes. Come and see:the old Castle Celje – with guided experiences of recreated castle tales of love, jealousy, mar-riages, chivalry and wars;Princes̀ Court – a luxurious city residence of the House of Celje dating from the 15th century, once surrounded by walls and moats, now with an archaeological basement under the mansion displaying the remains of roman Celeia;the water tower – a remnant of the city walls which the people of Celje started building after it won town rights;the Chapel of the sorrowful Mother of god – with its Chapel of our lady of sorrows – a late 14th century chapel featuring a gothic stone Pi-età;Church of the assumption – with its family vault of the Celje princes;People `s savings and loans Bank – one of the finest city buildings, constructed to the design of the famous architectjože Plečnik;national Hall – built at the end of the 19th cen-tury as a cultural and political gathering place for slovenians in Celje;Celje Hall – built as a centre for the Celje ger-mans as a counterweight to the slovenian narodni dom.

UniQUE MUsEUMsThis city of princely history painstakingly pre-serves its valuables, and is creating new experi-ences for future generations. visit:the regional Museum – in the stara grofija (old Counts’ Mansion), with its famous Celje ceiling, the most outstanding slovenian painting from the period between the renaissance and the Ba-roque, showcasing development from prehistory to the beginning of the 20th century;the Museum of recent History – which presents the cultural heritage of the region from the be-ginning of the 20th centuryto the present day;Herman’s den Children’s Museum – the only children’s museum in slovenia, operating in part of the Celje Museum of recent History.The glass photo studio of josip Pelikan – a 19th century studio, is among the best preserved in Europe;likovni salon Celje gallery – the work of indi-vidual slovenian and foreign artists;Celje gallery of Contemporary art – an exhibi-tion of studies by individual artists whose work over a long period has contributed significantly to the development of slovenian fine art; račka gallery of Erotic art – the only slovenian gallery of the erotic, intended for art dealing in one way or another with erotic themes.

The Medieval festival

The roman road

The Celje Hall

eXCURSIoNS

THRoUGH TIMe – To WellBeING!Experience the medieval traditions with programmes such as the Povitezitev (election of knights), the knights’ day at the old Castle Celje, or the Medieval feast with its special cuisine. You can even rent out the castle, and your day can be spiced up with fire eaters and courses in swordfighting and chivalric pursuits. There are ample reasons to ex-tend your stay in the city into a holiday, both in the city and its surroundings:Celjska koča – a hotel offering well-ness services at 650 m elevation – can be your starting point for recreation in nature;Thermal spas – Celje is surrounded by spas and wellness centres such as Thermana laško,terme dobrna, terme Zreče, terme ol-imia, rimske terme and the rogaška slatina health centre. They are all close to Celje.Tourist farms – around Celje there are more than 30 hospitable tourist farms. including close to Šmartinsko lake (Šmartinsko jezero), one of the biggest lakes in slovenia.

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CITY eXPeRIeNCeSCheck out events at www.celeia.info. Come and see the traditional sea-sonal events.Carnival procession – the Shrovetide or Mardi Gras festival sees the city taken over by parades of costumed characters. The ritual burial of Pust takes place on Ash Wednesday.Summer in Celje – the city of princes – from June to August there are hun-dreds of musical, stage, dance, art and film events.Medieval event on the old Castle Celje – portrayals of the medieval way of life; last Friday and Saturday in August.Countryside in the city – in June and october there are presentations of organic, tourist and other farms and their products.Celje – The city of fairy tales – Decem-ber in the holiday-decorated city is ir-resistible with its fairy-tale land and children’s heroes, concerts, the Christ-mas and New Year fair and more.

fairy-tale Celje

The town of Princes and Counts ____ 9

PAIl oF QUICKSIlveR

In Idrija you will hear the tale of the pail-maker who dunked his pails in the water, but then could not lift them out. Indeed they had supposedly filled up with such a density of the liquid metal that even a piece of iron was floating in it like a cork. He gath-ered up the mercury, which then lured increasing numbers of people to the otherwise empty basin in the land. In the place where the pail-maker caught his mercury stands the Church of the Holy Trinity.

IDRIJA

GReeN: AlPINe ToWN oF 2011

idrija holds the honorary title of alpine town of 2011, whereby it is committed to sustain-able development and the harmonious coex-istence of the technical and cultural heritage with the natural environment. The Zgornja idrijca nature Park is part of the European network natura 2000; the scopoli Memorial garden in the park draws attention to the cen-turies of prized botanical features in this area.

Mercury under the Earth’s surface, lace from the lacemakers’ pads, žlikrofi (ravioli) from local kitchens – idrija is a city of exceptional cultural heritage. The oldest mining town in slovenia is famed for having the second biggest mercury mine in the world, and centuries ago it lured explorers and travel-lers from all over Europe and left on the town unique monuments to the technological heritage tied to the water resources and other special features of the area.

TIC IdrijaVodnikova 3, SI-5280 Idrija

T: +386 (0)5 374 39 16F: +386 (0)5 374 39 15

E: [email protected]

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The mysterious ‘wild lake’

Idrija – Ljubljana 57 kmIdrija – Koper 121 kmIdrija – Škofja Loka 38 kmIdrija – Tolmin 45 km


MarkEd BY MiningYou can get better acquainted with this town of mercury, which tells its story in the museum at the castle of gewerkenegg, the former adminis-trative building of the idrija mine from the 16th century, this town of lace, where lacemaking skills are cultivated in the lacemaking school, by visiting its special features:divje jezero (wild lake) – the first slovenian museum in nature, with the shortest slovenian surface river and exceptional flora and fauna in the surroundings;kamšt – the pit water pump with its largest pre-served wooden drive wheel in Europe;klavže – special watercourse barriers for floating timber, also called the slovenian pyramids;the frančiška shaft – the oldest preserved struc-ture of the idrija mine, opened up back in 1792, with its exhibition of mining machines and equipment;antonijev rov – a pit gallery arranged for visitors in the oldest part of the mine, with an entrance excavation dating back to 1500;Church of the Holy trinity – originally a wooden chapel on the site of the legendary first extrac-tion of mercury, it has been authentically re-stored;miner’s house – this residential building from the 18th century is an example of the dwellings typical of the idrija mining community.

viEws tHroUgH tHE CEntUriEsdiscover the 500 years of mining and lacemak-ing history and the precious millennia of nature. visit:idrija Municipal Museum – gewerkenegg Castle houses a permanent exhibition on the 500-year history of mercury mining and the town, a geo-logical collection with several thousand speci-mens of rock, fossils, ores and minerals and a collection of idrija lacemaking;The international Centre of idrija lace – the ground floor of the lacemaking school features an exhibition of lace and a documentary film on the history of lacemaking in idrija.

Check out the town in other ways, too! visit, taste and experience:idrija žlikrofi (ravioli) – at various catering es-tablishments in idrija;M aquarium – the newest public aquarium in slovenia, with an amazing diversity of life;the war Museum – for everyone interested in the history of war in the previous century.

stained-glass window in the Holy trinity church

gewerkenegg Castle

eXCURSIoNS

eXPeRIeNCe IDRIJAafter descending the 116 steps into the an-tonijev rov gallery and its special mining experience, after touring the collections at gewerkenegg Castle, which has won the prize for the best European museum of the technical and industrial heritage, after tasting idrija žlikrofi, you can wander off to the Zgornja idrijca nature Park and the idrija surroundings.

The interpretive science trail of Rake – a trail along the rake canal – by water which for centuries has driven the kamšt and its 13.6 m drive wheel, leads to the Zgornja idrijca nature Park with its rare plant species, which have drawn world fa-mous botanists here, and then to the lake of divje jezero.

The heritage of the Second World War – at vojsko there are the partisan printing press tiskarna slovenija and its collections, the partisan cemetery of vojščica and the sign for the Pavla hospital.

Klavže – visit the klavže barriers, the so-called slovenian pyramids, water barriers in the valleys of the idrijca, Belca and kanom-ljica rivers.

The Črni vrh and ledina plateaux – unwind in nature, with opportunities for cycling and hiking.

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FRoM TRADITIoN To AlTeRNATIveCheck out the events in Idrija at www.idrija-turizem.si. events over the year not to be missed:the international Festival of Idrija lace – third weekend in June entire town is given over to lacemaking;the Pust carnival in Idrija – Graparski karneval – on Shrove Tuesday and the Saturday the square of Mestni Trg is taken over by costumed characters;Feast of the Assumption – Prfarski štrukljevec pie – on 15 August the pil-grims and other visitors gather at the chapel of the virgin on the Rock; this is followed by feasting on local pies;the international AlTeR ART festi-val – a showcase in August of alterna-tive youth culture, with concerts by groups from Slovenia and abroad, art and photographic exhibitions, dance performances and literary evenings;the international TANGo festival – a July event featuring Slovenian and foreign tango musicians, with new performance subcategories each year.

national lacemaking competition – the idrija lace festival

lace and mercury ____ 11

TReASURe IN MAlI GRAD

Long ago, three brothers became priests. The townsfolk wanted to build them a church with three chapels, but they lacked money. They begged the rich Countess Veronika for help. Enraged, the miserly countess said she would rather turn into a snake than contribute gold for the building. She did indeed turn into a monster – half woman and half snake. She is still awaiting redemption together with her treasure in the ruins of Mali Grad (Small Castle).

KAMNIK

GReeN: THeRMAl SPA WITH THe eCo-DAISY

terme snovik is the first recipient of the EU’s Eco-daisy emblem of environment-friendly tourist accommodation in slovenia.The em-blem is proof of the efforts towards minimal burdening of the environment, efficient use of energy and other natural resources and also of course of its range of organic food.

kamnik is a town of countless faces. Here you are woken by birds singing, by the sun from behind the old Castle, and the light on the mountains. it is a town with a tradition, history, a rich heritage and at the same time a town surrounded by the mighty kamnik mountains, velika Planina and Bergant mountain. The name kamnik derives from kamen, meaning stone, evident in numerous monuments and in nature. kamnik is a town where people en-joy life, and visitors like coming back to the embrace of the mountains.

Agency for development of tourism in the Kamnik Municipality

Glavni trg 2, SI-1241 KamnikT: +386 (0)1 831 82 50F: +386 (0)1 831 81 92

e: [email protected]

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Kamnik – Ljubljana 22 kmKamnik – Bled 48 kmKamnik – Airport in Ljubljana 10 kmKamnik – Koper 128 km


velika Planina

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CastlE iMagEsThe town beneath the ruins of two castle com-plexes invites you to explore it. Come and see:Mali grad – the high point of the town with a two-storey romanesque chapel and crypt that is unique in slovenia. The castle complex and chapel date back to the 11th century;stari grad (old Castle) – the ruins of the cas-tle on Bergant mountain, from which there is a wonderful view of the town and surroundings;the franciscan monastery – rebuilt a number of times since its beginnings in the 15th century; it houses a library with incunabulas and dal-matin’s slovenian translation of the Bible and Pentateuch; there is also a Chapel of the Holy sepulchre, designed by the famous architect jože Plečnik;Šutna – a picturesque street with a medieval terrace of houses; the area is restricted to pedes-trians and is marked with memorial tablets to important kamnik residents;the convent at Mekinje – in the convent, which has stood in this place for more than 700 years, you can now learn about the life of the Ursuline sisters. at Easter there is a famous procession with a clothed statue of the virgin;sveti Miklavž nad tuhinjem – on the hill called gora stands the gothic Chapel of st. nicholas with its free-standing bell tower and anti-turk-ish defensive wall and tower. nearby it is worthvisiting the parsonage with its open-fire kitchen and tiny rooms.

HEritagE on disPlaYa special attitude to the past can be seen in the unique municipal museums and galleries:kamnik intermunicipal Museum – Zaprice Cas-tle offers permanent and temporary exhibitions emphasising the rich cultural heritage of kam-nik;Miha Maleš gallery – the works of the kamnik painter and artist Miha Maleš in the vaulted rooms of a town house;sadnikar Museum – the first private museum collection in slovenia, with numerous objects ranging from medieval weapons to old porce-lain, from secular and Church items to Persian rugs;Budnar Museum House – a unique living mu-seum in the village of Zgornje Palovče above kamnik, arranged in one of the oldest homes in the area. with its open-fire “black kitchen”, tiny rustic dwelling room and other features, it pre-serves the former way of life in the village.

The Budnar Museum House

Mali grad

The franciscan monastery

eXCURSIoNS

RelAXING IN NATURekamnik is a jumping off point for explor-ing the kamnik alps and the valley of the kamniška Bistrica river with their numerous natural and cultural features. try these excursions:

velika planina – you can set off into the heart of the green kamnik alps by ca-ble car or on foot; the alpine pastures are home to one of the rare preserved dairy herder settlements in Europe;

Terme Snovik – relaxation in a world of thermal pleasures is offered by the highest-lying spa in slovenia;

the healing grove of Zdravilni Gaj Tunjice – at arranged energy cen-tres there are stone wells of energy and wellbeing;

Zgornje Palovče – a village where you can breathe in the aroma of fresh baked bread from a “black kitchen”;

volčji Potok Arboretum – a stroll through the green park with its thousands of plant species is especially attractive when the innumerable tulips are blooming.

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CUlTURAl AND ReCReATIoNAlCheck out events in the town at www.kamnik-tourism.si. These de-serve special attention:veronika’s Festival – May workshops for youngsters in the picturesque street of Šutna;Medieval Days – on the second week-end in June, the old town centre is enlivened by countesses and counts, knights and beggars and other me-dieval figures;Kamfest – for a full 14 days in August there is a series of cultural events on Mali Grad hill;Folk Dress Days – traditional days of clothing heritage on the second weekend of September;veronika’s race – on the second Sat-urday in october, the streets of the old town centre change into a run-ning track;open-air ice skating – in the winter months in the square of Glavni Trg, happy skaters flock to the ice.

national Costume day

a town embraced by mountains ____ 13

PRAeToRIAN PAlACe AND THe lIoN’S MoUTH

The might of Koper is symbolised by the Praetorian Palace, and tales of the past are concealed in the little peculiarities of the city. One of these is the Lion’s Mouth, at one end of Čevljarska Street close to the Praetorian Palace. The “Bocca del Leone”, as it was called in Venetian times, was designed for anonymous tip-offs about tobacco and salt smugglers, as well as for bribing gentlemen of the municipal authority.

KOPER

GReeN: lARGeST BRACKISH WeTlAND IN SloveNIA

when you are in koper, visit the nature re-serve of Škocjanski Zatok, the biggest brack-ish wetland in slovenia. Here you can dis-cover rare and endangered plant and animal species. Please respect the area’s biodiversity! in addition to more than 220 species of birds, you can also observe two Camargue horses and boškarin, or istrian ox. You can get to the reserve on foot or by bicycle.

This Mediterranean city, bounded by the sea and hills, displays its rich, thousand-year history at every step. a walk through the old city centre is a walk through the past filled with sunshine. The mysterious koper country-side in the land of refošk wine offers a unique range of food and wine. its numerous traditional events offer the true pleasures of istria. The rays of the present offer new experiences in this city by the sea.

TIC KoperTitov trg 3, SI-6000 Koper

T: +386 (0)5 664 64 03F: +386 (0)5 664 64 06


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Koper – Trieste (Italy) 22 kmKoper – Venice (Italy) 181 kmKoper – Ljubljana 109 kmKoper – Piran 16 kmKoper – Maribor 231 km


Škocjanski Zatok nature reserve

fEatUrEs of koPEr sQUarEsas you stroll from square to square, open your eyes to the fabulous architecture!titov trg and the Praetorian Palace – the most priceless architectural monument in the city is this palace, which was also the city hall dur-ing the period of the venetian republic; close by are the loža (loggia), once a debating venue for burghers (today a café), the Cathedral of the assumption in its gothic and renaissance style, the city tower – a special viewing point – and the foresteria and armeria.Prešernov trg and the da Ponte well – close to the Baroque well dating from 1666 is the Muda gate, the former city gate, for many centuries the only land entrance to the city, and the ru-ins of the city wall. just a step away, in Župančič street, the courtyard of the Carli Palace is domi-nated by the gothic bucket well, which is one of the first dated and preserved wells in slovenia.Carpacciov trg and Carpaccio House – a gothic building from the 15th century – was the resi-dence of the venetian painter Benedetto Car-paccio; close by is the taverna, the former vene-tian salt warehouse, today a space for events.

sPECial fEatUrEs of tHE Pastwhat inspired all the art in little galleries across the city? Perhaps the ancient stories, which you can sense in the museums:koper regional Museum – in the Belgramoni Palace – since 1911 the tacco Museum has showcased precious archaeological, artistic and historical items and a collection of museum ob-jects up to the 19th century;the ethnological collection at the regional Mu-seum – the collection in the venetian gothic house from the 14th century showsthe material and spiritual culture of slovenian istria, Brkini, Čičarija and the upper karst since the 17th century.

view of koper

tito square

Prešeren square with the da Ponte fountain

eXCURSIoNS

WANDeRING To THe SUNSeTkoper is a jumping off point for explor-ing istria. Your day can begin in the morning over a coffee in the city to ac-company some local hroštole pastry, and can end with a dinner in the light of the full moon over the sea. along the way, you can see:

the Karst margin – a picturesque area of natural features, where the typi-cal karst landscape merges into the fly-sch of istria.

the overhangs (Spodmole) at Sočerga – a natural feature, also called the “Ears of istria”, three large overhangs on a 28-metre high cliff;

the osp Wall – a rock face in the village of osp, a favourite location for climbers;

Church of the Holy Trinity in Hrastovlje – with its famous frescoes of a danse macabre dating from the 15th century;

Socerb Castle – the ruins of the cas-tle on a clifftop looking out to the Bay of koper house a restaurant.

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THe DIFFeReNT WoRlD oF ISTRIAThe city offers abundant opportuni-ties for getting to know the tradi-tional features of Istria. Follow the announcements at www.koper.si and don’t miss events such as:Istria Carnival – the February Shrovetide procession in sight of the sea;Homo na plac – every Sunday in summer trading in the old way;Sweet Istria – on the fourth weekend in September, the stalls are irresist-ible with their traditional Istrian, Slovenian and other sweet treats;Farming Days of Slovenian Istria – this october event offers tasting of Istrian and Primorska wines, olive oil and other natural products.

sweet istria

The city of the sun ____ 15

CITY oF GReAT FIGUReS

The Prešeren Memorial Museum, Prešernov Gaj, Prešeren Theatre and the Prešernov Smenj fair in February all draw attention to the greatest Slovenian poet, France Prešeren. Kranj was also the home of Leopold Layer, the Baroque painter, who painted the famous Brezje Virgin, to which the most popular pilgrimage trail in the Gorenjska region leads. And Kranj was the home town of Janez Puhar, inventor of glass-plate photography, and Janez Bleiweis, a leading figure in the national awakening.

GReeN: NATURe IN THe CITY

The kokra Canyon is a protected natural site. Here, right in the middle of the city, you can discover a geological marvel, the rich life of the river alongside it and the impact of hu-mans on nature. a circular footpath takes you around the site. it’s best to go with an ex-perienced guide. follow the instructions, and respect this natural feature.

Pungert, with the only entirely preserved defensive tower dating from the 16th century, the castle above the old sava river crossing, the arcade and fountain designed by architect jože Plečnik – these are all features of kranj, which will surprise you with its canyon in the kokra river right in the mid-dle of the city. The ancient jewelry of karnija glitters in the museum, and the technical heritage complements the special features of the city centre with its medieval buildings, an area protected as a cultural monument. a city of slovenian identity and great men.

Kranj Tourism officeGlavni trg 2, SI-4000 Kranj

T: +386 (0)4 238 04 50F: + 386 (0)4 238 04 51

M: + 386 (0)40 66 40 15e: [email protected]

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KRANJKranj – Ljubljana 35 kmKranj – Bled 26 kmKranj – Maribor 155 kmKranj – Škofja Loka 10 km


The gorge of the kokra

arCHitECtUral and natUral HEritagEkranj boasts picturesque buildings that cast their gaze onto the mysterious river canyon.The City Hall is one of the most important slove-nian renaissance mansions, with a late gothic col-onnaded hall from the 16th century.The Prešeren Memorial Museum – the house in which the most important slovenian poet, france Prešeren, lived during the 19th century.Church of st. Cantius – an exceptional structure in the cityscape, and an important monument of gothic architecture.khislstein Castle and its landing – a building on the edge of a pier that arose with the city walls, and it now reflects the changes from the early antiquity walls to the defensive installations from the 6th cen-tury. The castle houses new exhibition space for the gorenjski Museum and a covered summer theatre.Pirč dye shop – once an important manufacturing plant, where linen and cotton were dyed.Pavšlar House – an old town house from the 16th century in the square of glavni trg; it houses the gallery of Prešeren Prize winners.layer House – the house of the painter leopold layer (1752–1828) with its bath-vaulted room, painted at the beginning of the 19th century.kranjski rovi – an underground labyrinth of tunnels from the second world war; it now houses an exhibi-tion of minerals and fossils and a simulated air raid.kokra Canyon – an almost 30 metre deep gorge in the city centre, presenting a mosaic of aquatic and riparian biotopes.

tHE CrEativitY of PEriods and PEoPlE discover the creativity of the city in exhibition spaces such as:City Hall – with its permanent collection of sculpt-ed works by lojze dolinar, the archaeological exhi-bition iron Thread and the ethnological exhibition folk art in gorenjska;Prešeren Memorial Museum – from the gallery on the ground floor you can go up to the poet france Prešeren’s room, with its original furniture and original versions of his works;gallery of Prešeren Prize winners – learn about more than 140 Prešeren Prize winners, holders of the most important slovenian cultural award.

eXCURSIoNS

BY BIKe oR FooT – INTo NATURe!footpaths and cycle paths take you through the area surrounding kranj to welcoming homesteads, natural features, to birds and water and to the embrace of the mountains.Šmarjetna gora and Jošt – these two easily accessible hills are popular excursion points for hikers and cy-clists.Brdo official Protocol estate – a renaissance manor and park with a wealth of plant and animal life and a sculpture collection.Trbojsko Jezero lake – home to numerous waterfowl, it offers boating, angling and other recreation in nature.Cycle paths below the Kara-vanke and Kamnik-Savinja Alps – the paths begin right at the foot of the karavanke range, and cycle tours of varying difficulty lead along forest trails and roads towards the alpine peaks.

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olD AND NeW SToRIeSCheck out the events to suit your tastes at www.tourism-kranj.si, and don’t miss:the Prešernov Smenj fair – every year on 8 February the 19th century comes back to life – complete with appearances and costumes from the time of France Prešeren;Teden Mladih – the biggest Slovenian youth festival, with sports, cultural,musical, educational and other events taking place every year in May;Carniola Festival – a festival with in-ternational participation and multicul-tural repertoire that takes place in June and July;Kranfest and Kranjski semenj fair – these free summer events are concluded with the traditional Kranj Night (Kran-jska Noč) in August; Kranjski semenj features a presentation of old crafts;Jazz Kamp – an August gathering of mu-sicians trying out their skills perform-ing a variety of styles;Happy December – December seasonal events with a St. Nicholas procession, a Christmas-New Year fair, Christmas concert and New Year celebration with fireworks. Presernov semenj

High fashion in ancient jewellery ____ 17

The Brdo estate

The tunnels under kranj

old kranj

DRAGoN CITY

This city, with its remains of stilt dwellings from the wetlands dating back more than 4,500 years, is a city of mythological tales. The ancient Greek hero Jason and his com-rades supposedly travelled here after making off with the Golden Fleece and fleeing north. Through the Black Sea, the Danube and the Sava they supposedly made it all the way to the Ljubljanica River. The dragon thought to have been killed by Jason is today part of the city crest. And on Zmajski Most, the Dragon Bridge, you can even touch one!

GReeN: WITHoUT YoUR CAR

The very centre of ljubljana is a car-free zone. The expanding pedestrian zones are lively gathering places for city residents and visitors. ljubljana is nicest if you explore it on foot or by bike, which you can also rent. You can also use public transport to get from one part of the city to another.

The capital city of slovenia lies between the alps and the adriatic sea, in a basin where the ljubljanica river flows into the sava. ljubljana has every-thing offered by a modern capital, while at the same time it has the surpris-ingly friendly and relaxed atmosphere of a smaller town. The city and sur-roundings are distinguished by numerous sites of natural beauty, cultural features from the colourful local history, attractive recreational, hiking and cycle paths and a diversity of cuisine.

ljubljana TourismKrekov trg 10, SI-1000 ljubljana

T:+386 (0)1 306 45 83e: [email protected]

www.visitljubljana.si

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LJUBLJANA

Ljubljana – Bled 57 kmLjubljana – Piran 121 kmLjubljana – Maribor 122 kmLjubljana – Trieste (Italy) 94 kmLjubljana – Zagreb (Croatia) 139 kmLjubljana – Vienna (Austria) 383 km


a dragon, the symbol of ljubljana

fEatUrEs BY tHE BridgEsThe ljubljanica river runs right through the city, and the numerous attractive bridges spanning it lead to features such as:ljubljana Castle – offering the finest views of the city;the slovenian Philharmonic – founded in 1701, it is one of the oldest in the world;Prešernov trg – this central square is the gathering place for city residents, and features a monument to the greatest slovenian poet france Prešeren;the Cathedral Church of st. nicholas, with its illu-sionist painted ceiling and depiction of the history of slovenia on the main door;the central market – the creation of the famous ar-chitect jože Plečnik, it is the liveliest part of town;the national and University library – this most important work of Plečnik in slovenia houses me-dieval manuscripts, incunabulas and renaissance works;City Hall – the building dating from the 15th century is today the seat of the City authority; in the square in front of it stands the fountain of the Three rivers of Carniola, the work of francesco robba;the Botanical garden – dating back more than 200 years, it has 4,500 botanical species and subspecies;the Path of Memories and Comradeship – the big-gest cultural monument in the city, it is a 33 km long footpath laid out along the route of the barbed wire fence that ringed the city during the second world war;tivoli Park – the biggest and finest park in ljublja-na, which stretches right into the city centre.

PrECioUs oBjECts in MUEsUMs and gallEriEsslovenia’s capital city is an inspiration with its ma-jor slovenian collections of museum exhibits and artistic works. visit:the national Museum – with precious items from all over slovenia, most important of which is a 47,000-year-old neanderthal whistle;the national gallery – this presents the artistic pe-riods in slovenia from the 13th century to the first quarter of the 20th century, and a European Paint-ers collection;the Museum of Modern art – featuring paintings, sculptures and graphic works by slovenian and for-eign artists of the 20th century;the City Museum – its exhibition faces of ljublja-na showcases the life of the city and its residents through history. in the house of jože Plečnik au-thentic furniture and original material from the architect’s legacy;the Ethnographic Museum – with exhibitions of traditional slovenian culture and the culture of other peoples of the world;the architectural Museum - Museum for architec-ture and design – the museum exhibits in the field of architecture, urbanism, industrial and graphic design and photography;the Museum of recent History – which is dedicated to the heritage of recent history from the begin-ning of the 20th century onward;the railway Museum – this museum houses a col-lection of steam locomotives, wagons and other historical vehicles.

riverside cafés

tivoli Park

The ljubljana opera and Ballet

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FRoM THe CeNTRe: ANYWHeRe YoU WANT!ljubljana is ideally located right in the centre of slovenia. all the special features of slovenia are easily acces-sible from the city. numerous attrac-tions are just a stone’s throw from the city centre:ljubljansko barje – a wetland na-ture park with an exceptional inter-weave of millennia of settlement and natural features, beyond which lie the gorge of iški vintgar, Podpeško jezero lake and the Museum of technical Heritage at Bistra;Krvavec – the closest ski slope to ljubljana, standing at 1971 m and in winter offering 26 km of pistes and an igloo village, plus numerous hik-ing possibilities in summer;Šmarna gora – this hill is the most popular excursion point for ljubljana residents, and you can explore it right from the bus station. at 669 m, the summit offers fantastic views of the city and surroundings.

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lIvelY eveRY DAY!Check out the calendar of events at www.visitljubljana.si. Don’t miss:June in ljubljana – featuring free events in Kongres square;the Jazz Festival – the oldest jazz festival in europe, every June it hosts top names in world jazz;ljubljana Festival – concert, opera and ballet events in July and August that attract more than 80,000 visi-tors;the International Graphics Biennial – one of the most important graphic art events in the world, which has taken place every other year in Sep-tember and october since 1955;the ljubljana Marathon – in october each year the city centre streets are flooded with increasing numbers of runners;December in ljubljana – lavish events and a fair, as well as special lighting that makes ljubljana one of the most beautiful festive cities.

The slovenska filharmonija symphony orchestra

slovenia’s Capital ____ 19

Mariborsko Pohorje

lIvelY CITY

Old legends tell of the love of life in Maribor. One of the nearby vineyard hills, Pekrska gorca, is said to be created after the Devil himself got angry with the debauched locals. He supposedly tore off a large rock at the top of Pohorje to smash the city. When the Mother of God crossed his path, he tossed the rock away and fled. This rock is today known as Pekrska gorca – with its own calvary, church and vineyards.

MARIBOR

GReeN: eNJoY NATURe!

The Pohorje mountain range is home to nu-merous animal and plant species; there are as many as 90 species of birds and 700 species of butterfly, including the largest in Europe. Thematic trails, including around the Pohorje primeval forest, offer a unique insight into nature. let’s protect it! Concern for nature can go hand in hand with the enjoyment of the local cuisine, made without harming the environment, healthy drinking water, pleas-ant climate and the energy influences of na-ture. You can find all of this in the wide range of wellness programmes.

slovenia’s second biggest city invites you into the embrace of the Pohorje and the wine-growing hills. The lively pulse of the city centre links a rich history with dynamic modernity, and countless possibilities for fun and relaxation with the joie de vivre and hospitality of the Štajerska region. awaiting you in the old part of the city is the old vine, in fact the oldest vine in the world. You will no doubt want to come back: in 2012 Maribor will be the European Capital of Culture, and in 2013 it will host the 26th winter Universiade.

TIC MariborPartizanska 6a, SI- 2000 Maribor

T: +386 (0)2 234 66 11F: +386 (0)2 234 66 13


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Maribor – Vienna (Austria) 258 kmMaribor – Zagreb (Croatia) 120 kmMaribor – Ljubljana 122 kmMaribor – Koper 231 kmMaribor – Ptuj 25 km


HEritagE of CEntUriEsThe city, first mentioned in 1254, is laced with quaint streets leading from one city square to another.glavni trg square – with its rotovž City Hall and the tower that is “not in the middle”, its baroque church of st. aloysius and the Plague Monu-ment.grajski trg and trg svobode squares – with the Maribor Castle and the regional Museum, the st. florian statue protecting against fire, and the unusual national liberation Monument.slomškov trg square – in front of the cathedral where was once the city cemetery now stands the statue of a. M. slomšek, and the square marked by famous j. Plečnik is fringed with im-posing sng Maribor theatre, the Post office and the University.Židovski trg square – the jewish quarter with the synagogue and a tower “threatened” by five organic dangers.lent and the old vine – the oldest part with its guinness record holder, medieval heritage, cheerful rafts men and festival atmosphere.City Park – a favourite promenade with various species of trees, the rose Hill and fountains, it leads to the popular Three fishponds area and aquarium-terrarium.

sUrPrisEs for tHE CUrioUsan authentic cultural experience of Maribor and its surroundings in museums and galleries:The old vine House – a temple of wine-making tradition and culture with a precious bottle of the black velvet grapes of Modra kavčina and royal and knights’ wine equipment;Maribor regional Museum – priceless archaeo-logical, ethnological, cultural, and historical items in the Maribor Castle;Maribor art gallery – one of the central slove-nian museums of modern and contemporary art with more than 3,000 works;kibla – a peak of creativity in the fields of multi-media and intermedia art and culture;Maribor national liberation Museum – a man-sion in the city centre presenting the recent his-tory of northeastern slovenia;Museum of the Maribor archdiocese – docu-ments and items from the Maribor archdiocese treasury in the Betnava Mansion.

a ride in a horse-drawn carriage

a traditional timber raft on the drava

Maribor’s main square

eXCURSIoNS

eXPloRING THe CITY ANDITS GReeN SURRoUNDINGSYou can discover Maribor by foot, bicycle, horse-drawn carriage or by tourist train, while you can get a truly special view of the city by rafting on the drava river. You can go with a guide or on your own into the green surroundings of:Mariborsko Pohorje – with its primeval forest, peat bogs and lakes, streams and waterfalls. in summer it attracts hikers, bikers and extreme sports enthusiasts, while in winter it turns into the biggest ski centre in slo-venia with mountain wellness and the golden fox world cup ski competition;Wine roads – the wine-growing hills are laced with scenic hiking and biking trails as well as roads to wineries and tourist farms, and to the ethnological and natural features;Botanical gardens – the University Botanical garden and the tal 2000 to learn especially about the Pohorje for-ests, north-eastern slovenia and the riverside world.

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CITY oF FeSTIvAlS:CAPITAl oF CUlTUReeuropean Capital of Culture 2012 – proof that Maribor is an outstanding host of ex-ceptional cultural events!Check out the calendar of events at www.maribor-pohorje.si.lent Festival – the biggest festival in this part of europe. In June and July Maribor turns into a metropolis with more than 400 events and distinguished artists and culture lovers from all over the world.The old vine Festival – wine, food and cul-ture festival in September honoring the old vine that welcomes its admirers in front of the old vine House.Maribor Festival – in September Maribor is infused with culture, tradition, artisticexpression and achievements.Borštnikovo Srečanje – the central Slove-nian theatre festival at the SNG Maribor theatre in october offers the best competi-tive and accompanying performances. Summer Puppet Pier – the annual gath-ering of puppeteers and children of the world brings what is fresh and high-qual-ity in puppeting.Colourful December – holiday atmosphere starts with the Fairy Tale city lighting, grows with seasonal events and achieves its climax with the New Years’ celebration in the Trg Svobode square. The lent festival

Colour your day! ____ 21

ANCIeNT FIelD TReASUReS

Kapitelj field is the largest archaeological site in Central Europe. Originally due to plo-ughing, and later by a systematic excavation, unique objects from different periods were discovered. Many finds are from the Iron Age, specifically from the Hallstatt peri-od. Special treasures are the situlae - bronze buckets with rich figural decoration. Novo mesto got its name after them - the city of situlae.

GReeN: BANKS oF THe KRKA RIveR

nicely arranged river banks, where the situ-lae are placed, have held the bronze medal for Entente florale since 2007, awarded by the association of twelve European coun-tries. in 2009 at the exhibition in lugano, switzerland, novo mesto was named most beautiful inland city in slovenia. Year after year, novo mesto is among the best towns in the slovenian event “My country, beautiful and hospitable”. novo mesto is the holder of awards for sustainable development wor-king in harmony with nature.

The most beautiful inland city in slovenia has been for centuries the centre of administrative, cultural, religious and business life in dolenjska – and of a unique landscape in the south of the country. among vineyards in the shelter of the krka valley, is a city concealing an amazing archaeological he-ritage. on its hillsides you can visit traditional events, picturesque churches, monasteries, museums and galleries. Everything in the vicinity of novo me-sto, from mighty forests and thermal springs to varied opportunities for outdoor activities make it a great destination.

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NOVO MESTO

Novo mesto – Ljubljana 78 kmNovo mesto – Bled 126 kmNovo mesto – Maribor 145 kmNovo mesto – Koper 172 km


river krka and ragov log

Institute of Tourism Novo mesto TIC Novo mesto

Glavni trg 6, SI-8000 Novo mestoT: +386 (0)7 39 39 263

E: [email protected]

froM tHE rivEr to tHE Hills and BaCk krka river, which embraces novo mesto, has for centuries protected citizens, powered the mills, and facilitated various economic acti-vities. Even today, a stroll through the city is marked by the river. from the riverside you can easily reach the following: The main square - the central area of the medie-val town of novo mesto with arcades and patios. City Hall - with the coat of arms of rudolf iv of Habsburg, founder of the city. in front of the building are statues of the poet dragotin kette and the novelist janez trdina.Complex Škofije novo mesto - Cathedral Church of st. nicholas and the famous altarpiece by j. r. tintoretto, diocese building with a library, archives, gallery and a collection of religious objects, and the garden, beside which sit the last remnants of the city walls.franciscan monastery - rebuilt several times, the monastery building was established in 1472, holds the city's oldest library, and is connected to the Church of st. lenart.novo mesto - Breg - here the city walls used to sit atop a rocky peninsula. since the eighteenth century the town’s characteristic houses have flourished there creating a picturesque panora-ma for the city.

HEritagE on viEwlook also behind the walls of the city buildings! visit: dolenjska Museum - permanent exhibitions of archaeological, ethnological, war and other objects from the city and wider region comple-ment the museum workshops, screenings, and special events. jakčev home - in addition to the collection of Bo-židar jakac, one of the most famous slovenian painters and graphic artists, there is also a per-manent art exhibition of the dolenjska Museum and fine art collection. on the ground floor of the house is an annual gallery program. The iMv Museum Collection - recounts the de-velopment of the automotive industry in the city, today a source of world-famous caravans and cars with famous sounding names!

novo mesto

tiC novo mesto

dolenjska Museum

eXCURSIoNS

Forests, Water, Castles - novo mesto is set amid vast forests, wine--growing hills, spas, and castles. Explore the neighbourhood! Gorjanci - flat hills with beautiful fo-rests are a surprise for hikers and bikers. Krka – the green river invites you on walks along the embankments, and for various water adventures such as boa-ting and fishing; Trška Mountain - a famous hill full of wine cellars and vineyards, which and also boasts majestic lime trees and the pilgrimage route. otočec - a romantic castle on an island in the middle of the krka river offers va-rious sports facilities and a golf course; Dolenjske Toplice - one of the oldest spas in Europe is today home to a com-prehensive wellness service. Šmarješke Toplice - springs in the middle of forests and meadows promise well-being and better health.

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CHeeRS! Novo mesto provides many events to promote the well-being and sociabi-lity of people. See what is going on at www.dolenjska.netCviček Week - May days see the main square in Novo mesto filled with more than five thousand winegrowers from Dolenjska - the largest wine tourist event in Slovenia! Novo mesto - summer evening con-certs in the museum gardens, the in-ternational photographic workshop Fotopub, Jazzinty Festival, Night on the Krka River and other events en-liven the summer in the city; St. Martin's Feast (Martinmas) - November's event at the Main Squa-re evokes a tradition of first wor-ships for the wine saint New Year in Novo mesto - December's cultural and entertaining events for all ages culminate in the gala dinner in the city’s main square

Cviček week

City of situlae ____ 23

BeNeČANKA: leT THeM SPeAK

The red Benečanka (Venetian) building is among the finest buildings in Piran. Its fa-çade bears the inscription “Lassa pur dir” – “Let them speak”. Legend has it that the building was built by a rich Venetian trader for his Piranese paramour. The inscription was supposedly a response to the townsfolk, who dealt with the lovers spitefully.

PIRAN

GReeN: PIRAN FooTPATHS

leave your car in the public car park and be safe and healthy. You can rent a bicycle for just 10 euro a day, and public transport with a tourist ticket is extremely cheap. The fin-est experiences are to be had strolling and hiking. get yourself one of the excellent Piran footpath maps, which are available at the tourist information centres. and please don’t bring car exhaust into this town with its exceptional cultural and natural heritage!

This Mediterranean jewel of slovenia is a truly special place. in this birth-place of the famous violinist giuseppe tartini, along the narrow medieval streets, between tightly squeezed houses that gradually rise up the slopes, you can still hear violins and other instruments at concerts and festivals of classical music. Piran is a monument to the diverse architecture of past centuries. The town squares are places of socialising that undulate to the rhythm of the sea.

TIC Piran Tartinijev trg 2, SI-6330 Piran

T: +386 (0)5 673 44 40F: +386 (0)5 673 44 41


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Piran – Koper 16 kmPiran – Izola 8 kmPiran – Trieste (Italy) 35 kmPiran – Ljubljana 124 kmPiran – Bled 172 km


The strunjan saltworks

BEHind sEvEn town gatEsBehind the town walls from the 7th century, from which seven town gates are still preserved, you can see:tartinijev trg – the central town square dating from the 13th century. By filling in the little port inlet a spacious market square was formed, and around it are all the main municipal institu-tions;the Municipal Palace – an old romanesque-gothic town hall from the end of the 13th cen-tury, which was completely renovated in 1879 in the neoclassical style;the Benečanka – the oldest preserved building in tartinijev trg, from the 15th century, the fin-est example of venetian gothic architecture in Piran;tartini’s House – the birth house of the com-poser giuseppe tartini (1692-1770), one of the oldest houses in the square, bearing his name;trg 1. maja or stari trg (Piazza vecchia) – in the middle of the former main square is a stonewater and rain collector, into which fed drains from the roofs of local houses; Church of st. george – a church from the 12th century, the biggest of the ten churches in Piran.

tHE anCiEnt sEaThe treasures of Piran’s history are linked to the sea. They infuse the works in the Municipalgallery, the Herman Pečarič gallery and the Me-duza 2 gallery. Meanwhile the major treasures are kept in:the sergej Mašera Maritime Museum – with its archaeological, maritime, cultural, historical and ethnologicalcollection and saltmaking and fishing sections;the Museum of Underwater activities – with presentations of diving from its beginnings to the present day – featuring ancientdiving equipment, hand pumps, diving bells and so forth;the aquarium, with more than 140 marine or-ganisms, offering an insight into the diverse marine life;konhilarij – magic world of shells – You can see almost 1 800 different limy shells, snails and fossils from all over the world.

eXCURSIoNS

SAlT, FooD AND PAMPeRINGwant more? Head off into the sur-roundings!The Piran countryside – in the Šavrin Hills are the villages of sveti Pe-ter, Padna and nova vas. They are a de-light with their olive groves, from which the virgin olive oil is made for typical istrian dishes, and with their vine-yards, which produce grapes for refošk (refosco) and Malvasia.Portorož Spa – a thermal spa with a century-old tradition, it uses brine, mud and salt from the Piran saltpans, and it offers wonderful massages and pools with sea and thermal mineral water.Sečovlje Saltpans – a nature park covering a full 650 ha, it is home to more than 270 bird species in and unspoilt environment with numerous special features.Forma viva – collection of stone sculptures in open air. it is situated in the park of the seča pri Portorožu pe-ninsula.Fiesa – only 20 minutes walk from Pi-ran - a small bay. The town is known for two fresh water lakes which are only few metres from the sea.

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THe PUlSe oF SUMMeR, AND oTHeR SeASoNS, Too!Piran is a town of numerous events which you can check out at www.portoroz.si.The Saltmakers’ Festival – on 24 April, on the Feast of St. George, patron saint of the town, you can witness the traditional departure of the saltmak-ers to the saltpans.The fair of antiques, local crafts and nature’s gifts – every last Saturday of the month in Tartinijev Trg.Piran musical evenings – on Fridays in July and August, top-quality classical music concerts have been staged for more than 30 years.The Tartini Festival – the concert eve-nings in August and September are de-voted to the music of Giuseppe Tartini.ex-tempore Piran – in September the town traditionally welcomes painters from various parts of the world.Christmas Nativity scene in Piran churches – from 20 December to the beginning of January, eight Piran churches present the creations of eight artists.

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The venetian House

The sečovlje saltworks

tartini square

The view from the town walls

CloCK WITHoUT TIMe FoR THe loRD oF THe CASTle

The large clock on the city tower has a dial only on three sides. On the northern side, which looks towards the castle, there is no dial. Stories of the past relate that the burghers took revenge in this way against the miserly count, who did not wish to contribute money for the clock. The story no doubt contains a grain of truth, since the city and the lord of the castle were frequently at each other’s throats regarding mainte-nance of the defensive towers and the staircase from the city to the castle.

GReeN: IMPoRTANT eURoPeAN AReAS

important European areas of nature preserva-tion are included in the natura 2000 network. This network includes the lake of Ptujsko jezero, a wintering ground for thousands of aquatic birds, and two fishponds in the village of Podvinci. The ponds, which are at least 200 years old, are a habitat for animals and plants that have almost disappeared elsewhere. The path around the ponds offers a special experi-ence of protected nature.

The city by the drava is a natural meeting point of vineyard-covered hills and the expansive open fields of north-eastern slovenia. People have lived here without interruption since roman times. The town charter of 1376 places Ptuj among the oldest towns or cities in the wider region. The pro-tected medieval city centre maintains its stories of the past in churches and monasteries, in vaulted wine cellars and in castle halls. The mystical quality of the city is maintained by the kurent costumed figures, who drive away everything bad.

TIC PtujSlovenski trg 5, Ptuj

T: +386 (0)2 779 60 11 +386 (0)2 771 01 73

F: +386 (0)2 771 01 75E: [email protected]

www.ptuj.info

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PTUJPtuj – Maribor 25 kmPtuj – Celje 61 kmPtuj – Ljubljana 132 km


view from the sky

tHoUsands of insPirationsPtuj, thousands of special qualities accumulated in thousands of lives. walk through its streets with open eyes.The Minorite Monastery – the first entirely gothic building in slovenia, built at the begin-ning of the 13th century.The florian Monument – a monument erected in 1745 in Mestni trg was a supplication from the burghers to st. florian for his protection from the frequent fires.The orpheus Monument – a roman gravestone of Pohorje marble, almost 5 metres high, was erected in the 2nd century. in the Middle ages it was used as stocks.The City tower – the tower with the unusual clock, first mentioned in 1376, is among the old-est open-air lapidariums. in the 19th century, monuments from antiquity of Ptuj and its sur-roundings were built into it.Church of st. george – the finest and richest architectural monument in Ptuj, dating from the 12th century, has renaissance and Baroque gravestones from the former cemetery on its ex-terior walls.dominican Monastery – with a museum and family vault of the lords of Ptuj; the monastery also houses the Ptuj Historical archives.Ptuj Castle – on the castle hill, which was al-ready inhabited in antiquity, stands the oldest preserved tower on the chivalric circuit; the cas-tle was home to the family of the lords of Ptuj, which built a two-storey building. today the cas-tle houses the regional Museum.

HEritagE CollECtionsPtuj offers thousands of images of cultural her-itage. These are in the care of the Ptuj – ormož regional Museum. Come and see:Ptuj Castle – with its collections of feudal resi-dential life, weapons, musical instruments, tra-ditional carnivalmasks, paintings on glass, an ethnological col-lection and castle gallery;the dominican Monastery – with its numismat-ic collection lapidarium and reconstruction of a Mithraeum, and collection of small archaeologi-cal items;the Mihelič gallery – the tower by the drava river houses the graphic room of painter france Mihelič. The city also features an art salon and the stari Zapori exhibition centre.

eXCURSIoNS

A FeW STePS FRoM THe CITYafter discovering the special features of the city, you can head off for relaxa-tion in the surrounding area. visit:Terme Ptuj – one of the biggest ther-mal spa parks in central Europe, it also offers accommodation of all types, from bungalows to a hotel;Ptuj Golf Course – a multiple award-winning course with a varied terrain and numerous water obstacles;Ptujska gora – the hill with a fa-mous gothic pilgrimage church and an exceptional monument: the virgin Mary opening her mantle; with its fine views, the hill is a favourite destination of hikers and cyclists;Ptuj lake – suitable for water sports and other leisure activities.

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FRoM RoMAN To CASTle GAMeS In this city of millennia you can be a Roman, a lord, a taster, a carnival fig-ure or just a city burgher seeking a real experience. Check out the events at www.ptuj.info and this selection:Pust carnival with kurenti – (in Feb-ruary) numerous ethnographic and tourist events with the hallmark ethnographic costumed figure of the kurent or korant;Slovenian Farm Fare – a May presenta-tion of Slovenian rural cuisine;Art Ptuj – an international festival of music and painting in July;Festival of Popular Folk Music – the oldest festival of local popular music takes place every August;Roman Games at Terme Ptuj spa – a cultural and entertaining revival of the ancient roots of Ptuj in August;Festival of poetry and wine - numer-ous readings of poetry and other events provide for a poetical end of summer (end of August)Ptuj Castle Games – a sociable presen-tation of medieval culture every first week in June .

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art gallery

kurents or korants (traditional carnival figures)

inside the dominican friary

Ptuj golf Course

PeGAM AND lAMBeRGAR

Legend has it that in the 15th century Pegam and his army rampaged through this countryside. The Emperor called upon the brave Lambergar for help, and he in turn vanquished Pegam. Pegam then turned into a three-headed monster and vanished into the underworld. Their struggle is also a theme on painted beehive panels, which are on display in the Beekeeping Museum. Lambergar is also recalled in the romantic ruins of Kamen Castle in Begunje, close to Radovljica, which belonged to the Lamberg family.

GReeN: THe CARNIolAN GReY

Bees are an important indicator of threats to the natural environment. slovenia has 180,000 bee colonies, and is the only member of the EU to have protected its native species of bee, the Carniolan grey. in radovljica you can find out everything about the Carniolan grey in the Beekeeping Museum, and to the buzzing of bees you can visit Breznica, which features a reconstruction of the apiary of an-ton janša, the initiator of modern beekeep-ing in the 18th century.

in the alpine area between jelovica and the karavanke range, a town has stood on the river terraces above the confluence of the sava Bohinjka and sava dolinka since the 14th century, and this town boasts unique examples of medieval buildings painted with frescoes. Behind the walls, with their only preserved defensive moat in slovenia, await the town’s sites of interest, the castle park, museums and galleries and the main square, in which events and festivals are held. radovljica is also the centre of slovenian beekeeping. just 7 km from radovljica is the tourist location of Bled with its picturesque lake, island with a chapel and the castle perched on a mighty clifftop.

TIC Radovljica linhartov trg 9, SI-4240 Radovljica

T: +386 (0)4 531 51 12F: +386 (0)8 205 13 36


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RADOVLJICARadovljica – Bled 7 kmRadovljica – Ljubljana 56 kmRadovljica – Klagenfurt (Austria) 80 kmRadovljica – Kranj 22 km


kamen Castle in draga pri Begunjah

BEHind tHE walls and MoatThe old town centre is itself a collection of archi-tecturally and culturally surprising structures. The outstanding ones include:Šivec House – a completely preserved burgher house with a medieval ground plan; the house fa-çade with its intricate edging is adorned with fres-coes from the 17th century; the house also has a wedding hall;Magušar House – with late gothic arcade atrium where exhibitions of ceramics take place;Mali House – a gothic-renaissance building with an upper storey pier and stocks;vidic House – a renaissance radovljica mansion from the 17th century with a portal made by a fa-mous stonemason’s workshop;radovljica Mansion – a Baroque two-storey manor house in the middle of the town, with a renovated Baroque hall on the first floor and radovljica mu-seum collections;Church of st. Peter – a 15th century church adorned with towers and the remains of walls that give it the appearance of a defensive encampment; the parsonage next to it is distinguished by an arcade walkway from the 16th century;The Castle park – the remnant of a Baroque garden with an avenue of beeches;gothic tavern – the space preserved in the rectory with the exhibition of vinorels (paintings with wine);Chapel of st. Edith stein – a german bunker from the world war ii houses a chapel dedicated to the philosopher, the Carmelite and the patron of the European Union.

BittErswEEt fEatUrEs You can check out a whole range of museums in the town and surrounding area at www.muzeji-radov-ljica.si. Come and see:radovljica Municipal Museum – with its collection on the important slovenian dramatist and nation-al consciousness figure anton tomaž linhart in radovljica Manor House;radovljica Beekeeping Museum – offering a com-prehensive presentation of the slovenian beekeep-ing tradition, the native Carniolan grey and paint-ed beehive panels;kropa Blacksmith’s Museum – presenting the de-velopment of ironworking from ore to nails, life in the ironworking settlement of kropa, and a collec-tion of artistic smithing work;Hostages Museum in Begunje – a testament to the suffering of the slovenians during the second world war;avsenik Museum in Begunje – with a collection on the world famous popular folk music created by the avsenik brothers; www.avsenik.com;gingerbread Museum and workshop – with live presentations of gingerbread making, an old slove-nian craft linked to beekeeping; www.lectar.com;Mošnje local Museum – this houses two collec-tions. The first presents the town and its inventory of buildings, societies and events, the school and church, and the second has a rich collection of farm tools and machinery. Close to the village is the ar-chaeological find of a roman villa rustica; www.mosnje.com.

eXCURSIoNS

loCAl PATHSafter touring the old town centre of radovljica, you can treat yourself to a view of this alpine area from the air, taking a plane from the sports airfield at lesce. Unwind at the golf course by the Šobec campsite. Explore the local towns and villages:Brezje – a slovenian spiritual centre, and the most visited pilgrimage site with its basilica of Mary our Help; around here runs the circular Brezje path of peace, which leads to special cultural landscape and natural sites;Kropa – the cradle of blacksmithing, and its technical heritage of smelting, with the oldest preserved smelting fur-nace in Europe and other special fea-tures have marked it as a monument of national importance for more than 50 years;Begunje – this village of music, cas-tles and memories of the second world war can be explored on the lamberg trail, which leads to the katzenstein Manor House, to the remains of the Hudičev gradič (devil’s Castle) and the ruins of kamen Castle.

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olD INSPIRATIoNS – NeW eXPeRIeNCeSRadovljica, linhart’s town of cul-ture, boasts numerous traditional events such as:Radovljica Festival – a well-known international festival of old and new music on authentic instruments; the oldest festival of such music in Slove-nia is held every August; www.festi-val-radovljica.si;Path of venus – summer events with a medieval air evoke memories of the path taken in the 13th century by Ul-rich of liechtenstein, dressed up as the goddess of love, venus; the event includes bonfires, an archery contest and more;Radolško Summer – musical, stage and other summer events in the cen-tre of town;Avsenik Festival in Begunje – an event over several days in September with typical Slovenian popular folk music; “Rešte se, rešte, starega leta” – seeing out the old year, a traditional Decem-ber event.

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Brezje

linhart square and the Šivec House

The medieval moat

a fun event in radovljica

THe DRAGoN oF KoNJIŠKA GoRA

Konjiška gora is supposedly hollow inside, and at its bottom is a lake guarded by a ter-rible dragon. Each spring the people of Konjice gave it a gift of a beautiful girl so the town would not be flooded by water from the lake. But when they wanted to give the dragon Marjetica, the lovely daughter of the count, in rode the brave knight George. He fought and vanquished the dragon, and saved the Konjice residents from the dan-gers of the mysterious mountain.

GReeN: ŽIČe AlYSSUM

along the way towards the Carthusian Mon-astery of Žiče is a natural growing area of žički grobeljnik, an endemic alyssum flower which thrives in slovenia only in the quarry at Žiče and in some places around it. it is a rare and endangered plant subspecies. The growing area is a protected natural monument. don’t pick any of the precious plants. take them with you in the form of a photograph!

This town, with its thousand-year-old central square layout, is a model of friendliness and tidiness. it boasts many awards as the most beautiful town in slovenia, and in the European competition Entente florale it won a gold medal, placing it alongside the best-kept towns of Europe. This charming town lies below the mysterious mountain of konjiška gora and the wine-growing hills of Škalce in north-eastern slovenia.

TIC Slovenske KonjiceStari trg 27, SI-3210 Slovenske Konjice

T: +386 (0)3 759 31 10F: +386 (0)3 759 31 11M: +386 (0)51 444 141e: [email protected]

www.knjiznica-slovenskekonjice.si

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SLOVENSKE KONJICE

Sl. Konjice – Ljubljana 100 km Sl. Konjice – Zreče 5 km Sl. Konjice – Maribor 36 km Sl. Konjice – Celje 27 kmSl. Konjice – Koper 205 km


Mountain gold

froM strEaM to HErBs and winEslovenske konjice is inextricably tied to nature: to the stream in the town, to the vineyards on the hills and to the herbalist tradition. several features bear witness to this:stari trg – the medieval town square, through which runs the gospodična stream; the houses in the square are a telling indicator of the more than 860 year history of the square;trebnik Mansion – herb gardens and a herbal preparations shop in the mansion in the middle of the park below the imposing mountain;old Castle – the ruins of the residence of the lords of konjice on konjiška gora; it has a reno-vated defensive tower and part of the walls from the 12th century;Škalce – a hilly area with vineyards, a wine road and golf course just above the town;Žiče Monastery – a medieval charterhouse dat-ing from 1160 in the picturesque valley of st. john the Baptist, not far from the centre of town; an exhibition of Žiče manuscripts, herb gardens and the viva sana herbal preparations, plus the otakar sparkling wine cellar;gastuž – the oldest slovenian inn, dating from 1467, right by Žiče Monastery.

sElECt and of tHE PEoPlEallow yourself to be impressed with the out-standing gallery exhibits and the authenticity of the ethnological collections:riemer Municipal gallery – with a collection of paintings by famous masters from the early re-naissance to the present day, and a collection of antique furniture, including 200-year-old white salon furnishings from Miramare Castle;Museum Collection of Military objects from the austro-Hungarian Period – a private collection of museum objects, especially from the period of the first world war;dravinjska dolina firefighting Museum – more than 560 exhibits demonstrating the develop-ment of organised fire protection below the Po-horje mountains;Muzejček Zrno – the “kernel Museum” along the wine road in Škalce is in a little wooden house from the 17th century, and offers a collection of old tools for processing ears and grain, baking devices and bread-making tools; Heritage House in Mlače – a rich ethnological collection in the village of Mlače;Pust House – ethnological collection of old farm tools and a collection of objects from the second world war at nearby tolsti vrh.

eXCURSIoNS

To THe HIllS, vAlleYS AND vIllAGeStake a stroll through stari trg, tour the riemer Municipal gallery and trebnik Mansion, then go along the wine road to the Zlati grič cellar, one of the most modern wine cellars in Europe, and then on to the surrounding villages with their many special features. visit:Žiče – a hamlet where you can observe demonstrations of original wicker-work;Mlače – a village where you can find a Heritage home with interesting ethno-logical collection;loče – this little village offers hiking experiences along the loče-Zbelovo Mountain trail, on which you can en-counter all the more prominent fea-tures of the location.

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ToWN oF eTHNo-eveNTSThe town pulses with preserved tradi-tion. Come and experience:Jurjevanje – a traditional event held at the end of April, reviving the story of the knight St. George who saved the town from the dragon of Konjiška Gora;announcing the vintage – at the be-ginning of September in Stari Trg square there is a special announce-ment of the grape harvest in the sur-rounding vineyards;Martinovanje – the traditional No-vember celebration of young wine for the Feast of St. Martin.

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Škalce

Žiče Charterhouse

stari trg (old square)

The feast of st george

BlACK MAN IN THe CReST

What is a black man doing in the town crest? Enjoying gratitude! When the lord of the land, Abraham, and his black servant were travelling here, they encountered a huge bear in a dark wood. The African felled the bear with his bow, and his lord said to him: “You saved my life! I shall reward you by ensuring that later generations know what a hero you were.” And he had the servant painted into the town’s crest.

GReeN: loCAl CUISINe

wherever you are, consume what grows there. The dishes of Škofja loka are based on products from nature. Škofja loka kruhki buns contain honey from nearby apiaries, and they are baked in hand-carved moulds. Loška smojka, which was once a lenten dish, is based on home-made turnip stuffed with millet gruel.

This best preserved medieval town, with its guild traditions and a black man in its crest, has many intriguing stories. Every seven years, the town below Škofja loka Castle comes alive with a colourful passion procession, a special enactment of Christ’s suffering and resurrection using the oldest dramatic text in slovenian. The mosaic of events and authentic Škofja loka cuisine bring curious people into the town from near and far.

ToURISM ŠKoFJA loKAKidričeva cesta 1a, SI-4220 Škofja loka

T: +386 (0)4 517 06 00 +386 (0)51 427 827


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Škofja Loka – Ljubljana 22 kmŠkofja Loka – Bled 38 kmŠkofja Loka – Koper 125 kmŠkofja Loka – Maribor 142 kmŠkofja Loka – Airport in Ljubljana 18 km


decorative pastries

gliMPsEs of tHE MiddlE agEswherever you look in Škofja loka, you can catch sight of medieval beauty. Come and see:Škofja loka Castle – the former seat of the local territorial lord, it was renovated after the earth-quake in 1511; it houses the loka Museum col-lections;kašča – the granary, a building intended for storing taxes paid in kind, and built as part of the town walls before the 1511 earthquake; it houses a gallery, restaurant and wine bar;the stone or Capuchin Bridge – a bridge more than 600 years old, one of the oldest monu-ments of bridge building in Europe. on it stands a statue of st. john of nepomuk with the Škofja loka crest;Homan House – a town mansion in the gothic style with renaissance elements, it was renovat-ed in the 16th century. today it houses a delight-ful confectioner’s and coffee shop;Martin House – built onto the town walls, dat-ing to the 14th century, and fully preserved in the section next to the house;old town Hall (rotovž) – dating from the 16th

century, the pre-eminent building of Mestni trg square; it has a gothic portal, entrance hall and door and renaissance arcaded courtyard;sign of the virgin – a Baroque sign with statues of st. roque, st. anthony and st. Mary, erected by the town in 1751 in thanks for protection from the plague and fire.

takE a ClosEr lookPreserved behind the walls of the imposing me-dieval buildings are special features of the past and art of the present:loka Museum – featuring archaeological, his-torical, cultural, artistic, ethnological and natu-ral science collections at Škofja loka Castle; the museum workshops recreate the old guild crafts;ivan grohar gallery – a space in the centre of town for attractive ambiental and multimedia installations;france Mihelič gallery – the medieval kašča building houses a permanent exhibition of graphics, drawings and paintings by france Mihelič;library of the Capuchin Monastery – along-side priceless incunabula and religious books it houses the original manuscript of the old-est preserved dramatic text in slovenian – the Škofja loka Passion.nace House in Puštal – an ethnographic monu-ment of slovenia’s rural architecture heritage;Centre of domestic craftwork – exhibition of hand-made products, working room and the centre for transfer of such skills to young gen-eration.

eXCURSIoNS

To GReeN vIeWSafter strolling around the mystical town, with its impressive medieval houses, hidden nooks and crannies and arcaded courtyards, and seeing the multivisual presentations of the Škofja loka Passion, then up the sce-nic path to the castle with its museum workshops, you can continue on to the surrounding area.Poljanska and Selška dolina val-leys – along the selška sora and Pol-janska sora streams, which converge at Škofja loka into the sora river, there are wonderful flowering meadows, expansive forests and unspoilt nature with numerous natural and cultural features.Škofja loka hills – around the hills close to Škofja loka there are hiking and cycling trails of varying difficulty. You can also visit traditional farms, re-fresh yourself at one of the hospitable local establishments and observe the skilled work of the women and men who run these establishments.

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AWAITING THe PASSIoNIn March and April 2015 Škofja loka will once again stage its thrilling Škofja loka Passion – the PRoCeS-SIo loCoPolITANA of 1721. This spectacular street event has a spe-cial cultural, historical and religious significance.events during the Passion – during lent and easter, every year Škofja loka is alive with Passion stories.HISToRIAl ŠKoFJA loKA – on the last weekend of June the town is in-fused with tales of the Middle Ages.Musical loka – in June, young mu-sicians play in the streets, squares and entrance halls of the old town centre.Summer loka – events in July and August provide a cultural flavour to the warm evenings.White December – in the last month of the year there is a series of events in the festively decorated town.old-style skiing – an event in Janu-ary on the castle hill demonstrating the heritage of old-style skiing.

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The stone Bridge or Capuchin Bridge

The Medieval festival

loka Castle

The old town centre

eXIleD BY A DRAGoN

Once there was a small blacksmith and forging settlement below the nearby mountain pass. One day the old cockerel of a local blacksmith flew off towards the mountain, crowed and laid an egg. From this egg hatched a dragon, which grew into an enormous monster. When it jumped, it released an avalanche that buried the settlement – and the dragon! The people had to flee, and only stopped in the basin by the foot of the mountain. They stayed right there – and created Tržič.

GReeN: NoRDIC WAlKING

Caring for nature and the environment is also caring for yourself! discover the charms of the town and the natural environment in a natural way. try nordic walking. at the tourist promotion and information centre in town you can rent nordic walking poles, and you can learn this method in tržič with the help of an experienced guide. The centre also offers bicycles for rent.

The water of the tržiška Bistrica river and the Mošenik stream, which con-verge right in tržič, once drove the machinery of this small manufacturing town in a basin below the karavanke peaks. over the millraces stretch lit-tle bridges, and the town centre houses, furnished with wrought iron doors and shutters, are squeezed into the streets without any order. This town was once the home of Marshal radetzky – the same one whose famous march is played at new Year by the vienna Philharmonic.

TPIC TržičTrg svobode 18, SI-4290 Tržič

T: +386 (0)4 597 15 36e: [email protected]

www.trzic.si

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TRŽIČ

Tržič – Kranj 18 kmTržič – Ljubljana 50 kmTržič – Bled 23 kmTržič – Airport in Ljubljana 26 kmTržič – Klagenfurt 39 km


dovžanova soteska

ProtECtEd town CEntrEtržič has a range of special features, but the biggest feature is the town centre itself, which as a whole has been protected for decades as a cultural and historical monument. The buildings with their me-dieval ground plans retained a classicist design in the rows of facades after the great fire of 1811, but they also acquired special characteristics. There are outstanding:portals – with rosettes, construction dates, initials of the house owner and the Eye of god;wrought iron shutters, window screens and doors – prescribed furnishings that would prevent the spread of fire in the event of a new conflagration;spyholes – to observe goings-on in the street with-out needing to open the window;drying openings in the roofs – for drying pelts, canvas, linen and socks;opestniki – roadside kerbstones that protected house fronts from being damaged by wagons.“PvaC’” HoUsEsneuhaus Castle: this building on a hill above the town was historically always occupied by those in authority over the town, including the famous Mar-shal radetzky.dev House: the birth house of janez damascen dev, writer of the first slovenian libretto Belin and the co-creator of Pisanice, the first slovenian secular poetic almanac.Church of st. andrew: it was here that the Christ-mas song silent night was first performed in slo-venian, having been translated by the then serving tržič priest jakob aljaž.

froM PrEHistorY to tHE PrEsEnt daYin this town close to the well-known dovžanova soteska gorge, with stones from the Palaeozoic age, a view of various periods is provided by the museum collections. visit:tržič Museum – in the former dyeing and tanning shop, it preserves the heritage of tržič hand crafts and presents the cultural and ethnographic herit-age of this ironworking town;kurnik House – the birth house of the folk poet vojteh kurnik, a rural burgher house from the 18th century with original fixtures, a “black” open-fire kitchen and cobbler’s workshop;

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HIGHeR AND CloSeR To NATURetržič is a pleasant starting point for exploring the mountains and peaks of the karavanke and kamnik alps. from the town you can head off to the nearby Podljubelj or lom valley and the valley of the tržiška Bistrica river. You can also discover the natural envi-ronment in a special way in the famous gorge which is just 3 km from the cen-tre of tržič.The Dovžanova soteska Gorge – a unique site of stones up to 300 mil-lion years old, it is protected as a natu-ral monument; the river, stone pyra-mids, the tunnel and narrow gorge show the creative power of nature. a geological interpretive trail runs through the gorge.

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JoY IN lIGHTSocialising in Tržič is associated with the time when there is more sunlight in the valley. Traditional events include:Gregorjevo – on 11 March the people of Tržič launch special little houses with candles along the river; the custom of one-time cobblers sym-bolises joy that with spring coming they would no longer need to use ar-tificial light in their work;Tržič summer events – Friday and Saturday evenings in the summer months offer performances, con-certs and thematic events;Cobbler’s Sunday – the first Sunday in September features a traditional fair with more than 300 stalls and a range of ethnographic, fun and cul-tural events; enjoy a cobbler’s lunch and Tržič roast beef!

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konjščica mountain pasture

The Mally House

shoemaker’s workshop in the tržič Museum

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Each city and town is an experience of its own. But several along the way make a story that weaves new views of space and time into urban experiences. link up a route of your own through slovenia, or select one of three programmes that lead from cultural to natural features, from modern joie de vivre to the spiritual heritage of slovenia. These pro-grammes are offered in collaboration with selected travel agents by the association of Historical Cities of slovenia.

Preserved medieval city walls, which once ensured safety and survival, today stimulate the imagination with count-less stories. a week is barely enough to immerse yourself in the finest glimpses of the past in slovenia!

Day 1 – Radovljica and BledThe castle avenue leads past the re-mains of the town walls, with their sole preserved defensive ditch in slovenia, into the old town centre. The magnifi-cence of the town is enhanced by special buildings such as the Šivec House, the Baroque graščina Manor and muse-ums, the Church of st. Peter and many others. a tour of the romantic ruins of kamen Castle in Begunje is followed by a visit to the castle high up on the cliff above lake Bled.Day 2 – Kranj and Škofja loka

in Kranj, the city on a rocky promon-tory, you can experience the diversity of periods from prehistory, with its ar-chaeological finds, to the 8th century, when the city was protected by walls and defensive towers, and up to the 19th century, when it was the home of france Prešeren, the pre-eminent slovenian poet.in Škofja loka open your eyes to the gothic and renaissance features of the town, which developed below the hill on which an imposing defensive fortification was already protecting the important trading route back in the 12th century.

Day 3 – Koperat another end of slovenia, in the seaside town of Koper, particularly under the influence of the venetians some excep-tional architectural traditions evolved, as

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witnessed in the Praetorian Palace, the loggia, da Ponte well and other features.

Day – 4 PiranThe first view of the birth place of the famous violinist guiseppe tartini is finest from the sea: on a boating excur-sion. But the truly picturesque quality of the town enclosed in walls with sev-en town gates and numerous churches can best be discovered by strolling through the narrow stone streets and attractive squares. Close to Piran are the old saltpans.

Day 5 – Ptujin the middle of the 13th century, Ptuj was officially awarded the status of a city and therefore the right to have city walls which connected city buildings, the Minorite Monastery and the do-minican Monastery and the Castle. The complex of Ptuj Castle which was one of most important fortification against the turks, has preserved the old defence system. The drava tower in which the Mihelič gallery has its premises, is the best preserved part of city forts in Ptuj.

Day 6 – Maribor and CeljeMaribor, the second biggest slovenian city, boasts Court, water and jewish towers along the drava river, and these were part of the medieval city walls. among the numerous features is a spe-cial reminder of the past, the old vine on the façade of a house in the oldest part of the city. The city of the Celje Princes, one of the leading families of south-eastern Europe, draws people with its special features such as the old Castle, offer-ing extraordinary views of the city and surroundings, the old Counts’ Mansion with its Celje ceiling, a special illusionist painting and other traces from the pe-riod of the powerful family.

Day 7 – ljubljanaThis city, which was then called Emona, was protected in roman times by an 8 metre high and 2.5 metre wide wall. its remains are preserved according to the plans of jože Plečnik, the famous Euro-pean architect, whose work has marked all of ljubljana. visit the museums and galleries, stroll along the lively river embankments and bridges, and visit the central market.

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Celje

Ptuj

Piran

koper

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The cities and towns where artisans of the medieval guilds once sold their wares at fairs, today still maintain the craft traditions, old-style dishes and music from past times. around the fair towns there are often vineyards, and as you wander around the town and its sur-roundings you can stop at typical inns with local food and exquisite drinks.

Day 1 - TržičTržič is a town in which around the end of the 19th century every other house had a shoemaker’s workshop. The tradi-tions are preserved in Cobbler’s sunday, one of the most popular events in this part of slovenia.

Day 2 - Radovljica, Kropa, Škofja loka, KranjRadovljica will surprise you with the pe-culiarities of slovenian beekeeping – in the beekeeping museum in the centre of town, in the gingerbread workshop and at the special apiary nearby in Breznica. Kropa is a town of ironworking and hand forging. The Blacksmith’s Museum and other features preserve the important technical heritage of slovenia. The loka

oN THe PATH oF HAND - CRAFTeD TRADITIoNS

slovenske konjice

Museum preserves the memory of the special medieval guilds in Škofja loka: cobblers, potters, blacksmiths, bakers, butchers, tailors and many others. a tour of Kranj, which revives the mercantile fair customs and draws people with its di-verse cultural and culinary features.

Day - 3 IdrijaIdrija has the surprising heritage of the second biggest mercury mine in the world, exquisite idrija lace and its unique cuisine. idrijski žlikrofi (idrija ravioli) are a protected EU brand!

Day 4 - Piran, SečovljeExploring the Sečovlje saltpans you can discover the special life of the former salt harvesters, who can still be witnessed on special traditional occasions. a stroll through Piran reveals the fishing tradi-tions of the town, which is protected by the Church of st. george. from the church a view opens up of the entire Bay of Piran.

Day 5 - Slovenske Konjice from the sea, across the unique land-scape of the karst, with its typical karst pršut, a cured ham, and teran wine, towards the east of slovenia – to Slov-enske Konjice, an enchanting town of flowers and wine. The hills with their typical zidanica wine-makers’ cottages offer a special experience.

Day 6 - Ptuj and Mariborin Ptuj, a city with its own vineyard, the oldest slovenian wine cellar offers unique experiences. a special feature of the city with its own vineyard is its close connection to the surrounding hills, to slovenske gorice and Haloze and the preservation of many ethnographic tra-ditions. Maribor, the city with the old-est grapevine in the world, also boasts one of the oldest and biggest wine cel-lars for many miles around. The city is inseparably linked to the Pohorje moun-tain range, which offers life in nature.

Day 7 - ljubljanain the capital city of slovenia there are all manner of traditional experiences offered by the central market, which was designed by jože Plečnik. Here you can taste a wide variety of slovenian specialities. along the ljubljanica river you can also encounter stalls set up by modern craftsmen and artists.

extra day – PrekmurjeExtend your city experiences with a trip to Prekmurje, the region in the far northeast of slovenia by the Mura riv-er. in a land where storks come to roost and old mills turn, you can discover the traditions of truly special pottery.


sečovlje

tržič Museum

idria lace

kranj

a typical feature of the slovenian land-scape is the numerous churches on high points and in settlements, as well as the monasteries of various orders, which preserve a rich cultural heritage and around which revolve tales and legends. discover the faith heritage of slovenia.

Day 1 – Novo Mesto, Šentjernej, Pleterjefrom novo Mesto, where the francis-cans established a presence in 1472, after visiting the Church of st. leonard and the monastery with one of the old-est libraries in slovenia, you head off to Šentjernej, a market town with unique traditions. Close by is the only function-ing Carthusian monastery of Pleterje. Here the monks produce outstanding fruit, honey, their signature viljamovka pear brandy and a truly special Pleterje wine.

Day 2 – Kostanjevica na Krki, Jurklošterat kostanjevica, a little town by the dreamy krka river, there was already a Cistercian monastery here in the 13th century, and reconstructions and renovations over the centuries turned it into the biggest Baroque monastery in slovenia. after being burned out in the second world war, the building

later acquired a new brilliance. today it houses an outstanding sculpture and painting gallery, and by the monastery there is an international forma viva in-stallation. at jurklošter, a village close to Celje, there is part of the wall from the former Charterhouse and Church of st. Maurice with a defensive tower. one special feature is the octagonal “horse-man” bell tower on wooden roofing, which is a rarity by European standards.

Day 3 – Slovenske Konjice, PtujClose to slovenske konjice, in the re-mote valley of st. john the Baptist, is the famous Žiče Carthusian monastery, founded back in 1160. next to the reno-vated remains is gastuž, the oldest inn in slovenia, while the monastery boasts a herbal apothecary and the otokar sparkling wine cellar. from here it is not far to Ptuj and its first Minorite monas-tery in slovenia. The 13th century build-ing acquired a Baroque appearance in later centuries. The rich library is a spe-cial feature of the monastery.

Day 4 – Ivančna Gorica, Stičnaa visit to ivančna gorica and the Cis-tercian monastery of stična. The mon-astery, which is famed for its herbalist tradition, houses a religious museum. Ptuj

Piran

Žiče

MYSTeRIoUS PoWeR oF SIleNCe

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Škofja loka

Day 5 – Hrastovlje, Piranin the istrian village of Hrastovlje, behind a fortification wall from the 15th and 16th centuries is a medieval romanesque church with a famous painting created around 1490. This most famous painting, a danse macabre, shows a dance before the grave with skeletons. in the pictur-esque seaside town of Piran there is a Minorite monastery with an outstanding cloister and picture gallery. The monas-tery, dating from 1301, was later adapted in the Baroque style, and the cloister was added in the 18th century. in the summer there are numerous events here.

Day 6 – Radovljica, Brezje, Škofja lokaClose to radovljica, in the village of Brezje is the main slovenian pilgrim-age centre. in the Basilica of st. vitus is the famous depiction of Mary our Help, painted by leopold layer. Miraculous cures have been associated with the depiction. nearby there is a franciscan convent. The nuns of Brezje hold courses in cooking typical slovenian dishes.in Škofja loka, you can visit the Capu-chin monastery with its rich monas-tery library, which houses the oldest preserved slovenian dramatic text, the Škofja loka Passion, from 1721.

Day 7 – ljubljanaljubljana has a unique venue for events in the oldest monastery within the city limits – križanke. once a monastery of the teutonic knights, it was renovated according to plans by jože Plečnik. an-other location worth close attention is the Ursuline Church of the Holy trinity, which is regarded as the finest Baroque building in slovenia’s capital city.


novo mesto

Bring the past to life

Masterpieces that have survived for thousands of years. Living stories writ-ten by time. The rich heritage that adorns Slovenia. All this was created by our ancestors. It is our task to see that it is not effaced. Association of Historical Cities of Slovenia is an association of like-minded people dedi-cated to the conservation of the country’s cultural monuments. Together we inform, teach, share experiences, raise funds and collaborate on the renovation of old town centres. All with one single goal – conserving the things that give our country its soul.

Idrija / Koper / Kranj / Novo mesto / Piran / Ptuj / Radovljica / Slovenske Konjice / Škofja Loka / Tržič

'As Mayor of the city of Maribor I am proud that in 2012 the city will dress itself in the colours of cul-tural creativity and pro-gress. I am pleased that Maribor, once an industrial city, is acquiring a new im-age. The ECC 2012 pro-ject is the most important event in the country since Slovenia's Presidency of the European Union.'

Franc Kangler,Mayor of Maribor

MariborEuropean Capital of Culture 2012

Maribor and its partner towns in the European Capital of Culture 2012 project

In 2012 Maribor will bear the title of European Capital of Culture (ECC 2012) along with its five partner towns (Murska Sobota, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec, Velenje, Novo mesto). During the ECC 2012 project the city will be visited by almost a million more tourists than usual, with up to 700,000 more overnight stays and almost 4,000,000 visitors, all of whom will be able to enjoy a rich and varied programme. The ECC 2012 project represents a development opportunity for the whole of eastern Slovenia and a chance to put itself on the map of devel-oped European regions.

Its position at the crossroads of German, Hungarian and Slovenian culture, where the Alps meet the Pannonian Plain, has given the city its special char-acter. Maribor boasts a 3000-year-old cultural tradition and a modern cultural programme. A rich historical heritage, art, sports, tourism, gastronomy and wine offer visitors to Maribor outstanding cultural experiences. The common thread of the ECC 2012 project is the slogan 'Clean Energy', which incorpo-rates an understanding of culture as an active factor of social change and de-velopmental regeneration, in other words the cultural flowering of a broader region of Slovenia. Maribor will undergo a regeneration in the spatial planning sense during the implementation of the ECC 2012 project. The scenario envis-ages numerous changes and improvements based on the river Drava area as the generator of the spatial development of the city. It envisages the trans-formation of the heart of the city into an attractive urban nucleus with clearly identifiable spatial connections leading into it.

This catalogue is printed on environmentally friendly paperHelp protect the environment – Don’t throw it away, give it to a friend!

Published by: Slovenian Turist Board / editor: Mateja Hafner-Dolenc / Design: AV studio d.o.o. / Page layout: Simon Pavlič / Text: Ines Drame / Translation and language editing: AMIDAS d.o.o. , Milena Žuran s.p. / Photographs: Archives of Slovenian Tourist Board and Archives of tourist destinations Celje, Idrija, Kamnik,

Kranj, Koper, Ljubljana, Maribor, Piran, Ptuj, Radovljica, Slovenske Konjice, Škofja Loka, Tržič, Novo mesto, Archives Narodni dom Maribor, Airfoto / Printed by: Gorenjski tisk storitve d.o.o. / Impression: 25.000, November 2011 / Cover: Škofja Loka

Slovenian Tourist BoardDimičeva 13 | SI - 1000 ljubljana

tel.: +386 1 589 85 50fax: +386 1 589 85 60

e-mail: [email protected]

Association of historical cities of SloveniaMestni trg 15 | SI - 4220 Škofja loka

tel.: +386 4 511 23 46fax: +386 4 511 23 18

e-mail: [email protected]

www.slovenia.info

www.zgodovinska-mesta.si

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