Easy hikes and walks around Kozje

From 1881 to 1941, Rajhenburg Castle was a Trappist monastery. Today, the castle houses a museum and a gourmet restaurant.

The Church of St. Mary of Lourdes, built in 1914, is one of the largest churches in Slovenia.

From Grmada (481 meters above sea level), you have a magnificent view of the Pannonian Plain and the Krško Fields. On a clear day, you can even see the Kamnik Alps.

Admission to the city tour is €5. Parking is free.

Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes Slovenians also have our own Lourdes. With a mighty three-aisled basilica in a place with an extremely rich history. It was created at the place where the river Brestanica flows into the Sava and above which the Rajhenburg castle dominates, in which the Trappists had a monastery from 1881 to 1947. Originally, until 1953, Brestanica was called Rajhenburg, which in German means rich place. From any direction you drive into the place, your eyes are quickly drawn to the mighty church. The foundation stone was blessed on July 16, 1908. At that time, a parchment was embedded in the foundation stone, on which it was written: "Rise boldly from the blessed foundation of the house of Mary and bring the grace of Lourdes to the Slovenes!" At the beginning of the 20th century, the parish of Reichenburg missed a more spacious parish church . When Jožef Cerjak, until then a chaplain in the Maribor cathedral, came to Rajhenburg as a pastor, preparations for construction began. He founded the church building society of Maria Lurška, whose members from all over Slovenia pledged donations for construction. The biggest gift was the land donated by local woman Ana Korban. The church has the honorary title "Slovenian Lourdes" because Slovenians from all parts of our homeland participated in its construction. Construction of the church began in 1908 on the fiftieth anniversary of Mary's apparitions in Lourdes. Six years later, it was consecrated by the Bishop of Maribor, Dr. Mihael Napotnik. As an interesting fact - on the very day, July 2, 1914, when the new church was being consecrated, a train passed through Rajhenburg with the body of the Imperial Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand and his wife Zofia, who were the victims of the assassination in Sarajevo.

From a sixty-meter-high rocky pier above the confluence of the Brestanica stream and the Sava river, Rajhenburg Castle has been controlling the surrounding area for centuries. The castle building was built between 1131 and 1147 by the powerful owner of the estate, Archbishop Konrad of Salzburg, as evidenced by the oldest, Romanesque part of the building. For centuries, the building and the associated estate were managed by ministeriales, who were named after the castle – the Rajhenburg family. This was an influential family that achieved the title of knight in the 15th century. After their extinction, their successors added more modern elements to the building and gradually gave it the appearance we admire today. In 1881, Rajhenburg was purchased by Trappist monks and converted into a monastery, which operated until the occupation in April 1941, when the German occupation authorities established a camp for the expulsion of Slovenes in the castle and its associated outbuildings. In 1947, the Trappist order was dissolved and the castle was nationalized. A year later, in June, the Correctional Institution for Women was opened, and later other penal institutions. Since 1968, when an exhibition on Slovenian exiles was opened in it, it has been primarily intended for museum and event activities. After the denationalization process was completed in 2004, the castle is owned by the Municipality of Krško, and the completely renovated building is now managed by the Krško Cultural Center. During various events (concerts, theater performances, lectures, etc.), visitors can learn about the history of the castle, the town, and the entire area at permanent and temporary exhibitions. By walking through the building, they gain insight into the development of castle architecture from Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance to modern times. The castle boasts two chapels: Romanesque from the 12th century and Gothic from the 16th century. The Renaissance living area with a luxurious hall is completed by a room with rich fresco paintings. The museum exhibitions of the Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia offer us an insight into the history of the Trappist monks, the fate of Slovenian exiles and the time when various penal institutions operated in the castle. Visitors can also see castle furniture from the collections of the National Museum of Slovenia, views of Brestanica from the end of the 19th century and motifs from social and community life presented on the presented postcards, and the castle also exhibits noble medals from the Olympic Games and world championships of the most famous Brestanica athlete Primož Kozmus. The Renaissance hall is enriched by the works of the academic painter Jože Ciuha, and art exhibitions are also organized in the large hall, which is marked by a four-winged Gothic window with a stone cross. Rajhenburg Castle is one of the most important monuments of medieval castle architecture in Slovenia, which is why we place great emphasis on the building history of the building. The castle cellar houses a sparkling wine library, and the museum shop offers exhibition catalogues, numerous local products and Brestanica chocolate. The completely renovated castle with its picturesque location and exemplary renovated interior is also an excellent setting for wedding ceremonies, and modern equipment makes the entire building accessible to people with disabilities. The complete renovation of the castle building, which took place between 2010 and 2012, was financed within the framework of the Operational Programme for Strengthening Regional Development Potentials for the period 2007–2013, development priorities Connecting natural and cultural potentials − priority directions Networking cultural potentials.

The steep climb is well worth doing to have a break at beautiful spot!

The aristocratic town of Veliki Tabor is one of the most important cultural and historical monuments of the profane architecture of continental Croatia. Veliki Tabor is exceptional precisely because of its monumental and authentic fortification architecture. With its location on the top of Hum Košnićki, at 333 m above sea level, it has dominated the Zagorje region for more than half a millennium - the architecture has actually merged with nature, forming a unique image. The view from Veliki Tabor to the entire Croatian Zagorje and part of Slovenia is also impressive. This cultural monument of the highest zero category is one of the most recognizable identities, not only of Hrvatsko Zagorje, but also of Croatia. Opinions of the profession are divided over the dating of the Great Camp. Some are of the opinion that the oldest part of Veliki Tabor was built in the middle of the 15th century, while others believe that the construction of the oldest part began only after 1502. The recently conducted conservation research, comparative architectural analysis and analysis of the discovered archaeological finds speak in favor of earlier dating of the oldest part of Veliki Tabor (mid-15th century). More .... https://www.veliki-tabor.hr/o-muzeju/pregled/povijest Much more about the Palace ... https://www.veliki-tabor.hr/