TOURIST INFORMATION FROM SLOVENIA – April 2008
www.slovenia.info
1. Tourist Numbers Up in February
2. Tourism Among Most Important Economic Activities of Slovenia
3. Slovenia, a Green Country on the Sunny Side of the Alps
4. FIJET 2008 Congress in Slovenia
5. New Features on the Slovenian Tourist Board Website
6. Sejalec Awards 2007 Named, Application for 2008 Awards Out
7. Events in Brda
8. Traditional Gathering of European Travellers in Strunjan
9. The Slovenian Impressionists and Their Time
10. Unique Exhibition: Pharaonic Renaissance at Cankarjev Dom,
Ljubljana
11. 16th European Veterans Athletic Championships EVACS 2008,
Ljubljana
12. 27th Idrian Lace Festival
13. International Museum Day, Museum Summer Night
1. TOURIST NUMBERS UP IN FEBRUARY
With 291,500 tourist arrivals and 978,608 overnight stays in February 2008,
Slovenian tourist accommodation facilities registered a 2% increase in tourist arrivals
and a 2% increase in overnight stays year-over-year; figures for the first two months
show a 1% increase in the number of tourist arrivals and overnight stays compared to
the same period in the previous year. The first two months registered more domestic
tourists, and the number of overnight stays grew by 5% year-over-year, while the
number of overnight stays by foreign tourists was down by 3%. The larger proportion
of overnight stays in this period (51%) was generated by foreign tourists, mostly from
the following six countries: Italy (21%), Croatia (20%), Austria (11%), United Kingdom
(8%), Germany (5%) and Hungary (5%).
2. TOURISM AMONG MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF
SLOVENIA
The Directorate for Tourism at the Ministry of the Economy of the Republic of
Slovenia prepared a complete development plan and programme for the promotion
of tourism development in the 2007–2011 period. To this end, numerous studies,
projects, handbook compilation activities and surveys have been carried out.
The economic importance of tourism in Slovenia has been confirmed in the context of
the "Assessment of tourism satellite accounts for 2003 and extrapolation for 2006"
project, which was carried out by the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana and cofinanced by the European Commission. Project results show that tourism experienced
rapid growth in the 2003–2006 period, as tourism activities in this period grew faster
than other economic activities. In 2006, gross tourism revenues accounted for 5.5% of
the total GDP of Slovenia (share of pure tourism, without indirect effects), which
corresponds to an 11.3% increase over 2003. Added value of Slovenian tourism in
2006 stood at EUR 1,088 million, which accounted for 4.11% of the total gross added
value in Slovenia. Compared to 2003, the added value of tourism rose by 32%.
The Tourism Confidence Index is calculated based on the results of an electronic
survey conducted by the Institute for Tourism of the Faculty of Economics (ITEF) at
the University of Ljubljana and involves a selection of tourism experts from both
public and private tourism sectors. The survey was introduced at the end of 2007 and
is repeated every four months in order to keep track of short-term prospects and
performance of the tourism sector. Preliminary results show that Slovenian tourism
generated above-average results in 2007 and that the outlook for 2008 is equally
bright. It was observed, however, that representatives of the private and public sectors
have quite different views on tourism performance in 2007.
Because tourism is mostly about people, a "Comprehensive programme to promote
development of human resources in tourism in the 2007–2011 period" was developed,
with a special focus on lifelong learning. A campaign entitled "Mi znamo" ("We know
how") was put in place to popularise and promote careers in the catering industry.
The "Methodology for constant tourist satisfaction monitoring" handbook is intended
for all developers, operators and controllers of hotel and tourist destination activities
who are interested in learning the degree of satisfaction of guests and the ways in
which their satisfaction could be systematically improved. The handbook includes a
comprehensive, universal and simple model for measuring tourist satisfaction in
Slovenia – at the tourist area (destination) and hotel level – in the Slovenian, English,
German and Italian languages. The questionnaire is based on customer satisfaction
models used all over the world (mostly American – ACSI), but is adapted to the special
features of the tourism sector.
More information about the latest surveys:
http://www.slovenia.info/si/poslovnestrani.htm?ppg_kaj_je_novega=0&lng=1.
Research & Development: maja.pak@slovenia.info, telephone: +386 (0)1 5891 860.
3. SLOVENIA, A GREEN COUNTRY ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE ALPS
Along with the United Kingdom and Germany, Slovenia reached 13th–15th place on
the scale of the world's greenest countries.
In the second half of January, Newsweek released Yale University's (Yale Center for
Environmental Law and Policy) rankings of the world's greenest countries. Countries
were ranked according to the environmental performance index (EPI), which is
calculated based on carbon and sulphur emissions, water purity and conservation
practices. The greenest country is Switzerland, with an index of 95.5, followed by the
Scandinavian countries, whereas Slovenia, Germany and the United Kingdom, with an
index of 86.3, reached 13th–15th place. More information:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/98010,
http://www.newsweek.com/id/97279.
4. FIJET 2008 CONGRESS IN SLOVENIA
FIJET Slovenia – The Society of Travel Journalists of Slovenia was selected from
among fierce competition to organise the 50th World Congress of Journalists and
Travel Writers. The congress, which will be held in Slovenia from 17–23 October
2008, will attract 200 FIJET members.
FIJET, the World Federation of Journalists and Travel Writers, was founded in 1954
and today brings together over 900 journalists, writers, photographers and freelance
travel journalists. Members of FIJET include 25 national travel journalist
organisations as well as individuals from countries without national associations.
FIJET Slovenia rejoined the Federation in 2006; Slovenian travel journalists had
already organised the 1985 FIJET Congress, which was hosted in Portorož.
In recent years the FIJET Congress has been held in Turkey, Tunisia, the USA, Croatia,
Morocco, the Czech Republic and Egypt. The annual meeting is attended by 250
delegates on average; record attendance (464 delegates) was registered in the USA in
1992.
The FIJET Congress in Slovenia will start in Ljubljana, and participants will also visit
the Šmarješke Toplice health resort, Postojna, Portorož, Nova Gorica and Bled. In the
run-up to the Congress, FIJET Slovenia, in association with the STB, prepared a
presentation of Slovenia at the congress in Egypt, launched the official website and will
be providing promotional material on Slovenia from March to September in the form
of monthly newsletters sent to all 900 FIJET members. More information:
http://www.slovenia.info/?info=32&lng=2.
5. NEW FEATURES ON THE SLOVENIAN TOURIST BOARD WEBSITE
www.sloveniainfo.si
The Slovenian Tourist Board website is regularly upgraded to become even more
user-friendly.
The Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) is the initiator and creator of the Tourist Press
Agency (TTA) project, which is run in cooperation with interested partners. The TTA is
the first online tourist press agency in Slovenia and a new achievement in the field of
informing Slovenian and foreign journalists as well as those interested in news about
Slovenian tourism. The TTA is an online portal offering current, daily updated
Slovenian tourism news in Slovene and English.
More information: http://www.slovenia.info/?e_casopis=0.
The STB is devoting special attention to young people with the prize-winning game
"Chat and Play in Slovenia" and multimedia chat room in Slovene and English. Fifteen
prizes – USB keys with a "Chat and Play in Slovenia" label – are given away each
month.
Survey participants get a chance to win attractive prizes in the form of tourism
services. The draw is held every first week for the previous month, and winners are
announced at the STB website at www.sloveniainfo.net.
The comprehensive information section now features a new topic: Active holidays in
Slovenia. Slovenia is a land of diverse sports and recreation opportunities, where
active adventures are available throughout all seasons. Ski resorts in winter, waters
and Slovenian skies in summer, colourful hiking and cycling routes in spring and
autumn... A number of paragliding and hang-gliding clubs, hot-air balloon
associations and flight centres offer adventures amidst pleasant winds. The land of
forests offers excellent hunting possibilities, and clean rivers and lakes offer attractive
fishing. The Slovenian Adriatic coast is a great starting point for sailing, windsurfing
and scuba diving, while the white waters of the Soča and other rivers offer a challenge
for kayaking, canoeing and rafting. There are equestrian clubs, and signposted
mountain and other hiking routes all over Slovenia. With a network of signposted
bicycle routes, possibilities for cycling are virtually unlimited – a challenge for
occasional travellers and dedicated cyclists alike.
Slovenian tourist centres, especially health resorts, offer a wide range of sport facilities
for ball sports, tennis, squash and similar sports. Fitness centres and facilities are an
integral part of the health spa and hotel offering. Introduced to this colourful green
country in 1938, golf as a leisure activity is gaining ground among the local population
and foreign tourists. In 1938 a golf course was built in the picturesque town of Bled,
and today golfers choose from among eight golf courses and numerous driving ranges.
6. SEJALEC AWARDS 2007 NAMED, APPLICATION FOR 2008 AWARDS
OUT
At the 10th Annual Slovenian Tourist Board Forum in Rogaška Slatina in December of
2007, the Sejalec Awards were presented in recognition of the best innovations in
Slovenian tourism. The Ambassador of Slovenian Tourism was selected for the first
time from among foreign tourism companies that bring foreign tourists to Slovenia.
The "Zlati Sejalec" award, the top award for innovativeness in tourism in Slovenia, was
won by the Koper Passenger Terminal Consortium in recognition of its passenger port
of Koper. The Koper Passenger Terminal Consortium was founded by the Municipality
of Koper, Luka Koper d.d., Istrabenz d.d. and the Regional Chamber of Commerce and
Industry in Koper in December 2003 to upgrade maritime passenger transport with
tourist cruise ships. In April 2005, the Port of Koper welcomed the first big passenger
ship Minerva, and in 2006 and 2007 the Koper passenger terminal became known as
a destination and port of embarkation for large passenger ships cruising the
Mediterranean. Koper registered around 25,000 cruise tourists in 2007, most of whom
took day sightseeing tours inland. The Consortium received the award for successful
work on a large-scale project that is expected to bring to Slovenia up to a hundred
thousand new tourists in a couple of years' time.
More information: http://www.luka-kp.si/eng/default.asp.
The "Srebrni Sejalec" award was presented to the Židana Marela community for a
modern presentation of Slovenian heritage at the "Slovenian Night" event. The Židana
Marela community is preparing two important series of events for 2008: a weekly
Slovenian night in Ljubljana, welcoming agency guests and individuals, and a regular
weekly folklore show in Bled. Their Slovenian nights, folklore shows and receptions are
aimed not only at foreigners but at all people who want to get to know a piece of
Slovenian cultural heritage. More information: www.zidanamarela.si.
The "Bronasti Sejalec" award went to two organisations: Hoteli Piran for their Salinera
Bioenergy Resort and the Ljubljana Tourist Board. Salinera has a long tradition of
natural healing, which was practised by the Benedictines as early as the 13 th century;
the development of a new image of the resort was inspired by modern tourism trends
of going back to nature and practising a healthy lifestyle. More information:
www.salinera.si. The Ljubljana Tourist Board brought together various
interdisciplinary organisations to set up an interactive online map for tourists, which is
a prime example of how to use information and communication technology in modern
tourism. More information: www.ljubljana-tourism.si/en/maps/default.html.
The Italian tourist agency Extempore Viaggi brings large numbers of tourists to
Slovenia, predominantly to health spa resorts. Over 6,000 tourists visited Slovenia on
this agency's recommendation in 2006, generating more than EUR 2 million in
revenue. In recognition of his merits, Marco Piangani was appointed the first
Ambassador of Slovenian Tourism.
This year's applications for the Sejalec Awards 2008 opened in March 2008. The
award is presented by the STB in recognition of creative and innovative achievements
in tourism that help improve the recognition of Slovenian tourism. The projects
entered will be presented on the STB website.
7. EVENTS IN BRDA
Spring is the time when a range of events in Goriška Brda bring you closer to the
beautiful scenery, delicious wines and cuisine. The friendly locals will be happy to
cater to your tastes.
In the extreme west of Slovenia lies Brda, a 72-square-kilometre area of colourful,
rolling, stunning and fertile landscape. The area also crosses the national borders from
the emerald Soča River in the southeast to the river Idrijca in the northwest. The hills
of Brda, where around six thousand people have built their homes in small
settlements, gently slope south towards the Friuli Plain. A new horizon opens up in
nice weather: the sea that joins the fertile soil on flysch bedrock with a delightful
Mediterranean climate. Thanks to favourable conditions and hard work, locals grow
vast amounts of juicy cherries, peaches, apricots, olives, figs, chestnuts and, of course,
grapes, which turn into sweet wine on St. Martin's Day. From village to village you will
see the rich natural and cultural heritage of castles and white hilltop churches.
The first interesting event to take place during the 1st of May holidays is the "Brda and
Wine" event from 1 to 3 May 2008 in the village of Šmartno in Brda. Cellars in
uninhabited houses in the ancient fortified village of Šmartno will host wine tastings
featuring over 30 winemakers from Brda and the Italian Collio Consortium, which will
be accompanied by traditional local cuisine and delights made by local fruit growers,
beekeepers and olive growers.
The biggest and most widely known cultural tourist event in Brda will be dedicated to a
delicious Brda fruit, the cherry. The Cherry Festival 2008 will be celebrated in the
villages of Šmartno and Dobrovo in Brda from 30 May to 8 June 2008. The impressive
calendar of events combines ethnological and cultural themes, fun & entertainment
and economic activities. Apart from the traditional festival events (festive parade,
Cherry Queen contest, cycling marathon, hiking around the Brda hills, and open day at
some of the area's finest wine cellars), the organisers will also prepare a wide array of
side events – tournaments, competitions, exhibitions and fun games – and put on
popular music performances, concerts, children's and cultural programmes.
The first summer month will end with the "Mini Ethno Festival" Šmartno 2008 from
28 to 29 June 2008. This two-day ethno festival in Šmartno will host musical
performances and create a lively cultural atmosphere in the already idyllic medieval
fortified village of Šmartno.
TIC Brda
Trg 25. maja 2
SI-5212 Dobrovo
tel.: ++386 5 395 95 94
fax: ++386 5 395 95 95
e-mail: obcina.brda@guest.arnes.si
www.obcina-brda.si.
8. TRADITIONAL GATHERING OF EUROPEAN TRAVELLERS IN STRUNJAN
The Lisca Sevnica Mountaineering Society is holding a traditional gathering of
European travellers in Strunjan on Saturday 10 May 2008. Contact: Jože Prah: +386
(0)41 65 75 60.
Slovenia is a land of hikers – there are 672 hiking events taking place in Slovenia this
year alone, and two European long-distance footpaths cross Slovenia: the E6 and E7.
The E6 is about 7,000 km long. It starts in Finland, crosses southern Sweden and
Denmark (crossing the sea by ferry), continues along the eastern part of Germany
(another version passes through the western Czech Republic) to Austria, and then
reaches the "Radelj na Kozjaku" pass. The E6 in Slovenia runs from the Drava River to
the Adriatic Sea, where it ends, but then it takes off again in northern Greece and runs
all the way from the Ionian Sea to the Aegean Sea. The missing section along the Dinara
mountain range and the Adriatic coast is part of long-term plans. But until these plans
come to life, the European traveller drives from Strunjan to Trieste, boards a ferry to
Greece and again starts his travel on foot in Igoumenitsa.
Slovenia joined the European Footpath Network in 1974 on an initiative of Austrian
foresters who convinced forest engineer Milan Ciglar, a keen fan of nature,
mountaineering and hiking and one of the initiators behind the development of nature
learning trails in Slovenia. Following his death, the Slovenian extension of the E6 from
the Drava River to the Adriatic Sea was renamed in his memory: Ciglar's Trail from the
Drava to the Adriatic. The trail is 350 km long and it takes about two weeks to complete.
The Commission for European Footpaths (KEUPS) decided in 1997 to make two
versions of the trail from Snežnik Castle to the Slovenian coast. One version runs from
Snežnik Castle to Mašun and over Veliki Snežnik to Strunjan, and the other goes around
Veliki Snežnik. There are 39 checkpoints with stamps.
The E7 European Footpath, which is about 5,000km long, starts on the Spanish Atlantic
coast and runs across Andorra, France, Italy and Slovenia to southern Hungary. It
traverses Slovenia from the Slovenia-Italy Robič border crossing to the SloveniaHungary border crossing at Hodaž. The Slovenian section of the trail, originally from the
Soča to the Sotla river, was extended in 1995 from Bistrica ob Sotli to the Hodoš border
crossing with Hungary, hence the name From Soča to Mura. The trail extension from
Bistrica ob Sotli runs along the Ormož, Haloze and Pomurje footpaths. As of 2002, it
was named after Zoran Naprudnik, a devoted sports and tourism official. The Slovenian
section of the E7 is more than 600 km long and has 42 checkpoints with stamps.
The E6 and E7 cross in Slovenia not far from the bears' footprints in Predgozd, close to
Mačkovec and Selo pri Robu, in the heart of breathtaking forests. Both footpaths are
signposted with red and yellow markers.
More information: http://eupoti.com/eupath/.
9. THE SLOVENIAN IMPRESSIONISTS AND THEIR TIME
The Ljubljana National Gallery is opening a large-scale exhibition entitled "The
Slovenian Impressionists and Their Time" on 23 April 2008, with more than 300
important works by Slovenian Impressionist painters and fellow artists from the
turn of the 19th century, works by sculptors, photographers and architects. The
exhibition will be on display at Narodni dom and around the capital until 8 February
2009.
Exhibited works will be taken from the permanent collection of the National Gallery of
Slovenia and private collections in Slovenia and elsewhere. The exhibition will focus on
the development of early modern art in Slovenia, which is most strongly characterised
by the four central Impressionist painters: Ivan Grohar, Rihard Jakopič, Matija Jama
and Matej Sternen, their fellow artists and comparative material in the wider social
context and in relation to other art forms. Film-maker Karol Grossmann, writer Ivan
Cankar, photographer Avgust Berthold, sculptors Franc Berneker and Ivan Zajec, with
a monument to France Prešeren, are just some of the artists from this time that was so
very important for the national awakening of the Slovenian people. The introductory
part of the exhibition will focus on the Ljubljana earthquake, the subsequent
reconstruction of Ljubljana under Mayor Hribar, and architecture and urban
development by Maks Fabiani, who designed Secession-style Ljubljana. Works by
Slovenian artists will be juxtaposed with works of artists from neighbouring countries.
A special presentation will be dedicated to Anton Ažbe and his private painting school
in Munich, which was the cradle of Slovenian Impressionism and a place of creativity
for other world-renowned painters, including Wassily Kandinsky. Other contemporary
artists will also be presented alongside the Impressionists: Ivana Kobilica, Ivan
Vavpotič, Ferdo Vesel and Maksim Gaspari. A significant part of the exhibition will be
dedicated to national art institutes, as the National Gallery of Slovenia celebrates 90
years of operation in 2008. More information: http://www.ng-slo.si/en/.
10. UNIQUE EXHIBITION: PHARAONIC RENAISSANCE AT CANKARJEV
DOM, LJUBLJANA
In the context of the Festival of Egyptian Culture, Cankarjev Dom will be hosting an
archaeological exhibition from 4 March to 20 July entitled "Pharaonic Renaissance –
Archaism and Sense of the History in Ancient Egypt" by Italian Egyptologist Dr.
Francesco Tiradritti.
The term "Pharaonic Renaissance" indicates a period spanning from the beginning of
the 7th to the middle of the 6th century B.C. (or 25th and 26th dynasties). In this period,
Egypt experienced a revival after several centuries of political and economic crises. The
Pharaonic Renaissance is characterised by searching the past for examples and their
reinstatement. Archaic tendencies aimed at preserving the country’s cultural identity
are recognisable at several other moments of Egyptian history. Only in the Pharaonic
Renaissance, though, can one find a conscious remodelling of historical achievements
into new forms of artistic expression. This resulted in a changed view of the main
cultural and religious concepts. In the Egyptian renaissance civilisation emerged
beliefs and ways of thinking that were transferred to the European culture of today
through the culture of Ancient Greece.
The Pharaonic Renaissance exhibition is conceived as an event of great scientific
significance and at the same time gives a general overview of Egyptian civilisation. The
Ljubljana exhibition is special because of 140 important exhibition pieces that were
borrowed from major museums in Western Europe: the British Museum (London),
Louvre (Paris) and the Egyptian museums of Berlin and Munich, as well as museums
and collections from Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia.
The highlight of the exhibition is without doubt the oldest chronology of the kings
from the 5th dynasty, which was lent by the National Archaeological Museum in
Palermo. The Palermo Stone is a world-renowned, first-class work of art and,
according to the author of the exhibition, it is to Egyptology what Da Vinci's Last
Supper is to painting.
A musical programme inspired by Egyptian culture will be run at the festival, Egyptian
films will be screened between 25 and 30 April, a photographic exhibition will also be
on display, and there will be many Slovenian and foreign lecturers speaking on the
topic of humanism.
More information: www.cd-cc.si.
11. 16TH EUROPEAN VETERANS ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS EVACS 2008,
LJUBLJANA
The European Veterans Athletic Championships will be the largest sporting event in
Slovenia in 2008. The EVACS championship, started by the European Veterans
Athletic Association in 1978, will be held this year in Ljubljana from 23 July to 3
August at the ŽAK Stadium; it will host female and male athletes from 44 countries
who were born before 23 July 1973.
According to the president of the European Veterans Athletic Association, Mr. Dieter
Massin, the Association is holding the Championships in Ljubljana with the aim to
promote its activity in Central and Eastern European countries (Budapest, Hungary,
1990 and Poznan, Poland, 2006). The President of the Organising Committee and
Minister of Education and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Milan Zver,
highlighted the importance of this type of event for the promotion of sport and its
function in keeping us healthy and strong as we grow older. A healthy ageing
population is important to the Government, as it is believed that about 20% of
European citizens will be older than 60 by 2030. The President of the Honorary
Committee and Mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković, is confident that Ljubljana will
play an excellent host to the Championships, which has a reliable team of organisers,
judges and technical specialists and has already successfully hosted several
international competitions in the past. The Ljubljana ŽAK Stadium has nearly 90 years
of tradition. Two new stadiums were built in 1986 for the Balkan Athletic Games and
upgraded in 1997 for the European Youth Championships. This year, especially for
EVACS 2008, top-level facilities for throwing events will be built to make it an ideal
venue. More information: http://www.evacs2008.si.
12. 27TH IDRIAN LACE FESTIVAL
This ethnological, economic, cultural, educational and entertainment event, to be
held from 20 to 22 June, will create a unique atmosphere in the town of Idrija in the
first month of summer, as the town will live and breathe Idrian lace.
Visitors get to attend the official opening of the festival, professional lace events,
lacemaking workshops and creative workshops for children and adults. All those more
or less good at lacemaking can put their skills to the test at the national competition in
lacemaking for adults and children. Local and foreign lace will be put on display, and
innovative products with Idrian lace will be showcased. Slovenian designer Alja Novak
designed a unique shoe collection using Idrian lace from the Idrija Lacemaking School.
Some fine examples of Idrian lace have Swarowski crystal in them. The collection was
already showcased in Ljubljana at the beginning of 2008, and in Brussels and
Luxembourg before that. One of the first celebrities to admire her shoes was actor Ben
Affleck, who got them as a gift on his visit to Slovenia. At the opening of the exhibition
in Ljubljana, the mayor of Idrija said that he would wear his pair of shoes at the
opening of the festival. Festival visitors will be able to take special guided tours to
discover the rich heritage of the Idrija area and culinary specialities such as "Idrija
Žlikrofi", "Bakalca" (lamb and vegetables), "Zeljševka Potica" cake with chives, and the
typical local miner's drink "Pelinov Geruš".
More information: http://www.idrija-turizem.si/.
13. INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY, MUSEUM SUMMER NIGHT
Museums will be holding an open day on 18 May in celebration of International
Museum Day, and on the Museum Summer Night on 21 June they will be open at
night to greet visitors with special events. www.museums.si.
Spring and the beginning of summer is the perfect time to visit open-air museums and
castles. The Rogatec Open-Air Museum is the largest open-air museum in Slovenia to
date, and its purpose is to secure sustainable conservation of cultural, architectural,
ethnological, landscape and historical values, to present the cultural merits of
monuments in their natural setting and in the media, and to provide an environment
for learning, demonstration and scientific & research activities. The museum is very
important to the Republic of Slovenia due to its cultural, ethnological, landscape,
historical and other remarkable features; in 1999 it was declared a cultural site of
national importance by order of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia. The
Rogatec Open-Air Museum was nominated European Museum of the Year in 1997. The
museum presents the life and work of farmers and craftsmen at the end of the 19 th and
beginning of the 20th century in the Rogatec area. Fifteen different relocated or
reconstructed buildings and associated functional elements in the museum are divided
into three distinct sections. The homestead section includes the house where poet Jože
Šmit was born, with an enclosed garden, a farm building with a manure pit and a
privy, a beehive, pig sties and a traditional "kozolec" hayrack. The administrative area
includes a "loden", an original market shop with assorted goods that today houses the
museum shop and museum administration. The third theme area is the eating area,
with typical vine trellises and a wine cellar which serves as a "pušenšank" (the
traditional way for farmers to sell their wines directly). The museum is setting up
interactive presentations for active farming heritage experiences, and visitors can help
with farm work, attend ethnological workshops, prepare traditional dishes and bake
bread in the wood-fired oven in the museum's "black" kitchen with an open fire. More
information: http://www.muzej-rogatec.si/ENGUvod.htm.
The first written record of Rogatec, which is located below the Donačka Gora hill at the
confluence of the Sotla and Draganja brooks, dates from 1130. In 1283, Rogatec
opened its own market, which makes it one of the oldest markets in Slovenia today.
Reminders of the most prosperous time for Rogatec are the historical town centre,
remains of two castles, two churches and other art history sites. In the northwestern
part of Rogatec is Strmol Castle. The first written record of the original castle dates
from 1436. The castle has a Renaissance structure with subsequent Baroque additions.
The castle was renovated and declared a cultural site in 2003. The castle houses a
reconstruction of the former original "black" kitchen with an open fire and built smoke
vent. The castle halls were renovated and today host a wide range of social events.
The Rogatec Open-Air Museum and Strmol Castle are open from 1 April to 9
November, from 10:00 to 18:00 every day except Mondays.
Tel.: +386 (3) 81 86 200
Fax.: +386 (3) 81 86 206
muzej.rogatec@siol.net
For more information:
Brina Čehovin
Marketing & Communications Director
Slovenska turistična organizacija/Slovenian Tourist Board
Dunajska 156, 1000 Ljubljana
Tel.: +386 1 5891 843, Fax.: +386 1 5891 841
http://www.slovenia.info
e-mail: brina.cehovin@slovenia.info