In the last edition of the "One Day One City Walk Series", we traveled back to the Roman period in Putuy, the oldest city in Slovenia, and experienced the atmosphere of the ancient city. Today, a day trip to Slovenske Konjice, a small town in the northeast, will take you on a day trip to discover this beautiful town full of fascinating stories.
Lying quietly under the sun-drenched hills of the vineyards of Škalce, the medieval town of Konice, Slovenia, the birthplace of the famous Sri Lankan poet Ivan Minatti, is a combination of beautiful nature and a rich cultural heritage.
A one-day hike in Konice, Slovenia, will follow in the footsteps of Minati and explore all aspects of this horse-related town and the surrounding area.
Tours can be made in the order of 1 to 21 on the map
1、“骑马女人”雕像（Woman on Horse）
2、双鸟喷泉（Fountain for Two Birds）
3、Entente Florale木制纪念碑
4、行会标志建筑（Guild Sign）
5、前区政府（Former District Authority）
6、伊万•米纳蒂出生地（The Birth House of Ivan Minatti）
7、伊万•米纳蒂童年故居（The House of The Poet's Childhood）
8、圣乔治教堂（St. George’s Church）
9、Konjiška Gora山古堡
10、圣弗洛里安壁画（Fresco of St. Florian）
11、储蓄银行（Savings Bank）
12、里布尼察小溪（The Ribnica Stream）
13、旅游信息中心(Slovenske Konjice Tourist Information Centre)
14、圣家族画像建筑（House with A Painting of the Holy family）
15、圣弗洛里安纪念柱（Plague Column of St. Florian）
16、日切卡尔特修道院(Wire Charterhouse)
17、里默尔镇画廊（Riemer Town Gallery）
18、Zelen' plac户外健身区
19、Konjičan蒸汽机车
20、伊万·米纳蒂铜像（The Statue of Ivan Minatti）
21、米纳蒂图书交换处（Minatti 's Book Exchange）
The Slovenian City Walk in Konice departs from the bus station, and a map of the town on the nearby information board can be used as a guide. At Mestni trg Square, you'll be greeted by a three-metre-high statue of the "Woman on Horse" (1). Since the 16th century, horses have been featured in the coat of arms of Konice, Slovenia.
图源:KRAJI - Slovenia
During the Middle Ages, Slovenia's Koniche became an important transportation and trade center due to its strategic location, where horses played an important role in transportation, agriculture and warfare, and its horse trading and breeding industry was very developed. In Slovenian, "Konjice" is derived from "konj", meaning "horse", highlighting the town's close connection with horses. The "Woman on Horseback" statue symbolizes the town's long-standing horse culture, and she quietly tells the story of the town's deep connection with horses.
图源:Miha Matabhaj Photo&Video
Near the statue are the Cultural Centre and the Dravinja Hotel. Although the hotel is now closed, it was once very popular and historically significant. At the rear of the hotel, the old and new parts of the town are separated by the Dravinja Rivers, which are connected by a bridge guarded by statues of four horses.
Dravinja Hotel,图源:KRAJI - Slovenia
* Sightseeing Tip: You can get ready for the hike with a cup of coffee at the Mali Čoko Ice Cream Shop or a cup of coffee at the Central Caffe Bar near the information board.
图源:Little Choco
After walking across the bridge, you can check out the authentic local food shops in the New Market on the left, and the Fountain for Two Birds (2) opposite the market. Created in 1987, the statue depicts two birds showing the cyclical flow of life, symbolizing life and freedom.
图源:Slovenian Konjice
On the right side of the bridge stands a wooden monument (3) that shows that Konics, Slovenia, has twice been awarded the European Entente Florale Gold Medal by the European Flower and Garden Association, which is a high recognition of the town's achievements in urban beautification and horticulture!
Next, continue straight between the two rows of houses to the starting point of Stari trg square. The path on the right leads to a building with a guild sign (4), which bears witness to the once thriving leather industry in Konice, Slovenia. Across the street is a two-storey building (5), which was known as the district government until 1941 and was the mayor's office during World War II, and its appearance remains unchanged today. Nearby, House 9 is the birthplace of the famous poet Ivan Minatti (6), who was born and the family lived in an upstairs apartment. Later the house was turned into a post office and today it is home to a flower shop.
图源:Slovenian Konjice
* Sightseeing Tip: Stop by Beli Konj Tavern, which serves probably the best coffee in the city, and the ice cream is delicious.
A few minutes along Celjska cesta, you will arrive at house 10 with a memorial plaque, the childhood home of Ivan Minati (7). As a child, he used to look from here at the white house in the middle of the Škalce hills, which has now been renovated into a vineyard estate.
图源:Municipality of Slovenske Konjice
* Sightseeing tip: It is only a 10-minute walk from the Zlati grič wine cellar, where you can taste the original Konjičan wine. A 5-minute walk uphill will take you to Gostilna Grič, famous for its delicious cuisine and views of the vineyard golf course.
图源:archive Zlati Grič Wine Cellar
After visiting Ivan Minati's childhood home, turn right back at the intersection and continue uphill to the next intersection to see the spectacular St. George's Church. George’s Church）（8）。 The oldest part of the church is the nave, built in the 12th or 13th century, and its bell tower, built at the end of the 13th century, is one of the oldest and largest bell towers in Štajerska, to the right of the church is the site of the school, built in 1868, and the parking lot behind the church offers a magnificent view of the Konjiška Gora Castle (9).
Walk out through the small door on the left side of the parking lot and you will be able to access the church and the house building in Stari trg square. One of these houses is painted with a fresco of St. Florian (10), and it used to be a surveying office where Iván Minati's father worked every day.
Afterwards, on the way back to Stari trg Square, a large corner building in the Art Nouveau style stands out with a bee motif on top, proving that it was once a savings bank (11). Cross a low bridge over The Ribnica Stream (12) and walk to the Municipal Building and the adjoining Tourist Information Center (13) to the sound of babbling water.
图源:Slovenian Konjice
As you walk through the square, you can take a closer look at the medieval design here. The shops of artisans and vendors have beautiful facades, and the garden courtyard faces the plaza and displays exquisite handicrafts. The most striking of these is a house painted with a portrait of the Holy Family (14).
* 观光小贴士:Tattenbach酒吧供应的米纳蒂咖啡(Minatti Coffee)独具特色、芳香四溢,喝咖啡的同时你还会得到一张卷纸,上面写有米纳蒂的某一首诗歌。
图源:Slovenian Konjice
圣弗洛里安纪念柱（Plague Column of St. Florian）（15）是斯洛文尼亚科尼采非常著名的历史景点。 其中央的柱子上雕刻着圣弗洛里安的雕像，四周较低的基座上则是圣弗朗西斯·泽维尔（St. Francis Xavier）、圣洛克（St. Roch）、圣乔治（St. George）和内波穆克圣约翰（St. John of Nepomuk）四大圣人的雕像。
图源:Slovenian Konjice
St. Florian is a saint in both Catholicism and Orthodoxy who is considered the patron saint who protects people from fire and plague. In the past, fires were frequent in Konice, Slovenia, so the building was erected not only as a memorial to the fire incident, but also as a way to pay homage to St. Florian.
图源:Slovenian Konjice
After the last fire, many houses in Konice, Slovenia, were rebuilt using stone from the demolition of part of the construction of the Žiče Charterhouse (16) after the closure of the Žiče Charterhouse. Built in the early 12th century, this powerful monastery is the oldest Carthusian monastery in Central Europe and the first outside of the Carthusian monastery of France and Italy itself, and is known as one of the most important monasteries in Europe during the Middle Ages.
The prototype of the column is safely housed in the Riemer Town Gallery (17). In addition to this work, the gallery's permanent collection displays paintings from the early Renaissance to the present day, with the oldest paintings dating back to the 15th century and the most precious being Leonardo da Vinci's.
* Sightseeing Tip: If you want to have a snack at this time to refuel, you can continue down the hill and turn left at the intersection near Minati's birthplace. Center okusov serves modern fast food, and a little further along, the Strnad bakery also has a sweet bread option.
图源:Center of Tastes
Then we will return to Mestni trg square, at the statue of the "Woman on Horseback", and follow the path between the cultural center and the local courthouse. The trail will take you to the children's village with its wooden houses, as well as the outdoor fitness area at Zelen' plac (18). After a short rest, continue on to the main road.
Turn left and cross the road at the second traffic light, where the Konjičan steam locomotive (19) is displayed on the site of the former railway station, which once roared along the narrow-gauge railway. In 1892, a railway line was built in Konice, Slovenia, connecting the eastern town of Poljčane; In 1921, the railway line was extended to Zreče and operated until 1963, when it was dismantled in 1970. The railway is 20 kilometers long, has a total of 9 stations, and passes by 3 bridges.
图源:Slovenian Konjice
Turn right in front of the locomotive, cross the road again, and be sure to check in at the bronze statue of Ivan Minati (20) in front of the News & Radio Rogla building~ There is a Minati Book Exchange (21) in the lobby of the Radio Building, which is suitable for you who love literature to become a reader who accompanies poets.
图源:Matej Nareks
Finally, it's a 200-metre walk to the bus station to end our trip to the Slovenian City Walk in Konice.
备选景点:Konjiška gora山
Departing from the edge of the town, head to Konjiška gora, which is made up of several peaks. You can follow the well-marked path to Skala (702 m above sea level) and Stolpnik (1021 m above sea level), with a 25-metre high watchtower.
For family hikes, take the Little Dragon's Forest Learning Path, which starts at Podgora Primary School near St. George's Chapel. The 3-kilometre-long route has 12 knowledge stops that lead you to the Kasbah, the Konjska smrt gorge and the Trebnik Mansion, which has a park and children's playgrounds.
图源:Slovenian Konjice
Probably built as early as the 10th century, Konjiška gora Castle is one of the largest and grandest castles in Lower Styria. The Romanesque architecture at its core is now almost non-existent, the walls are in the Gothic style, and on its site there is a platform overlooking the beautiful view of Slovenian Konice. The narrow Konjska smrt gorge is the shortest way to cross the mountains, but it is too demanding for horses. The Trebnik estate is famous for its natural herbal products, parks overgrown with towering trees, ponds, and obstacle courses.
Konjiška gora山古堡,图源:Tomo Jeseničnik
特雷布尼克庄园,图源:Municipality of Slovenske Konjice
Trebnik Manor
Stay tuned for our next edition of the Slovenian Historic City Walk!