Holiday apartment in Štore: Hiking trails, culture and traditions

Nature

The Po Štorah hiking trail network comprises eight variants of varying lengths and difficulty levels for walkers, hikers, nature lovers, groups, families and individual visitors. The Po Štorah trail combines nature and recreation and introduces visitors to the area's natural features. Numbered signposts and 53 information boards accompany the route; there are also benches and five rest areas.

The Celje–Štore–Šentjur cycling connection also has a specific route length: it is 11.6 kilometres long and runs along the Voglajna for almost its entire length. The state cycling connection between Celje, Štore and Šentjur also includes four new bridges over the Hudinja and Voglajna rivers and the Žikovski potok.

Activities

For sporting activities, the Športna dvorana Štore Green Steel is available, with three courts and an eleven-metre-high climbing wall. Badminton, handball, football, volleyball, basketball and sport climbing are possible in the hall. In a natural setting, the Kozolec Pečovje–Laška vas provides space for picnics and social gatherings.

At the Kmetija »Pri starem mlinu«, visitors can use a forest trail, a Kneipp trail and an energy trail. They can also see grain being milled with a water wheel or with a horse-powered Gepl. The fully renovated Kmetija preserves its old style and, in addition to the house and stables, includes an old kozolec from 1891 and a mill with a water wheel. The Domačija and organic farm Artišek in Ogorevc offers a designated motorhome pitch and a space for socialising.

Culture

The Church of Our Lady of the Snows stands in Svetina, a Gothic fortified church dating from the late 15th century. The church contains a late Gothic painting of Mary and Jesus, a Marian throne from 1700, a painting of the Nativity of Mary and a Baroque organ. The Church of St Lawrence stands on the edge of the village of Kompole, surrounded by a cemetery. It was built in the second half of the 14th century by the noble Saiffner family and was first mentioned in writing in 1525.

The Church of St John the Baptist stands on a hill in Šentjanž nad Štorami, near the local road to Svetina. The preserved tower of the former Prežin manor serves as the bell tower of this church. Lončarstvo Buser has a 220-year tradition of producing pottery. Visitors can tour the pottery workshop, kiln and the entire production process, as well as watch clay vessels being made on the potter's wheel. The visit also includes a shop and a permanent collection of ethnological heritage.

History

Svetina is a compact settlement in the hills, situated at an altitude of 683 metres. Written records of Svetina date back to the Middle Ages; the first entry in the Celje land register dates from 1480. The grave of the writer and world traveller Alma Karlin is located in the Svetina cemetery.

The Železarski muzej Štore in Teharje presents the development of Štore and the surrounding places from the second half of the 19th century to the present day. The museum preserves the industrial heritage of the ironworks in the form of documents, photographs, plans and objects.

Traditions

Svetina's šentoščeva nedelja preserves customs such as gathering greenery, weaving wreaths, erecting a maypole, baking potica and other pastries, as well as a procession with the Marian throne. On Svetina, Almini dnevi is held as a gathering of world travellers. The Občinski bazar društev includes tastings and goulash.

An event for collecting wild garlic is held annually in Štore and organised by the Turistično društvo Štore.

More destinations: Nova Cerkev, Celje, Vojnik, Dobrna

To the higher-level travel overview: Celje.