Holiday Apartment in Spodnje Hoče: Culture, Archaeology and Cycling Routes

In Spodnje Hoče, ecclesiastical architectural history, archaeological evidence and several cycling routes take center stage. Historic religious buildings, settlement traces from different periods and routes through the Pohorje landscape come together to create a diverse local character.

Culture

St. George’s Church in Spodnje Hoče was first mentioned in written records in 1146. Inside are two Baroque altars by Jožef Holzinger, dating from 1760/61. Particularly distinctive is the crypt beneath St. George’s Church: it is one of the oldest medieval structures in Slovenia and a unique Romanesque monument of its kind in the country. The parish center of Spodnje Hoče is also part of the town’s ecclesiastical heritage. It is an exceptional religious complex and was the seat of the former original parish.

Another historic landmark stands at a crossroads in the village: the Baroque, masonry wayside shrine of Spodnje Hoče has a triangular ground plan. A burial mound cemetery is also located in Hočkem gozdu near Spodnje Hoče. It is an archaeological monument at its original site and is important for researching settlement connections with Poštela and Čreta.

History

The central section of the archaeological site of Hoče in Spodnje Hoče comprises a large prehistoric settlement from the Copper Age and the Bronze Age. For the Roman period, there is evidence of intensive settlement from the mid-1st to the 4th century, including at least three construction phases of ancient buildings. Because of its preservation and finds, the central archaeological site of Hoče is considered a monument of European significance.

The peripheral area of the archaeological site of Hoče in Spodnje Hoče also preserves traces spanning several historical periods. It contains documented and partially researched remains of a prehistoric, Roman and early medieval settlement.

Cycling

Four cycling routes start at the car park next to the Hoče-Slivnica municipal building. The Sp. Hoče – Bellevue – slap Skalca – Šestdobe – Radizel – Rogoza – Sp. Hoče cycling route is 36.5 km long. Hoče – Bellevue – Mariborska koča – Areh – Bojtina – Šmartno – Fram – Sp. Hoče runs between Mariborska koča and Areh along a forest track with a gravel surface. Hoče – Zg. Hoče – Hočko Pohorje – Šestdobe – Slivnica – Sp. Hoče passes through forests and over grassy slopes, offering views of the Pohorje area and the Dravsko polje plain. Hoče – Slivniški ribniki – Križna kapela – Sp. Hoče reaches the Slivniški ribniki ponds from Spodnje Hoče via a well-maintained cycle path.

The Sp. Hoče – Pivola – Hočko Pohorje – Zg. Hoče – Sp. Hoče cycle route passes through forests, past pastures and meadows, and offers occasional views of the Dravsko polje plain.

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Other destinations on the portal: Starše, Miklavž na Dravskem Polju, Maribor, Hočko Pohorje, Kamnica, Malečnik, Pernica, Limbuš.

Return to the higher-level travel overview: Maribor.