Nazarje – Find a Hotel and Discover Cultural Heritage

Vrbovec Castle stands in Nazarje at the confluence of the Dreta and Savinja rivers. The original castle was built no later than the first half of the 12th century; it is believed to have acquired its present form around 1480. This brings together medieval architectural history, monastic traditions and the river landscape of the Upper Savinja Valley in one place.

Culture

The Vrbovec Museum of Forestry and Woodworking was opened in Vrbovec Castle in September 2001. It presents the movable cultural heritage of forestry and woodworking in the Upper Savinja Valley and focuses in particular on the lives of charcoal burners, carters, sawmill workers and raftsmen. Its topics therefore range from work in the forest and the transport of wood to its processing. Another historical trace leads to the Franciscan monastery. There, a total of 193 stone pilgrim steps and four pilgrimage chapels were built in 1747. Nazarje is also home to Bohačev Toplar, a large double hayrack.

The Church of the Annunciation is a Renaissance building with a Baroque interior. The present Church of the Annunciation in the Franciscan monastery was completed in 1661. The monastery’s history also includes its library, which was founded in 1752. The Poor Clare nuns returned to Nazarje in 1978 after an absence of almost two hundred years.

The monastery library’s collection includes parchment manuscripts from the 11th and 12th centuries, Primož Trubar’s 1557 translation of the Gospels, and two Dalmatin Bibles from 1584. The monastery library’s collection is open to the public.

Nature and Trails

The nature and cultural heritage trail was established in 2003 as Samostanski hrib and has been maintained by the museum ever since; following its renovation in 2024, it has been called Samostanski grič. Its renovated route begins at the Vrbovec Museum, leads uphill to the Franciscan monastery, circles it and returns along the banks of the Savinja to a viewpoint in the castle. The trail thus connects the town’s historic sites with a riverside section and a viewpoint within the castle grounds.

The Dreta also shapes Nazarje’s geographical location. It reaches Nazarje after 29 kilometres and flows there into the Savinja as a right-bank tributary. Along its well-preserved natural banks, it is suitable for long, pleasant walks and especially for fishing. The river is therefore both part of the landscape and an explicitly mentioned destination for peaceful outdoor activities.

Local Offerings

Another part of the local offering can be found at the farmers’ market in Nazarje. Among other things, it offers homemade meat products, mill products, preserves, vegetables, eggs and honey. Alongside the historic sites and riverbanks, the regional selection of food is also part of Nazarje’s public identity.

If you would like to compare other destinations with Nazarje, you can also visit Mozirje, Rečica ob Savinji, Gornji Grad and Solčava.

For the overarching travel overview: Municipality of Mozirje.