Ruše: Accommodation, Culture and Trails on Pohorje

Ruše is connected with Pohorje and the Drava, as well as historic buildings, more recent artworks, vineyards, museums and event venues.

Culture

An educational trail leads around more recent cultural monuments. Between 1976 and 1982, a total of 27 sculptures were created in Ruše as part of four sculptors’ colonies and symposia. Older sacred history is represented by the Church of the Name of Mary, built in 1387. Its rich stucco decoration was created in two stages: the chancel and the first two chapels were decorated in 1710, while the second pair of chapels and the nave were completed in 1721 by Master Peter Zaar.

The Letni oder Ruše Festival takes place every August and includes concerts, theatre performances, social events, exhibitions and culinary offerings. The “Pod goroj” open-air theatre is also part of the town’s cultural identity. It was completed in 1931, is set in an amphitheatrical site at the foot of Pohorje, offers 800–1,000 seats and has very good acoustics.

The Mirko Vovšek Gallery and the museum collection are located on the first floor of the Ruše Cultural Centre. The collection presents the life and personal belongings of Mirko Vovšek, as well as rural objects and works from the Pohorje glassworks. The Glazer Homestead in Ruše is the birthplace of Janko Glazer and bears a memorial plaque. The Ruše water tower is part of the town’s technical and industrial heritage: it belongs to the complex of the former Ruše nitrogen plant and was built in 1917 for its needs. The railway viaduct is one of three surviving viaducts on the Carinthian Railway, built in 1863, and is classified as a technical monument.

In the vicinity of Ruše, the Church of Mary in Smolnik on Pohorje was built between 1859 and 1861.

Nature and Trails

The Pohorje Regional Park and its surroundings offer numerous mountain, long-distance, interpretive and themed trails. The Ruše Mountain Trail has ten checkpoints, including Ruše and the Šumik Waterfall. In the vicinity of Ruše, the Lobnica stream flows over the Veliki Šumik and Mali Šumik waterfalls through the ancient forests of Pohorje.

A tourist route connects points of interest in central Pohorje, the Lobnica Gorge and the Pohorje primeval forest. The Z(a)dravje Trail runs along the Drava from the mouth of the Lobnica to “Zeleni Dol” in Bistrica ob Dravi. Ruše also has a walking trail called Čebelarska pot.

Wine Tradition

The Ruše Wine Road is a 2.5-kilometre circular route through the vineyards, passing 24 wine cottages. It includes six chapels dedicated to the grapevine, fertility and Ruše’s winemaking heritage. A traditional Martinovanje celebration has been held on the Ruše Wine Road every year since 1983.

Cycling and Water

The Drava Cycling Route runs through Ruše. The Ruško Pohorje and Ruše area has a network of safe, well-maintained circular cycling routes on forest, gravel and asphalt roads. The individual routes have a total length of 212 km; the network is suitable for conventional bicycles and e-bikes.

From May to October, the Ruše Sports Park organises rowing on the Drava every Thursday. Kayaks, canoes and SUPs can be rented for water sports on the Drava in Ruše.

To the overarching travel overview: Ruše.