The GEOSS Circular Route

The GEOSS loop trail is specially marked and winds through the wider GEOSS area. It is approximately 12 km long, with a total elevation gain of 350 m (350 m ascent, 350 m descent; the highest point is Slemško at 667 m), a maximum elevation gain of about 150 m, and a walking time of around three to four hours. It passes by the major landmarks of the Vače area. It includes: Vače, Klenik, featuring an enlarged replica of the Vače situla, the archaeological sites at Kron with a prehistoric settlement, Slemšek, Mačkovec, and GEOSS. The trail begins in the village of Slivna and returns there. It is marked with “GEOSS Trail” signs and individual trail markers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CIRCULAR TRAIL

The trail begins in the village of Slivna, a small, compact village. It is surrounded by fields and orchards. The steeper areas are covered with mixed forest. The center of the village is called the Slivna Ethnological Village. There stands the old Škundrov granary, and in the immediate vicinity is a partially reconstructed self-sufficient farmstead with tools and implements collected by Jože Kimovec, which also includes a display of a farmhouse, an apiary, a fruit drying shed, and a blacksmith’s shop. All of this together forms an open-air museum of self-sufficiency, the Ethnological Village of Slivna. The village center is picturesque and interesting also because of the wooden sculptures created by local resident Tone Vrtačnik.

Where does the name Slivna come from?

A legend from the time of the Turks tells this story. During one of their night raids, the Turks came to the village, now known as Slivna. At a farmstead with a family of ten, they killed nine of them, burned down the farmstead, and captured a young boy, Marko, taking him away to train him as a Janissary. They dragged him away tied to a horse’s tail. In the Turkish Empire, Marko served a large landowner, while at the same time they were training him to be a Janissary. However, by observing the sun’s movement, the boy carefully memorized the direction in which they had taken him and never forgot his hometown. One day, while the Turks were at a feast, he seized the opportunity and fled with Marjetica, who had also been abducted. They took three horses with them, as they needed one to carry the tree saplings they had cultivated in Turkey. Despite their long years in exile, they found their way back to their hometown and planted the saplings they had brought with them. These were plum trees, and since then, the place has been called Slivna.

From the center of Slivna, we head toward GEOSS. The project was conceived by Peter Svetik in 1981 and, with its monuments, events, and other activities, represents a symbolic center of Slovenian identity. After 200 meters, at Rožanec’s barn, we turn left and, following the cart path past an interesting old retaining wall, we soon arrive in Rove. The stone wall beneath which the trail runs once served as a retaining wall for the vineyard above it. Before reaching Rove, there is a short uphill detour leading to a cave where the Germans captured twelve locals and executed them as hostages above Vače. In Rove, on the left side of the road, there is an old house built of stone in the characteristic style used in this region. It is 230 years old.

From here, we continue the route to the right downhill, across meadows and through the forest, toward Vače, to the school and fire station in Vače. In Vače, you can visit several landmarks, such as: the GEOSS House with its collections, the fountain in the square, St. Andrew’s Church with the Holy Sepulcher, the freight scale, and the washhouse. From here, we head east, past the fossil coast, toward Klenik. Along the way, we’ll see the Avenue of Creativity, a flax drying shed, and the birthplace of Janez Grilc, the discoverer of the Vače situla, at Klenik No. 8. Just a few steps further on, we can admire an enlarged replica of the Vače situla.

We continue the walk uphill to the water reservoir, then turn sharply left toward Slemšek. From the enlarged replica of the situla onward, we walk along the Vače Archaeological Trail. Signs point out archaeological landmarks. We are in an area of significant archaeological sites. We pay special attention to the spot where Janez Grilc excavated the Vače situla. We continue westward, crossing a large meadow above which the southern defensive embankment of Krone—the site of a former settlement—is still clearly visible. The Archaeological Trail specifically highlights this area. We follow the path along the edge of the large meadow and arrive at the small Church of the Holy Cross on Slemško Hill.

There was likely an ancient sanctuary here. Originally, there was only an 18th-century chapel here, and the church was built in the second half of the 19th century. It was severely damaged by the 1895 earthquake and a fire on July 4, 1890. Today, the church features paintings by Pavel Künl, which adorned the Trnovska Church in Ljubljana after Prešeren’s time. From Slemško, we descend along a well-trodden path and reach a pass where a small chapel stands. This pass is the lowest point on the ridge, north of Vače. This is where the Amber Road ran from north to south into the Sava Valley. Following a relatively gentle path, we reach the Mačkovec plateau. In the forest, a sign indicates that the Vače Hunting Association’s hunting lodge is on the right. In Mačkovec, we take a look at the stone table.

Along the path, there are two signs pointing out the barely visible ruins of Ketzenberg Castle on the left side of the path and the remains of a smelter on the right side of the path. In Mačkovec, we take a look at the stone table, whose roof was restored by Silvo Klopčič from Mačkovec. The table is said to originate from Ketzenberg Castle, dating back to 1304. Passing through Mačkovec, we follow the road to the Kandrše-Slivna-Vače intersection and continue along the left road toward Slivna, back to where we started the hike.

Source:

GEOSS Association, Vače 10, 1250 Vače

and

Institute for the Development of Consciousness, KOLENC FAMILY THEATER, Vače 12, 1252 Vače