THE HOLY MOUNTAINS - A PILGRIMAGE CENTRE, ZAGAJ Location: Bistrica ob Sotli Category: Archaeological sites

The Holy Mountains is an ancient cultic centre on a hill with the same name, which “reigns” over the whole land of Obsotelje with its exposed location. Upon the hill, from the top of which the view reaches all the way to Pohorje and far into the Croatian Zagorje, five sacral objects are located. The central part is occupied by the pilgrimage church of Mary, with four smaller chapels surrounding it.

In the 18th century, a vicarage was built at the foot of the hill and a chapel in front of it, which was dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. From here, the trail to the Holy Mountains is accompanied by the 15 Stations of the Cross, put up in 2000. The Stations of the Cross (Križev pot) is the work of an academic sculptor Stane Jarm from Kočevje. Below the hill a chapel of God’s Foot is situated, with a spring of drinking water.

The hill was inhabited in the 1st century A.D., which was proved by excavated ceramics, roman coins and other archaeological findings. At the time, a network of dynamic roads existed by the northern and north-eastern edge of the hill. In the 4th and the 5th century, the Holy Mountains were a part of a defence system which was operational in these parts. The hill offered shelter and refuge with a military outpost in close vicinity.

The Slavs came to this area only after securing power in the land. A vast early-medieval necropolis is located in the area below the Lourdes chapel and stretches all the way to George’s chapel. The accessories found in the graves date from 9th century all the way to the 1st half of 11th century.

The blossoming pilgrimage trail died-out in the period of Josephinism, but was then resurged after 1860 by two priests: Jurij Stepišnik (1857-1862) and Martin Sevnik (1862- 1892). A lot of renovation and reconstruction work was done; the church was also freshly re-painted.

 

Coordinates: 46.044998, 15.661100

 

Additional info:

Official site of the Holy Mountainjs