At the confluence of the Dreta and the Savinja, Vrbovec Castle stands in Nazarje. For travelers looking to combine culture and nature during their stay, the town offers historical collections and sacred architecture, as well as a nature and cultural heritage trail and walks along the Dreta. Nazarje can be explored with different interests in mind: the history of the castle and monastery, the working world of forestry and the timber industry, or paths along the rivers.

Vrbovec Castle and the history of the timber industry

The original Vrbovec Castle was built no later than the first half of the 12th century; it is said to have taken on its present form around 1480. The Vrbovec Museum opened in the castle in September 2001. It presents the movable cultural heritage of forestry and the timber industry in the Upper Savinja Valley, with a particular focus on charcoal burners, carters, sawmill workers and rafters. The focus is therefore not only on the building, but also on the people and activities connected with forests and timber. Bohačev Toplar adds another dimension to this cultural perspective as a large double hayrack in Nazarje—a further example of a specific architectural form alongside the castle and monastery.

Monastery, church and library

The Franciscan monastery brings together church architecture, pilgrimage history and a collection of books. The present-day Church of the Annunciation was completed in 1661. It is a Renaissance building with a Baroque-style interior: the architectural form and interior design represent two distinct architectural layers of the same building. In 1747, 193 stone pilgrim steps and four pilgrim chapels were built at the monastery. They add another aspect of the monastery’s history to its architecture: the pilgrimage tradition.

The library in the Franciscan monastery was founded in 1752, and its collection is open to the public. It includes parchment manuscripts from the 11th and 12th centuries, Primož Trubar’s translation of the Gospels from 1557, and two Dalmatin Bibles from 1584. The collection thus spans a considerable period, from medieval parchment to these works of the 16th century. The history of the Poor Clare sisters is also part of Nazarje: after an absence of almost two hundred years, they returned to the town in 1978.

Trail and river landscape

The nature and cultural heritage trail was established in 2003 and has since been maintained by the museum. Following its renovation in 2024, it was named Samostanski grič; previously, it was called Samostanski hrib. The renovated 2024 trail starts at the Vrbovec Museum, climbs to the Franciscan monastery, loops around it and returns along the banks of the Savinja to a viewpoint at the castle. The monastery, riverbank and castle viewpoint come in a specific sequence along the route. The trail thus links several cultural sites with a route through the landscape.

The Dreta offers a different way to experience the surroundings: its well-preserved natural banks are ideal for long, pleasant walks, and the river is also particularly suitable for fishing. While the trail connects cultural and natural heritage with a route to architectural landmarks, the Dreta puts its riverbanks and the river itself at the heart of the experience. After 29 kilometers, the Dreta reaches Nazarje and flows into the Savinja as a right-bank tributary. It is therefore both part of the river landscape and a specific geographical feature of the town.

Discover more destinations: Luče, Gornji Grad, Ljubno ob Savinji, Radegunda, Šmihel nad Mozirjem, Mozirje, Rečica Ob Savinji, Solčava

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