Stari Trg combines a long history with archaeological sites, churches, and examples of traditional architecture. Those interested in cultural history will encounter a range of perspectives here: from early settlement traces and the Roman postal station of Colatio to frescoes and a Way of the Cross. These themes give a trip to Stari Trg a clear focus without requiring any single era to take center stage.
From Early Settlement Traces to the Roman Postal Station
The present-day name Stari Trg is first recorded in 1331 as “Antiquum forum.” Traces on Grajski hrib date back even further: the hill was settled in the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age. The Late Bronze Age is dated from the mid-14th to the mid-12th century BC. Finds at the Puščava archaeological site also provide evidence of a hillfort from the later Iron Age. The two place names therefore refer to different archaeological sites and periods.
Colatio stood at the foot of Grajski hrib, on the Roman road between Celeia and Virunum. Colatio was an ancient settlement and postal station, and its development can be traced from the 1st to the 5th century AD. One of the few preserved and investigated Roman postal stations in what is now Slovenia, Colatio forms an archaeological complex of European significance together with Grajski hrib. The Roman history of the area is therefore more than just a date: the settlement, postal station, and location along the road are all part of Colatio’s history.
The cemetery at Puščava offers another archaeological perspective. A total of 136 Late Antique and early medieval graves were discovered there, with two more added in 1995. The Late Antique graves date from the late 4th to the 5th century. After a 200-year interruption, part of the cemetery was used again from the early 8th century. For comparison, the Roman cemetery of Colatio lies south of Stari Trg, on both banks of the Draga stream. The two cemeteries are therefore associated with different locations and different periods of history.
Churches, the Way of the Cross, and Architectural History
Several specific architectural details come together at St. Pancras. The church’s western entrance was built around 1240, and the tympanum above the portal contains a fresco of Mary and Jesus. The church also has a covered Holy Staircase, whose walls are decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the Passion. Its architecture also incorporates elements of one of Slovenia’s oldest castles.
The Church of St. Radegund offers another perspective on local history. It stands in the town center on a steep slope below the castle. Beneath the presbytery, it preserves a late Gothic crypt; its main altar was created by J. J. Mersi in 1768. The medieval castle above Stari Trg was first mentioned in 1091 as Grez (“Gradec”). The church’s location, the crypt, and the altar can thus be understood as distinct aspects of local architectural and artistic history.
The Way of the Cross in Stari Trg leads from the Church of St. Radegund to the Church of St. Pancras. It comprises thirteen chapels built around 1790 and ends at the Holy Staircase, which is the fourteenth station. The reliefs in the chapels come from the J. J. Mersi sculpture workshop in Slovenj Gradec. Those interested in sacred art can distinguish between two forms: the reliefs along the Way of the Cross and the frescoes on the Holy Staircase. In the tourist interpretation presented by the Mythical Trail in June 2026, St. Pancras above Stari Trg is also depicted as part of a ritual triangle in the Mislinja Valley. This is the trail’s interpretation, not the same kind of statement as the architectural and archaeological findings.
Traditional Building Forms and Practical Information
Alongside churches and archaeological sites, hayracks are also part of Stari Trg’s cultural landscape. The Mežnik hayrack has been fully restored but retains its traditionally designed wooden structure and the year 1865. It is one of the oldest hayracks in the area. Rupert’s hayrack, by contrast, is a traditional toplar in Stari Trg, standing on a hill; it dates from the late 19th century. The comparison highlights two different features: the year is preserved on one, while the design and hilltop location form part of the description of the other.
To choose a cultural focus, you can also compare the timelines: Colatio was a settlement and postal station from the 1st to the 5th century, while the Puščava cemetery brings Late Antique graves and reuse from the early 8th century into view. Those more interested in architecture will find specific points of comparison at St. Pancras, St. Radegund, and the chapels along the Way of the Cross. For orientation, it takes less than ten minutes to walk from Slovenj Gradec to Stari Trg.
Discover more destinations: Slovenj Gradec, Sele, Mislinja
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