A Romanesque defensive tower, a tannery museum and a lake formed above abandoned mine tunnels: Šoštanj brings together very different layers of history. This gives you several ways to shape your stay, whether you are more interested in architecture and industrial history or in walking routes and landscapes.
Cultural history on different scales
Pusti Grad brings together medieval history and a surviving structure. The castle was built in the 12th century and destroyed as early as the 15th century. What remains is a restored, multi-storey Romanesque defensive tower that reaches its original height. It is one of the few Romanesque defensive towers in Slovenia preserved to this height, distinguished by its unusually complete silhouette.
The area around the old market centre also features a range of examples of architectural heritage. Above it stands the Church of Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus. Inside, you will find two Baroque altars and a 14th-century Gothic fresco. Vila Mayer, meanwhile, is a typical example of late Gründerzeit bourgeois architecture. The villa and garden are jointly protected as a monument of local importance.
The Museum of Tanning in Slovenia tells the story of Šoštanj’s 210-year tanning tradition: from the founding of the Vošnjak tannery in 1788, through its rise to large-scale industry, to the factory’s closure in 1999. This offers a way to view the town’s industrial history alongside its older defensive architecture. Marijin steber, on Trg bratov Mravljakov, also commemorates the severe flood of 1887. The tannery owner Mihael Woschnagg (II.) and his wife Agata Jožefa had the column erected in memory of the flood.
Walks with a historical connection
Trška pot is an easy walking route in the immediate vicinity of Šoštanj. It was created to mark the boundary of the former market town. So the route is not only a way to get outdoors, but also recalls the town’s former extent.
Two options are listed for the traditional guided walk or hike on Trška pot: a shorter one with two hours of walking and a longer one taking four to five hours. This difference in duration is particularly useful for planning; the annual format of the guided offering may vary.
The lake, events and other experiences
East of Šoštanj, the Družmirsko Lake stretches towards Velenje. It is Slovenia’s deepest lake. It formed as the ground subsided above abandoned tunnels of the Premogovnik Velenje mine. Its formation began no later than 1975; in 2005, the lake covered more than 63 hectares. These dates provide a historical timeframe, not a current area measurement.
The lake also provides a setting for recurring events. During the traditional Praznik luči, thousands of lights illuminate the water every year; the specific programme may change. Pust Šoštanjski is also part of the town’s tradition, and Šoštanj has been known as a carnival town since 1953. Individual annual programmes may vary. If an event is important to your stay, check the dates for your travel period.
For a different view of the landscape, panoramic flights over the Šaleška Valley are available near Šoštanj from Lajše airfield. Availability may change, so check in advance. Šoštanj itself lies in the western part of the Šaleška Valley, on a plain beside the Paka River.
Plan your journey and accommodation
Šoštanj can be reached by bicycle, car, motorcycle, taxi, bus or train. Transport services and timetables may change, so check connections for your travel dates. When looking for a hotel in Šoštanj, you could first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: architecture and tanning history offer a cultural angle, while Trška pot and Družmirsko Lake invite you to focus on walks and landscapes. Choose your accommodation search according to which of these themes is most important for your trip.
Discover more destinations: Velenje, Topolšica, Gorenje.
Return to the main travel guide: Velenje.
