Slovenia: Day in a Spa
Nada and me had a free day and we decided to spend it in the spa. In the morning we started driving across Slovenia to Podčetrtek. On our way we stopped by the Žusem castle and we made a short hike to the Tower of Love. Soon we arrived to Podčetrtek, where we entered Wellness Orhidelia. Saunas and pools were waiting for us and we were ended our visit very satisfied. On our way back home we stopped in Chocolaterie Olimje, where we bough some goodies for home.
Approaching Žusem Castle (German Sussenheim), that stood on a mounded pier above the settlement of Dobrina pri Žusmu, southeast of Šentjur. It was built at the beginning of the 13th century, underwent numerous alterations and was abandoned around 1781, leaving only ruins of it.
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| First time the Žusem castle is indirectly mentioned is in the year 1203 in a gift document of a knight, ministerial of Krško Poppo de Suzzenheima, and directly in 1364 as vest Suzzenhaim. In this year the castle was inherited by Counts of Celje from brothers Heinzel and Albreht. |
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| In 1635 the castle was ransacked and demolished by rebelled peasants, in 1695 it was burned. Until 1871 owners have changed and the last among them, L.Fieglmuller, left the castle to collapse in the mentioned year, so he would not have to pay taxes for the castle. |
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| From now on, Saruman will guard the castle. |
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| After the visit to the castle, I had to attend the meeting. |
Our next goal was a hike to Žusem, 669 m.
For ascent, we chose a little more demanding path.
The Žusem quarry is located near the peak.
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| The Tower of Love on Žusem is located on the north-eastern part of Veliki špiček (669 m), the highest point on Žusem, representing the northern edge of the Kozjansko region. |
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| The idea of setting up a 25.90 m-high outlook tower from larch wood, which is the highest wooden tower in Slovenia, arose in the Žusem Mountaineering Association some time ago. The tower was named "The Tower of Love" because a church consecrated to St. Valentine, the patron saint of lovers, is located on the hill of Žusem. The princes of Žusem, first mentioned as early as 1203, found their shelter on Žusem, as still proven by castle ruins and numerous legends circulating about them. |
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| Nada and Tuši on top of the Tower of Love. |
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| The view from the 25.9 m high tower is breath-taking. You can see Croatia, Hungary, Austria, as well as Triglav. |
There are 116 stairs leading to the top of the tower, with 22 landings in between and two viewing platforms.
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| Staff less bar. |
Time to continue towards the Wellness Orhidelia.
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| After the day in a spa, we visited village Olimje. On the photo we can see Olimje Castle, currently a Franciscan monastery, and a local Chocolaterie. |
Walk to find a geocache in Olimje.
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| The production of chocolate products in Olimje is linked to the ancestor Alfonz Videtič, who worked as a confectioner in Vienna at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries until 1915. Rudolf Videtič always lived with Kozjansko and always had a desire to return to his roots. He bought the old folk school in Olimje and made a chocolate line from two classes. The Olimje chocolate factory has expanded over the years and today has four chocolate boutiques in Slovenia and the recognizable "Sladkosti iz Olimja" brand. |
Geocaches found (all received a visit by trackable items "Alpenschlumpfine", TB8F2VE, "Memory Lane Tag", TB9JVH7, "Romulan4's Salute to Birds of Prey", TB5K3T8 and "Get a photo of a tree", TB8JV00):
- E7_SLO_67, GC3P87B
- Zelišca in sladkarije / Herbs and sweets, Multi, GC1Q8E7
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