Pešpot Odprte zidanice

Trška gora

Razgledna vinska gorica z največ zidanicami na svetu
Trška gora je ena najbolj znamenitih vinskih goric v Sloveniji. Na njenem južnem pobočju je glede na površino posajenih največ zidanic na svetu. Razprostira se med dvema gradovoma, na vzhodu je Stari grad, na zahodu Hmeljnik, na njenem vrhu pa za prepoznavnost skrbi romarska cerkev Marijinega vnebovzetja. Trška gora s 428 metri nadmorske višine ponuja rajski razgled na vse strani, tja do Gorjancev, proti Kočevskemu rogu in Krški dolini, vse do Sljemena nad Zagrebom. Pod njo leži dolenjska prestolnica Novo mesto, objeta v smaragdno lepotico reko Krko, ki ovija tudi edini rečni grad v Sloveniji, grad Otočec.

Kraj bogate naravne in kulturne dediščine
Trška gora je bila nekoč bolj poraščena, v zavetju dreves so se fantje in možje skrivali pred vpoklicem v vojno, v času kmečkih uporov pa so se zbirali puntarji. Območje ima bogato zgodovino, v najstarejših pisnih virih je omenjeno že leta 1135, ko je oglejski patriarh Pelegrin cerkvico na vrhu gore ter vinograde in vinski dvorec Weinhof (med domačini se je prijelo ime Bajnof) pod njenim vznožjem daroval stiškemu samostanu. V Bajnofu se zdaj razprostira posestvo Kmetijske šole Grm. Stiški opat Jakob Reinprecht je dal leta 1620 na vrhu Trške gore sezidati novo cerkev, ki se od tistih časov ni dosti spreminjala. Cerkev Marijinega rojstva je priljubljena romarska božja pot že stoletja, o tem je pisal tudi Valvasor. Ob cerkvi stojijo znamenite lipe, največja med njimi pa je stara več kot 400 let in ima več kot 8 metrov obsega. Spodnji votel del nudi zavetje pred dežjem gruči ljudi, mogočna krošnja dreves pa senco, pod lipami kamnita miza in klopi pa omogočajo počitek številnim obiskovalcem.

Na Trški gori je pesem doma
Vinogradi in zidanice na Trški gori imajo poetičen vpliv na posameznike. V svojih zidanicah so ustvarjali skladatelj Marjan Kozina, znameniti harmonikar Loje Slak; v njegovo čast na vrhu Trške gre stoji tudi spomenik, množično je obiskan tudi vsakoletni pohod Po Slakovi poti. Tu so še zidanice harmonikašev Henčka Burkata in Franca Potočarja. Trška gora je omenjena v številnih pesmih, skladatelj Danilo Bučar je napisal opereto Na Trški gori, ki je bila premierno uprizorjena leta 1936.

Vabljeni na pristne domače trškogorske dobrote
Množična pozidava Trške gore se je začela v drugi polovici 20. stoletja, ko sta vinogradništvo in pridelava lastne rujne kapljice postala način življenja in preživljanje prostega časa delavnih Dolenjcev, ki so ob tem poskrbeli za ureditev cest in napeljavo elektrike. Gostoljubni lastniki posvečenih vinskih hramov so obiskovalcem in pohodnikom vedno radi ponudili kozarec rujnega vinca, pa še kakšen košček suhega mesa se je vedno prilegel zraven. V Društvu vinogradnikov Trška gora smo to gostoljubnost prilagodili sodobnim turističnim trendom: v okviru projekta »Odprte zidanice« so ob koncih tedna, po dogovoru pa tudi med tednom, množici pohodnikov in drugim obiskovalcem odprti vinski hrami, kjer lahko pokusijo dobrote, ki jih premorejo marljivi trškogorski vinogradniki. Na prvem mestu je to avtohtoni vinski posebnež cviček, ki je zvrst rdečih in belih sort grozdja. Vinogradniki pa poleg cvičkovih sort – žametne črnine, modre frankinje, kraljevine in laškega rizlinga pridelujejo tudi druga sortna vina in penine. Za svoj pridelek so prijeli priznanja na največjih ocenjevanjih vin pri nas in v tujini.

Da je vino najboljše, ko se ga iz soda natoči v kozarec, lahko obiskovalci dodobra spoznajo v odprtih zidanicah Trške gore.
Vabljeni v zidanice k gostoljubnim vinogradnikom na okušanje božje kapljice, kot je vino poimenoval slovenski poet – dolenjski rojak in ambasador cvička, pesnik Tone Pavček.

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Trška gora
A vine-dotted hillside with the largest number of vineyard cottages in the world
Trška gora is one of the most prominent vineyard hills in Slovenia. Its southern slope contains the largest number of vineyard cottages in the world in relation to its surface area. Trška gora stretches out between two castles – Stari grad in the east and Hmeljnik in the west. At the top of Trška gora sits the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary giving the hilltop its distinctive appearance. Topping out at 428 metres above sea level, Trška gora offers magnificent vistas on all sides – from Gorjanci, Kočevski Rog and Krška dolina, all the way to Sljeme above Zagreb. Below lies the capital of Dolenjska, Novo mesto, embraced by the 'emerald enchantress' the Krka River, which also encircles the only river castle in Slovenia, Otočec Castle.

A place with a rich natural and cultural heritage
Trška gora used to be more overgrown with trees, under the shelter of which boys and men would hide from being conscripted into the army, and where the rebels would gather during the times of peasant rebellions. The area is steeped in history with the oldest written records dating back to 1135, when the Patriarch of Aquileia, Pelegrin, donated the church on the hilltop, the vineyards and the Weinhof Castle (known locally as Bajnof) to the monastery in Stična. The estate of the Grm Agricultural School now spreads over Bajnof. In 1620, the Abbot of Stična, Jakob Reinprecht, had a new church built on the top of Trška gora, which has not changed much since then. The Church of Our Lady of the Nativity has been a popular pilgrimage site for centuries, as also famously written about by Valvasor. The church is sheltered by majestic linden trees. The largest among them is more than 400 years old and measures more than 8 metres in circumference; the lower hollow section can provide shelter from the rain to a whole group of people, and the immense canopy of trees offers plenty of shade.

Inspiration for artists
The vineyards on the Trška gora hillside have been quite inspirational for many different artists. There was the composer Marjan Kozina and the famous singer of Slovene folk music and author of many popular songs in the accordion music genre, Lojze Slak, who both wrote their music in their respective vineyard cottages, as well as two other well-known accordion players and musicians, Henček Burkat and Franc Potočar, both of whom found inspiration in their vineyard cottages. In honour of Lojze Slak, there is a monument that was erected on the top of Trška gora as well as the popular annual hike 'Along the Slak's Trail'. Trška gora has been mentioned in many songs and compositions; for example, the composer Danilo Bučar wrote the operetta Na Trški gori, which premièred in 1936.

You are welcome to visit the congenial winegrowers in their vineyard cottages
The vineyard cottages began sprouting up more extensively in the area in the second half of the 20th century, when viticulture and local wine production became a way of life and a common leisure activity for the hard-working people of Dolenjska. The hospitable owners of their beloved wine cellars have always welcomed visitors and hikers by offering them a glass of red wine and a quick snack of home-made charcuterie. To adapt this kind of hospitality to the requirements of modern tourism, the Trška gora Viticultural Society set up the 'Open Vineyard Cottages' that are open to hikers and other visitors at the weekends, as well as during the week by arrangement. The local favourite is the indigenous outlier 'cviček', which comprises red and white varieties of grapes. In addition to the cviček varieties - Žametna Črnina, Modra Frankinja (Blue Franconian), Kraljevina and Laški Rizling (Welschriesling), the winegrowers here also produce other varietal wines and sparkling wines. They have received several awards for their wines at the largest wine appraisal events in Slovenia and abroad.
What visitors are bound to learn very well from spending time in the hospitable Trška gora vineyard cottages is that wine tastes best when it is poured directly from a barrel into a glass. You are welcome to visit the congenial winegrowers in their vineyard cottages and have a sip of their "divine drop", as cviček was once dubbed by the Dolenjska-born poet and ambassador of cviček, Tone Pavček.