Trška Gora has the highest density of vineyard cottages of any wine-growing hill in the world. Its summit (428 metres above sea level) is crowned by the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a place of pilgrimage, and the more than 400-year-old lime trees of Trška Gora – the thickest lime trees in Dolenjska. The hilly Dolenjska landscape is dotted with vineyards and traditional vineyard cottages known as zidanice, which play an important role as social gathering places throughout the year, but especially in early autumn at the time of the grape harvest. Besides its viticultural significance, the hillside is deeply imbued with a poetic spirit that has inspired numerous musical creators, including the composer Marjan Kozina and the diatonic accordion virtuoso Lojze Slak.
The picturesque vineyard-covered landscape rises above Novo Mesto and offers views of the Gorjanci, Kočevski Rog, the Krka Basin and even the Sljeme peak near Zagreb. It is naturally framed by three castles: Otočec Castle on its river island to the south-east; Hmeljnik Castle to the west; and Stari Grad to the east.
Trška Gora has deep roots in a winegrowing tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. It is first mentioned in written sources in 1135, when Patriarch Pellegrinus of Aquileia granted a vineyard estate complete with a country mansion called Weinhof (later known as Bajnof) to Stična Abbey. Trška Gora does not appear as a toponym until the fifteenth century. The name is thought to derive either from the word trsek (meaning the young shoot of a grapevine) or from the word trg meaning market town, a reference to the inhabitants of Novo Mesto who cultivated vineyards here.
In 1621 the Abbot of Stična, Jakob Reinprecht, ordered the construction of a church dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the summit of Trška Gora. The church still stands today, a symbol of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the place.
Conditions in the vineyards of Trška Gora have seen many changes over the centuries: from feudal lords and dominical vineyards to hired vinedressers, a special class of workers who tended the vineyards in exchange for lodging and basic provisions. Vinedressers on Trška Gora are mentioned in written sources from the nineteenth century onwards. Since there was plenty of work in the vineyards throughout the year, some individual vinedressers eventually settled permanently in the vineyards and entered into a form of service tenancy agreement (called a deputat) with the vineyard owners to cultivate their vineyards. A deputat arrangement meant that vinedressers lived in their own household and cultivated the vineyard – and sometimes other land – belonging to their employer.
The revival of the Carniolan Agricultural Society in the early nineteenth century brought general progress in viticulture to the Dolenjska region. The Society promoted the introduction of new winemaking methods and vine varieties. Its innovations were first adopted by the nobility, wealthier farmers and townspeople, and later by smallholders and vineyard cottagers. Knowledge about modern viticulture was disseminated by viticultural and agricultural schools. For Carniola, a school was established in 1875 in Slap pri Vipavi and relocated to Novo Mesto in 1886.
Trška Gora experienced a particular flourishing in the twentieth century, when changes in ownership and economic conditions after the Second World War led to a transformation of its vineyards. The Krka Agricultural Cooperative was an initial driver of modernisation but later sold off its vineyards, prompting a boom in weekend retreats and amateur viticulture. In the post-war period, viticulture on Trška Gora thus began to change – vineyards were taken over by new owners who converted their zidanice (vineyard cottages) for leisure use. Electrification in the 1960s made more modern living possible, and increasing numbers of people began to use their zidanice not only for viticulture but also for relaxation and socialising. With its characteristic development of so-called bourgeois zidanice, Trška Gora is, in fact, the cradle of the first holiday cottages in the Dolenjska region and in Slovenia in general.
Trška Gora has undergone a fresh transformation since 1991. Today, vineyard cottages offer a unique example of the coexistence of tradition, nature and modern living, and many have become permanent homes. They are also an important part of the region’s tourism offering, providing visitors with a distinctive experience. As part of the Open Vineyard Cottages project, vineyard owners welcome guests into their private wine cellars and offer them their own wines, along with homemade specialities, while the Vineyard Cottage Tourism initiative allows guests to spend the night in a traditional Dolenjska zidanica.
Trška Gora, one of the most iconic winegrowing hills, is a symbol of Dolenjska viticulture and of the local people’s deep commitment to the land, vines and wine. The vineyard cottages of Dolenjska, meanwhile, have become synonymous with relaxation and conviviality among the vineyards.