Lenart – Cultural Heritage and Nature in the Slovenske gorice

Lenart lies in northeastern Slovenia and is a centre of the Slovenske gorice, a region characterised by vineyards and orchards. If you are looking for a hotel in Lenart, first consider whether cultural history, nature or guided tours should shape your stay. The municipality offers a range of themes to help you plan: historic buildings, places of remembrance and landscapes of particular importance to plants and animals.

The A5 is the east-west link through the municipality of Lenart, connecting it to the wider road network via two interchanges. It runs through Maribor, Lenart, Senarska, Vučja vas, Murska Sobota, Lendava and Pince.

Architectural History and Local Remembrance

Hrastovec Castle is documented as early as 1294. The medieval complex was fortified during the Renaissance and later converted into a residence with Baroque elements; the castle contains a painted Baroque chapel. The different building phases give the site a layered architectural history.

St. Lenart Church is first mentioned in 1196. Its high-quality architecture and stonework details make it an outstanding example of Gothic architecture in the Slovenske gorice. The Trški špital in Lenart operated from 1626 to 1910. Its surviving features include Baroque window grilles and a stone portal bearing the coat of arms of the Herberstein family.

In the centre of Lenart is the Old Primary School, a Neoclassical building dating from 1895. The writer Ožbalt Ilaunig lived and worked in a restored house next to the school. The Črni križ commemorates Agata of Štralek, the wife of Friderik Herberstein of Hrastovec Castle. These names and places are also at the heart of the themed tourism offer “Pobeg v zgodovino čarovništva”: it is based on the story of Agata and Friderik, Hrastovec Castle, the witch trials in the Slovenske gorice and the literary work “Črni križ pri Hrastovcu”.

Guided Tours and Maister Themes

Guided tours include the Kranvogl ethnological collection, “S čebelo od cveta do medu”, “Nekoč in danes pri Šikerjevih” and “General Maister in njegov Zavrh”. If you would like to include a guided tour in your travel plans, confirm a suitable date in advance. Since 2018, the permanent exhibition “Maister po Maistru” about Rudolf Maister has been housed in the Štupičeva Villa in Zavrh; check access arrangements before your visit.

Lake Komarnik and the Landscape around Hrastovec

Lake Komarnik is one of Slovenia’s most important breeding grounds for waterbirds and is also a significant refuge and habitat for rare and endangered plant and animal species. Otters are also found in the surrounding streams and ponds. A walking trail with information boards and two birdwatching towers runs around the lake.

The Hrastovec ponds cover 4.2 hectares, have been protected as a natural monument since 1992 and provide a habitat for endangered plant and animal species. Hrastovec Landscape Park lies within the settlements of Hrastovec and Zgornja Voličina. It is known for characteristic plant species and lithothamnion limestone in the Strma gora area, and features both surface and underground karst formations.

The Maister lookout tower in Zavrh is a 17-metre-high metal tower. In clear weather, it offers views of Pohorje, Kozjak, Boč, Donačka gora, Croatia and the Hungarian Plain. Check visiting arrangements for Lake Komarnik and the lookout tower before your trip.

Local Speciality and Annual Hiking Day

Slovenjegoriška gibanca, also known as Plehošnca, is considered Lenart’s symbolic local speciality. It is made with regional ingredients and contains no added yeast. The Center lokalne ponudbe on Trg osvoboditve sells products from local farmers and craftspeople and serves as a point of contact for promoting tourism, a sustainable economy and a healthy lifestyle. Check current opening hours before your visit.

The annual Prvomajski pohod takes hikers from Lenart to Zavrh and is accompanied by a culinary and cultural programme. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the event date in advance.

Discover more destinations: Cerkvenjak, Lenart V Slov. Goricah, Gočova, Zgornja Senarska, Ravne Na Koroškem, Pesnica, Slovenske Konjice, Slovenska Bistrica.

See the main travel overview: Slovenia.