Spodnje Hoče between Church History and Cycling Routes

Beneath the Church of Saint George in Spodnje Hoče lies a crypt that is one of the oldest medieval structures in Slovenia and a unique Romanesque monument of its kind in the country.

Culture and History

The Church of Saint George in Spodnje Hoče was first mentioned in written records in 1146. The church contains two Baroque altars by Jožef Holzinger, dating from 1760/61.

The parish centre of Spodnje Hoče is an exceptional ecclesiastical ensemble and was the seat of the former main parish. At a crossroads in the village stands the Baroque, brick-built wayside shrine of Spodnje Hoče; its ground plan is triangular.

Archaeology

The central part of the Hoče archaeological site in Spodnje Hoče includes a large prehistoric settlement from the Copper Age and the Bronze Age. The central part also contains evidence of intensive settlement during the Roman period, from the middle of the 1st century to the 4th century, including at least three construction phases of ancient buildings.

Because of its preservation and finds, the central Hoče archaeological site in Spodnje Hoče is considered one of the monuments of European significance. Its peripheral area includes documented and partially investigated remains of a prehistoric, Roman and early medieval settlement.

The tumulus cemetery in Hočkem gozdu near Spodnje Hoče is an archaeological monument in its original location and is significant for the study of settlement connections with Poštela and Čreta.

Find more local pages at Malečnik, Bresternica, Fram, Pernica, Maribor, Kamnica, Hočko Pohorje and Loka.

Cycling Routes and Landscape

The Sp. Hoče – Bellevue – slap Skalca – Šestdobe – Radizel – Rogoza – Sp. Hoče cycling route starts at the car park next to the Hoče-Slivnica municipal building and is 36.5 km long.

The Hoče – Bellevue – Mariborska koča – Areh – Bojtina – Šmartno – Fram – Sp. Hoče route also starts at the car park next to the Hoče-Slivnica municipal building. Between Mariborska koča and Areh, it includes a section on a forest road with a gravel surface.

The Hoče – Zg. Hoče – Hočko Pohorje – Šestdobe – Slivnica – Sp. Hoče route starts at the car park next to the Hoče-Slivnica municipal building, passes through forests and over grassy slopes, and offers views of the Pohorje region and the Dravsko polje.

The Hoče – Slivniški ribniki – Križna kapela – Sp. Hoče route starts at the car park next to the Hoče-Slivnica municipal building and reaches the Slivniški ribniki ponds from Spodnje Hoče via a well-maintained cycling path.

The Sp. Hoče – Pivola – Hočko Pohorje – Zg. Hoče – Sp. Hoče cycling route passes through forests, along pastures and meadows, and offers occasional views of the Dravsko polje.

When comparing them, the named destinations, landscapes and road surfaces can be used as different points of comparison.

To the broader travel overview: Maribor.