Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DOLENJSKA
The many castles and monasteries along the Krka River in Dolenjska are some of the best
preserved in Slovenia, and you will see Dolenjska's distinctive
toplarji
(double hayracks)
everywhere.
Dolenjska was settled early on and is well known for its Hallstatt (early Iron Age) ruins,
especially near Stična, Šmarjeta and Novo Mesto. The Romans made the area part of the
province of Upper Pannonia (Pannonia Superior) and crossed it with roads. In the Middle
Ages, the population clustered around the many castles along the river, such as those at
Žužemberk and Otočec, while monasteries sprung up at Stična, Kostanjevica na Krki and
near Šentjernej. Dolenjska declined after the Middle Ages and progress only came in the
late 19th century when a railway line linked Novo Mesto with Ljubljana.
