Pilgrimage Church of Mary on Planinska Gora

One of the church’s artistic highlights is the sculptural group depicting Mary, Protectress of the Faithful, created by the Slovenian sculptor Luka Čeferin.

Pilgrims and hikers alike can experience the spirit of this place along the approach to the church, where the trail winds through meadows and forests, past wayside shrines, while opening up beautiful views over the Planina Polje, the Unica River, and the surrounding landscape.

Did You Know? Beside the church stands the circular Chapel of the Holy Cross, which forms an important cultural and spiritual ensemble together with the pilgrimage church. According to a legend recorded by Rado Radešček in Slovenske legende (Slovenian Legends), the chapel was built by the lords of Little Castle after they became lost in the forests. A little bird is said to have guided them to this very spot, from where they finally caught sight of their home, Little Castle, today’s Ravbar Tower, in the valley below. As the story humorously notes, if the young noblemen were to lose their way today, the bird’s guidance would be of little help, as the once-open view is now hidden by forest.