Šempeter v Savinjski Dolini

Description:

Šempeter lies in the heart of Slovenia in the Lower Savinja Valley, by the road that leads from Celje to Ljubljana. Because of its position, Šempeter can boast many sites of historical and cultural importance. But not only that, Šempeter is also a place where nature shows its beautiful side.


ROMAN NECROPOLIS

Almost 2,000 years ago, an immensely important Roman road was passing through Šempeter, connecting Roman towns Aquilea, Emona, Celeia and Poetovio (sl. Oglej-Ljubljana-Celje-Ptuj). Many powerful Roman patricians lived nearby and some were buried in the tombs of the Roman Necropolis in Šempeter.

Important monument of the Roman era

The discovery of the Necropolis happened quite coincidentally in 1952, when works in an orchard revealed a statue of a sitting woman. Few years after the excavation, the beautifully preserved archaeological site Roman Necropolis in Šempeter was opened. It is still seen as one of the most important remains from the Roman era in Slovenia and in Central Europe. The Roman Necropolis is an open-air museum in which works of art of most skilled Roman craftsmen are exhibited.

Magnificent tombs

After the Roman Necropolis had been discovered, more than 600 items were found and over 100 family tombs excavated. The most beautiful tombs are the large tombs made of Pohorje marble, ornamented with the high-relief statues of the buried families. The Spectatius family tomb is the largest and is covered with reliefs of four seasons. The Ennius family tomb is said to be the most beautiful and depicts the mythical scene of Europe's abduction. Every tomb tells its own 2,000-year-old story, describing antique mythology and Roman lifestyle.

 

 

PEKEL CAVE

 

For millions of years the Ponikvica Stream ran through the Ponikvanski kras Plateau, trickled through limestone and, in the heart of the Lower Savinja Vally, carved the magnificent karst cave Pekel. With a bit of imagination, one can discern an image of the devil above the cave entrance. Also, in the winter when the temperature in the cave is higher than the temperature outside, vapours can be seen coming out of the cave. That made people afraid of the cave, hence the name Pekel Cave (eng. hell).

The Pekel Cave is a karst cave with a long history. More than 3 million years old, it lies in the middle of the Ponikvanski kras region, about 4 km north of Šempeter v Savinjski dolini. The cave was created by the Ponikvica Stream that disappears in front of the cave and reappears in the cave as the Peklenščica Stream. The 1159-meter long path through the cave is easy and well maintained.