Višnja Gora is a small town in Lower Carniola region, it is a seat of the local community of Višnja Gora. With preserved walls and the guard tower, named Pulfer turn, it is one of the most preserved Slovenian medieval settlements. On this area there was once a Roman military outpost called Magnisa. Today still there are visible the ruins of the Old castle, placed above the old city center. Due to its strategical position and successful defence against Turkish invasions, the settlement got its city rights already in year 1478. The symbol of the city Višnja Gora is a snail, chained to chain. Sculptures of the snail can be found on almost every house, but the biggest metal statue of the snail is located in the vicinity of the railway station.

About this Višnja Gora snail sang our greatest Slovenian poet France Prešeren. The first Slovenian story Blessing in disguise (si. Sreča v nesreči) was written in Višnja Gora, the author of which is Janez Ciglar. About the settlement also speaks the famous work of Jurčič, The Goat trial in Višnja Gora (si. Kozlovska sodba v Višnji Gori).

Višnja Gora with its Snail plateau represents a perfect starting point for numerous excursions, among others there are traditional Jurčič trail, Didactic forest trail at footstep of Višnja gora snail  and the Trail of two waterfalls. The settlement also has a city swimming pool, which was constructed in year 1937.

THE LEGEND OF SNAIL

Višnja Gora’s symbol is a snail, chained to a golden chain. The legend says that, in the battle at Sisk, the son of the Venetian Doge was wounded. He was found by the daughter of Višnja Gora count, Sofia Višnjegorska, on her journey. She decided to take care of the knight. But everyone believed he would die. However, after a long recovering, he survived. So Višnja Gora count sent for the queen of the Venetian Republic, who for a long time believed, that her son is dead. In thanks, for saving her son, she donated to Višnja Gora counts a gilded snail shell that measured in diameter approximately 10-15 centimetres. The shell was decorated with diamonds. Counts then donated this shell to the city, which was, for a while, stored in the city house, but was later lost.

STAMP AND COAT OF ARMS

Stamp of Višnja Gora city is round, its diameter is 35 millimetres. Specialty of this stamp is the inscription in German language, which separates it from others similar from this age. It is dated around year 1449. At the same time it has an image of real coat of arms, walls with two towers in shield. In book Glory of Duchy Carniola and Book of coat of arms are preserved drawings of Valvasor.

SHORT HISTORY

Surroundings of the settlement Višnja Gora were already inhabited early by Illyrians and Celts, as evidenced by finds at the transition from Bronze to Iron Age. These findings are stored in National museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana. In Roman age was on the area of the city a military outpost Magnisa. A couple of years ago, when water supply infrastructure was installed, Roman ceramic water pipes were found.

Settlement Stari trg (en. Old square) was originally mentioned in written sources in year 1269, it was preserved until today and lies lower below the hump. Already in that times, Višnja Gora had its own stamp and some of the market town independence. In year 1444, the emperor Frederick III. declared the city as market town, which had to be moved on higher hump due to heavy Turkish invasions. Around it they erected walls and defence towers, with that they met the conditions to obtain city rights.

Due to the strategic role of defence against Turkish invasions, Frederick III. granted the square city rights on July 9th 1478. Of these medieval settlements, to date, are partially preserved the city walls and the tower, as ruins of Old castle from Višnjegorski lords from 11th century.

The city school was established in year 1496, this was 9th school in today’s Slovenia. They also had a court, which was located in the mansion of Višnja Gora counts. Later the court was moved to Grosuplje. Before Second World War this was court district, later municipality, today it is a local community.

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Snail of Višnja Gora
The snail, a model of tenacity and wisdom, has been the symbol of the town of Višnja Gora for centuries. Legend says that local lords found a wounded Venetian aristocrat, took him to their castle for care, and eventually he recovered. His grateful family brought expensive gifts all the way from Venice. [_Read more_]

City house Višnja Gora
City house is located on the left side of Mestni trg and is for centuries in public-city domain. Above the entrance door on the arch the inscription Mestna hiša 1892 is carved. It was intended for headquarters of the city judge, later also to Mayor and conferences of the city council. [_Read more_]

Mestni trg
Mestni trg (en. Town square) is located in the old city center, through it went the state road Ljubljana – Novo mesto. On the place where fountain stands, it spatially extends. Above the square is the church of St. Ana, below is the old school. Mestni trg is known after Jurčič’s Goat trial in Višnja Gora. [_Read more_]

Old school
The start of the education in Višnja Gora is marked with the year 1554 , when the first folks teacher started teaching 15 children in the city house. First real shift in education happened in year 1815, when a primary school with the most basic study programme was. [_Read more_]

Old castle
On the hump above the city Višnja Gora stood Stari grad (en. Old castle) or Weichselberg (Ger.) (also castle Višnja Gora). It was built on the place of originally prehistoric Gradišče. To the end of 13th century it was a seat of regional court and administrative center of  Višnja Gora’s nobility. [_Read more_]

Codelli castle (Weichselbach)
Once in Višnja Gora stood the Codelli castle, but during the war it was burned down. The remains are not visible today, as on its place they erected a settlement with family houses named Baronov hrib (en. Barons hill). Early owners of the castle were lords Galli. [_Read more_]

Gasa
Gasa is a characteristic narrow city street, in Višnja Gora we can find it on western and northern part of the city, today it is named Sokolska ulica (en. Falcon street), after the former Falcon home. Gasa lived a completely different life, as here were craftsmen, mostly bootmakers and tailors. [_Read more_]

City church of St. Ana
In old city center stands a sacral profane building heritage, church of St. Ana. It is Gothic church with star-arched tripartite culminating presbytery and rectangular nave. It was processed in 18th century, main altar in the church is from 19th century. Statue of St. Ana is from 17th century. [_Read more_]

Pristava pri Višnji Gori
Pristava pri Višnji Gori is a smaller nucleated settlement with two homesteads and numerous holiday houses on the terrace of the Grmada slope. Settlement lies on an altitude of 550 meters. It is a part of municipality Ivančna Gorica. It is located between hills south from city Višnja Gora. [_Read more_]