Pack Peddler Urban
Ribnica is synonymous with woodenware, pack peddling, pottery and a whole host of other handicrafts. It is also home to the pack peddler Urban, who inspires visitors to explore past and present local creativity.
Short path description
Learn about the history of Ribnica and the diversity of local handicrafts at the Ribnica Handicraft Centre (1), at the Jaklič Homestead (2) and at the Ribnica Castle (3).
You can see peddler-inspired artistic depictions at the Miklova House (4) and on the facades of some town buildings. To learn about the locals’ architectural creativity and education, head to the square that connects the Church of St Stephen (5) and the Štekliček House (6).
Outside of Ribnica, in the village of Hrovača, you can visit the Škrabec Homestead (7), the renovated birth house of a famed Slovenian 19th-century linguist. At the family-owned Kojek Beekeeping (8), you can sample some fine honey products and in the village of Dolenja vas, you can learn all about the special features of the clayware made at the Bojc Pottery (9) and Pogorelec-Češarek Pottery (10).
Path length
20 km
Places
RIBNICA – SAJEVEC – HROVAČA – DOLENJA VAS
Travel by
Car, bike, on foot
Visit these places
1) WHERE PACK PEDDLER URBAN PROVES THAT HE IS BOTH AHEAD OF TIME AND TIMELESS
Urban and other pack peddlers made the quintessential Ribnica Valley character known all over the world. Their character is best presented at the Ribnica Handicraft Centre, where you can discover stories from bygone times and see the handicraft skills being put to use today. Here, you will get to see the products made by woodenware makers, potters and other craftsmen. In local parlance woodenware is called “dryware” and you can see for yourself that soup spoons, stirring spoons and all other kinds of woodenware are dry even when wet. At the centre, you can arrange to take part in a handicraft workshop of your choice or go on a guided tour around the area famous for various crafts.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- Craftsmen, who will show you how to make hazel splints and how to weave a hazel wood basket;
- The renovated “Woodenware and Pottery” exhibition and various temporary exhibitions;
- Woodenware, pottery and other local handicrafts for sale in the shop that offers a wide range of goods;
Things to do
- Watch the craftsmen demonstrate how various products typical of the Ribnica Valley are handcrafted;
- Arrange to attend a woodenware-making, basket-weaving or pottery workshop and try your hand at some handcrafting;
- While touring the exhibition, take a quiz about woodenware, pottery and pack peddling skills;
RIBNICA HANDICRAFT CENTRE
Cesta na Ugar 6, Ribnica
2) WHERE HANDICRAFT SKILLS ARE HANDED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
Before setting out on his peddling journeys, pack peddler Urban paid a visit to the local craftsmen. Follow in his footsteps and visit the village of Sajevec, 2.5 km away, which is home to a homestead, where grape harvest baskets, pails, buckets and other large vessels were made back in the day. These days, smaller repurposed versions of these products are made by Franc Jaklič, who knows the ins and outs of vessel making. Visit his workshop, where products are made from carefully selected wood with respect for tradition.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- An authentic woodenware maker’s home;
Things to do
- Listen to the stories of a real-life pack peddler Urban;
- Show the master craftsman how curious you are and ask him anything you want to know;
- Touch the materials he uses to make his wares;
JAKLIČ HOMESTEAD – WOODENWARE AND VESSEL MAKING
Sajevec 16, Ribnica
3) WHERE A CASTLE IS A TREASURE TROVE OF LOCAL ARTS AND CRAFTS
Pack peddlers from the Ribnica Valley were able to peddle because after the Ottomans had burnt down Ribnica in 1481, the castle keeper asked the emperor to grant them the Peddler Patent. For the local people, who had a really hard time after the fire, the peddling licence was a new source of income. The castle, which remained strong and impregnable even after Ottoman invasions, has been standing in the middle of the town of Ribnica since at least 1263. For more than 60 years now, it has housed a museum, which was focused on the heritage of woodenware and pottery crafts during the first few decades, while now it features various collections.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- Permanent and temporary handicraft exhibitions at the Museum of Ribnica
Things to do
- Tour the castle rooms and admire the masterfully handcrafted furniture that used to belong to the last castle owners, the Rudež family; some pieces of furniture were made in the outstanding local cabinetry workshops;
- Visit the castle tower and see a permanent exhibition to relive the times of the Ribnica witch trial.
- Take a walk around the Park of Prominent Cultural Figures; located next to the castle, the park features stone memorials to important local artists, a forma viva open-air sculpture gallery and a descendant of the world’s oldest vine.
- Stop on the bridge across the river Bistrica, which links both river banks right next to the castle. Also worth exploring are various upstream features of the Bistrica;
RIBNICA CASTLE – MUSEUM OF RIBNICA
Kustodiat: Cesta na Ugar 6, Ribnica
4) WHERE PACK PEDDLER URBAN IS A SOURCE OF ARTISTIC INSPIRATION
With a tall peddler’s pack on his back, pack peddler Urban always attracts attention! It thus comes as no surprise that he continues to inspire artists of all sorts. Visit the Ribnica art collection at the Miklova Hiša Gallery and discover various interesting things to see around the town. A pack peddler caricature by Miki Muster is found on the facade of a house in the Škrabčev trg square. The Posojilnica building features a pack peddler fresco by France Mihelič, who also illustrated all the stanzas of the Ribnica hymn “Pack Peddler Urban”.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- The Ribnica art collection with works of art from the 1980s and 1990s;
- A didactic art collection with a presentation of some major Slovenian artists;
Things to do
- Learn about the history and significance of the Miklova House;
- Get to know pack peddler Urban with the help of artworks created using different techniques;
Things to taste
- Miklova House used to house an inn and a story well-known among the locals is about the Miklov Vineyard. Although no grapes have ever matured in it, the joy of wine is still here. Come and enjoy a glass of fine wine in one of the local inns.
MIKLOVA HIŠA GALLERY
Škrabčev trg 12, Ribnica
5) WHERE WALLS ARE MADE ACCORDING TO THE LOCALS’ WANTS AND NEEDS
Pack peddlers were not really devout people and also they loved joking about religious matters! A humourful story, which supposedly also inspired Fran Miličinski’s work Butalci (the residents of Butale, i.e. “Stupidville”) explains why the Church of St Stephen in Ribnica is so large. It is 50 meters long, 22 meters wide and 18 metres tall! It boasts two bell towers, which are the last great work of the famed Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik. The church features various work of art and mechanical organs from the 19th century.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- The bell towers designed by architect Jože Plečnik, the altarpiece of St Stephen painted by the impressionist Ivan Grohar, the altars, frescoes and other artistic details of the Neo-Romanesque church;
- Slovenia’s largest completely original mechanical organs from the 19th century;
Things to do
- Discover local history in the centre of parochial life;
- Look around the church to find the statuettes that depict the local people as woodenware makers;
- Pray asking the higher power for enjoyable experiences in the footsteps of pack peddler Urban;
CHURCH OF ST STEPHEN
Župnija Ribnica, Škrabčev trg 15, Ribnica
6) WHERE A POET CAME UP WITH THE LINE “THE LURE OF LEARNING BECKONED ME AWAY. ITS SERPENT WILES ENTICING ME TO ROAM”
Pack peddlers may not have been well educated, but they were certainly very knowledgeable. They came from a place with a great history of education, as evidenced by the plaque on the Štekliček House, which housed a reputable school in the 15th century. In the 1810–1812 period, Slovenia’s greatest poet France Prešeren was one of the pupils at this school. Judging by a poem about his native village of Vrba, he had no fond memories of school, but there’s no doubt he was a fine student and his name is included in the school’s Golden Book.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- The memorial plaque on the Štekliček House;
Memorials in the Park of Prominent Cultural Figures (next to the Ribnica Castle); - A relief of France Prešeren on the Ramor House in the nearby Kolodvorska Street;
Things to do
- Think back to your school days and you might remember some poems by the famed Slovenian poet France Prešeren;
- Tell your kids about what school life was like back in the day when children left home as soon as they started school (Prešeren was only 8, when he moved away from home to stay with his uncle);
ŠTEKLIČEK HOUSE
Škrabčev trg 16 – the church, Ribnica
7) WHERE YOU CAN FIND RURAL IDYLL, FINE FLAVORS AND WONDERFUL MUSIC
The centuries of pack peddling are associated with a life that used to take place under a linden tree in the old days. Such a linden tree still stands in the middle of the village of Hrovača, which has been named the most beautiful Slovenian village thanks to its traditional architecture and the old village centre. In Hrovača, you can visit a homestead owned by a family famous for its great intelligence and husbandry. One of the family members was Stanislav Škrabec (1844–1918), one of Slovenia’s most important linguists. The homestead, which features a house, a barn and a smithy, is well-known for preserving the local music and traditional local cuisine.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- An authentic homestead complex with several superbly renovated buildings; a European Museum of the Year nominee;
- The birth house of the linguist Stanislav Škrabec with his relief portrait on the front;
Things to do
- Arrange to have a guided tour of the homestead;
- See the museum collection in the museum rooms with furniture from the time before World War II;
- When you enter the barn, the central event venue, take a look at the pillar sculptures by prominent sculptors;
- Visit the smithy to learn about the local locksmiths and blacksmiths, who co-created the technical culture of the Ribnica area;
ŠKRABEC HOMESTEAD
Hrovača 42, Ribnica
8) WHERE THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF MILK AND MEAD
In the Ribnica area, people have always sworn by sustainable farming and beekeeping. And there’s no doubt that the local pack peddlers love to toast with some mead every now and then. You can learn all about the mead-making process from a family that is famous for its fine honey, beekeeping tourism and a one-of-a-kind cellar where honey-based drinks are matured. One of the various types of honey on offer is a much sought-after Kočevje honey, which boasts a Protected Designation of Origin. It is foraged by honey bees at the foot of the mighty Kočevski rog forests.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- Honey bees, where they live and the equipment used by beekeepers;
- A one-of-a-kind honey cellar;
- An educational video;
Things to do
- Learn all about beekeeping and the forests that are the source of the Kočevje forest honey;
- Arrange to have a guided tasting of different types of honey and honey-based drinks; learn about beekeeping and how honey-based products are made;
- Take care of your health and well-being – try apitherapy;
Things to taste
- Get some natural remedies to take home: honey and honey-based drinks for yourself or a gift for your family and friends.
KOJEK BEEKEEPING
Hrovača 58, Ribnica
9) WHERE WOODEN SPOONS ARE MATCHED WITH CLAY BOWLS
In the Ribnica Valley, woodenware making has always been closely connected with pottery. In the early 19th century, as many as 250 families of potters lived in the village of Dolenja vas and the surrounding area. In the Bojc family, pottery skills have been handed down from generation to generation for almost 300 years! Traditional clay pots and interesting earthen figurines are made of clay they source themselves in the local area. By prior arrangement, the master potter will be happy to show you his pottery workshop and how clay products are made on a potter’s wheel.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- Various clay products on offer;
Things to do
- Watch a demonstration of how clay is shaped on a potter’s wheel;
- Listen to the stories about the history of pottery in the village of Dolenja vas;
BOJC POTTERY
Za vodo 3, Dolenja vas
10) WHERE CLAY IS TURNED INTO WHISTLES
The village of Dolenja vas is home to Janez Pogorelec, a master potter who shares his knowledge at the Ribnica Handicraft Centre’s pottery school. While the love of clay had been part of his family even before, he left his home village in search of new knowledge elsewhere and he also found a very special clay, which he now adds to his functional pottery products that feature his signature simple painting. His favourite thing to make is a horse-shaped whistle and he also likes handcrafting clay bird feeders and hatcheries.
Things to see and things to do
Things to see
- A workshop full of clay bowls, potica cake moulds, jugs, plates, cups and animal-shaped whistles;
Things to do
- Find out how the master potter made his first potter’s wheel himself and why his clays are special;
- Choose your own animal-shaped whistle and use it;
POGORELEC-ČEŠAREK POTTERY
Lončarska ulica 22, Dolenja vas
Izposoja koles
RICIKEL CITY BIKE RENTAL
The Ricikel bicycle-sharing system is a cheap, active and environmentally friendly means of transport. It is available to all users within the municipality 24/7. It allows users to use 8 conventional bicycles in front of the Community Health Centre – Zdravstveni dom and the Cooperative Hall building (Zadružni dom) in Ribnica.
Electric bicycle rental
Rent a bike and ride through the Ribnica Valley.
Tran-Sport d.o.o.
Kot pri Ribnici 1
1310 Ribnica
+386 51 814 858
info@tran-sport.si
www.tran-sport.si
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Projekt »SKUPAJ SMO LAHKO TURIZEM ITP ROKODELSTVO«.