Ptuj
Ptuj and its surroundings rank among the largest Roman provincial centres of Mithraism in Europe. In the areas of Ptuj and Hajdina, the Romans left behind a rich legacy, part of which are sanctuaries dedicated to the god Mithras – mithraea. The Romans left a particularly strong mark on Ptuj, the oldest town in Slovenia. The area was already inhabited in the late Stone Age, while in antiquity a Roman provincial town, Poetovio (Colonia Ulpia Traiana Poetovio), developed from a military camp.
Ptuj, voted the Best Cultural Heritage Town in Europe 2026, invites visitors to explore its remarkably well-preserved medieval centre, with the Town Tower at its heart, and Ptuj Castle, which welcomes you from afar. The millennia-old history of Slovenia’s oldest town reveals fragments of the past at every step and surprises visitors with a wealth of experiences. Stroll through picturesque medieval streets, soak up the charming café atmosphere, and enjoy local cuisine and wines. Relax in the warm thermal waters or indulge yourself in the wellness experiences at Terme Ptuj.
Ptuj is also famous for Kurentovanje, a carnival festival held during the traditional pre-Lenten period. Lonely Planet has ranked Kurentovanje among the ten most interesting carnivals in the world. The festival features numerous ethnographic and carnival parades, as well as presentations of traditional ethnographic characters characteristic of the Ptuj and Drava Plain regions. The door-to-door rounds of the kurenti/koranti are inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Ponudba v občini
Cultural
heritage
Ptuj Castle
Ptuj Castle is one of the most famous castles in Slovenia. The view from the castle stretches over the brick roofs and paved streets of the oldest city in the country. In the Landscape Museum Ptuj – Ormož one can visit outstanding museum collections: from musical instruments, weapons, furniture to traditional carnival masks and painting masterpieces.
Dominican Monastery
The Dominican Monastery was founded in 1230 by Matilda, the widow of Frideric III of Ptuj, and it operated until its disbandment in 1785. The monastic complex features a Gothic and Baroque image. The renovated spaces have in recent years been a venue for cultural events, and from April to October they are also accessible for visiting.
Minorite Monastery
Despite the fires and the bombing, the monastery, built in the 13th century, is today renovated and boasts an exceptional monastic library with more than 5000 books, some dating as far as the 16th century. In the summer months, the arcade court is one of the most popular venues.
Orpheus's Monument
The Marble Monument was erected in the memory of Mark Valery Ver, who was the mayor of the city of Poetovia in the second century. The five-metre -high monolith still stands on the place where the Romans raised it. In the Middle Ages the monument, decorated with scenes from Orpheus's story, was used as a pillory.
3rd Mithraeum - the sanctuary of the God Mithra
During the Roman Empire, Ptuj was an important city (Poetovia) and a military post. Mithraism, a Persian faith with mysterious rituals, which were attended only by men, was established through the soldiers from the Eastern countries. Many cultural monuments are in this sanctuary of the God Mithra from the 3rd century.
City tower
It is almost impossible to overlook the city tower. It is interesting not only because of the Baroque onion roof, but also because of the ancient monuments embedded in the walls. A watchful observer will notice that the clocks are only on three sides; since the castle gentry did not want to contribute their share for the clock, the townspeople, as a sign of protest, did not put up the clock that would face the castle.
Town Hall
One of the most powerful houses in the old city centre is the work of the Vienna architect Max Ferst from the beginning of the 20th century. Every year, more than 100 couples seal their fate in the wedding hall, while many local people spend their Saturday mornings drinking coffee in front of the magistracy and accompany the coming of brides and wedding guests.
Church of St. George (Cerkev sv. Jurija)
The Provost’s Church boasts one of the most beautiful church interiors, featuring the remarkable Laib winged altar, choir stalls from the 15th century, and a statue of the patron saint, St. George, triumphing over the dragon. Dating back to the 12th century, the church was enlarged several times over the centuries, which is reflected in its blend of architectural styles, predominantly Gothic and Baroque.
Natural
heritage
Hincej Sequoia
On the left bank of the river Drava, 2 kilometres from the city centre, in the settlement Orešje, stands the Hincej sequoia. This kind of tree was brought to Europe in the 19th century and planted in parks. The sequoia in Orešje is the largest among the trees of its kind in Slovenia. The circumference of the tree is 743 cm and it measures 43.5 meters in height.
Šturmovci Landscape Park
In the triangle between the old riverbed of the Drava River, Dravinja River with the Haloze edge and Videm hedge under the embankment of the Ptuj Lake, lie the remains of the fluvial landscape which extend over 125 hectares, and that have been insured as the Šturmovci Landscape Park since 1979. On the north-west side it is bounded by the Ptuj Lake, on the south slopes of Haloze, and in the east of the confluence of Drava and Dravinja. It is a wide flood area and an effective high-water reservoir. The area is distinguished by a variety of living environments, all from gravel, shallow water, cut-off meanders, and spring meadows, to mown and unmown flood forests and meadows. The first natural value of the Šturmovci Landscape Park is the river meadow, which is just the remainder of the once extensive meadows along Drava between Maribor and Ormož. The meadow is a wide flood area along the river, with white willows growing in its deepest parts which can be flooded for a bigger part of the year. On higher and drier spots, the willows disappear and are replaced by poplars, ash trees, elms, oaks and others, which can stay in water for up to three months per year. The rhythm of life in the meadow is dictated by floods; the water sweeps away, shifts the gravel, the sand dunes and the soil together with trees.