Sveta Gera
1,181 m
Slovenia, Croatia
Also known as Sichelberg, Saint Gera, +3Also known as
Sichelberg · Saint Gera · Trdinov vrh · Sveta Gera / Trdinov vrh · Трдинов-врх
- Elevation
- 1,181 m
- Prominence
- 711 m
- Difficulty
- 1/10
- Easy walk
- Best Season
- May–Oct
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1A short forest walk to the highest point of the Gorjanci (Žumberak) hills on the Slovenia–Croatia border: about 2 km and 360 m of ascent from the car park above the Gospodična hut, through beech forest to the summit with its chapel ruins, army barracks and 90 m transmitter. About 55 minutes up.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 3.0 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +365 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,183 m
- Time Up
- 1h 41m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 14m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Drive from Novo mesto via Velike Brusnice and Gabrje up the Gorjanci road past Krvavi kamen (about 10 km from Gabrje), or from Metlika by the Vahta pass and a gravel forest road (about 11 km), to the car park about 100 m above Planinski dom pri Gospodični (828 m). Walk back a few steps and take the footpath signed for Trdinov vrh. It climbs a faint side ridge of Logarjev kogel, crosses a forest road, skirts the top of Logarjev kogel on the right and drops back to the same road, where the marked path from Jugorje pri Metliki joins. Follow the road briefly and, partway round a long left-hand bend, turn right onto a steeper footpath through the forest. The trees thin near the top and the views open at the summit register box and panorama plate. A little further are the ruins of the church of St Jera (Slovenian side), the ruins of St Elijah (Croatian side), the Slovenian Army barracks and the 90 m telecom tower. A popular alternative starts lower down at the bus stop in Gabrje (about 400 m) and climbs past the Gospodična spring to the hut in about 1¼ hours, 2¼ hours to the summit. Descend the same way or loop back past St Miklavž.
Start
Gospodična car park854 m
- Bus from Novo mesto to Gabrje; walk up past the Gospodična spring to the hut (about 1¼ hours).
- Parking at the trailhead
Waypoints
- Parking: Gospodična car park854 m
- Hut: Planinski dom pri Gospodični na Gorjancih841 m
- Feature: Logarjev kogel1,127 m
Path skirts its top on the right
- Summit: Sveta Gera1,181 m
Key Passages
- Steeper forest path above the long road bend
Equipment
0/3 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
The 1,178–1,181 m high point of the Gorjanci/Žumberak hills, shared by Slovenia (Trdinov vrh) and Croatia (Sveta Gera). A short forest walk from the Gospodična hut leads to a summit crowded with church ruins, army barracks and a 90 m transmitter, with views over Dolenjska and Bela krajina.
The Gorjanci (Croatian Žumberak or Žumberačka gora) are a long, beech-forested ridge between the Krka valley around Novo mesto and the Croatian Žumberak. Their highest summit is known in Slovenia as Trdinov vrh and in Croatia as Sveta Gera; the national border runs across the top. The summit area holds the ruins of the medieval church of St Jera on the Slovenian side and of St Elijah on the Croatian side, a Slovenian Army barracks and a 90 m telecom tower that is visible from much of south-east Slovenia; an abandoned 1960 concrete viewing tower marks the highest point.
It is an easy and popular family walk, especially from the Planinski dom pri Gospodični hut by the Gospodična spring, less than an hour below the summit. A primeval forest reserve east of the tower is protected, and the Croatian side lies in the Žumberak – Samoborsko gorje Nature Park. Gravel roads reach the top from both countries.
Do not expect a wild summit: the attraction is the forest, the history and the views over Dolenjska, Bela krajina and into Croatia.
Climbing Notes
Suitable for anyone: under an hour from the Gospodična car park, or about 2¼ hours from Gabrje. Paths are forest tracks and short steeper sections, muddy after rain. In winter the walk is popular on snow; take microspikes when icy.
Planinski dom pri Gospodični (PD Krka Novo mesto) serves food and has beds; from May to September it is open Tuesday to Sunday, at other times mainly at weekends, and it closes on days with all-day rain forecast, so call ahead. The summit military area should not be entered.
History
The church of St Jera was first mentioned in 1447 and abandoned in 1802; St Elijah was probably built after the Uskok settlement of Žumberak from 1530. Johannes Frischauf initiated the first marked trail in 1889. In 1922–1923 Slovenes renamed the summit after the writer Janez Trdina, who collected Gorjanci folk tales; the naming ceremony on 15 August 1923 was initiated by Ferdinand Seidl. A road from the Slovenian side (1968) served a Yugoslav People's Army facility, taken over in 1991 by Slovenian forces with Croatia's consent and still used by the Slovenian Army. The 90 m telecom tower was built in 1984; the church ruins were restored for visitors in 1992–1993.
Season
Best May–Oct- January: Good
- February: Good
- March: Good
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Best (best window)
- November: Good
- December: Good
- Jan
- Snow walk; hut open at weekends
- Feb
- Snow walk; icy patches
- Mar
- Muddy forest paths
- Apr
- Spring forest; hut opens Friday–Sunday from mid-April
- May
- Hut open Tuesday–Sunday
- Jul
- Shady forest walk in summer heat
- Oct
- Autumn beech colours; hut Friday–Sunday
- Nov
- Hut weekends only
- Dec
- Possible snow; hut closed 25–26 December
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Planinski dom pri Gospodični (PD Krka Novo mesto): +386 41 682 469, gostinstvo.mrhar@siol.net.
- Fees
- Overnight fees at Planinski dom pri Gospodični, with discounts for alpine club members
- Rules
- The summit straddles the Slovenia–Croatia border (both in the Schengen area since 2023); carry ID
- Slovenian Army barracks on the summit: do not enter the military area and respect signage
- Trdinov vrh primeval forest reserve east of the tower and the Žumberak – Samoborsko gorje Nature Park (Croatian side) are protected areas
- Getting There
Novo mesto (Slovenia); Samobor (Croatia)
Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport (ZAG); Ljubljana (LJU)
- From Novo mesto or the Otočec motorway exit via Velike Brusnice to Gabrje, then the signed road up past Krvavi kamen to Gospodična (about 10 km)
- From Metlika: main road to the Vahta pass, then about 10–11 km of gravel forest road to Gospodična
- Bus from Novo mesto to Gabrje, then on foot
- A road from the Croatian side (built 1993) reaches the summit area from Žumberak
Huts & Shelters
1- 828 m
Planinski dom pri Gospodični na GorjancihHutStaffed
48 beds · 1 May–30 September Tuesday–Sunday; 15–28 April and October Friday–Sunday; November–mid-April weekends and holidays; closed on days of all-day rain