Maribor

The day after we visited Trakošćan Castle in Croatia, we moved on to Maribor. With over 100.000 inhabitants and a professional football club, I learned that day in the summer of 2018, Maribor is the second city of Slovenia. Previously, I passed Maribor dozens of times on my way to Criatia but never really went in to check it out. This time, Kurt Hielscher, brought me here into the city center with only one photo to rephotograph. To the Sodni Stolp, the Judgement Tower, to be more exact. I am sure Kurt Hielscher could have made way more photos here, because Maribor left me wondering why I did'nt make that stop earlier.

Stari Most, the Old Bridge over the Drava River, 16th of August 2018. Photo: Casper Molenaar

Today the Judgement Tower functions as a centre for cultural activities. A documentary festival takes place at the end of August, but it also hosts a jazz festival. It was built in 1310, entirely rebuild in 1540, but it got its characteristic roof in the 17th century. The Tower was mainly used for defending the city over the years. In 1937 it was partially burnt down and restored again in the 1950s. 

On Nekoč in danes, a local blog, there's a mirrorphoto of the Sodni Stolp in 1961 and 2018 and some more photos from 1906, 1920, 1937 and 1955. Also, you'll find more more about the history of the Sodni Stolp here.

The Sobni Stolp from the other side when Pristan road goes into Ob bregu.  

Maribor as seen from the old bridge.

But there's more in Maribor like the 1515 AD built Mariborski rotovž, the City Town hall at the Glavni Trg, the main square.

Glavni Trg from another angle.

The marble Kužno Znamenje, designed by the end of 1680 in gratitude for the end of a plague epidemic that had cost the lives of a third of the city's population. The current monument is from 1743 and replaced the 1681 original Plague Column.

Some snapshots made while strolling around Maribor.

The impressive Franciscan Cathedral, the Basilica of Our Mother of Mercy was built between 1892 and 1900 and is one of the seven Basilicas in Slovenia.

Inside the Basilica.

Here an impressive bronze statue on the square next to the Maribor Castle in remembrance of the 667 during WWII killed inhabitants from Maribor with their names inscripted in it. The statue is created by Slavko Tihec, a local but well-known artist, in 1975. The monument is called "Kodžak" by the citizens because it reminds them of the bold inspector from the famous American TV-series Kojak in that era (1973-1978). In The Netherlands we used "Kale Kojak" meaning bold Kojak to refer to bold people in my childhood, but I do not think that it is use anymore.

Manhole cover in Maribor.

When we were in Maribor it was the evening Glasgow Rangers and its supporters came to Maribor for the match against NK Maribor, which made the atmosphere in the centre quite different than on other days I guess (result: 0-0). We had a good time anyway, and stayed for the night in the campervan at the Drava riverbank.

Florijanovo znamenje/Saint Florian Column and Grajski Trg full of Glasgow Rangers fans.

We stayed for the night here at the Ob Bregu, where, I believe, we could park for free, only a 100 meters form the Sodni Stolp. There is a parking for campervans near the central trainstation but, because of the match we thought it was better to avoid that place. 

Lovely refrigerator Magnet we buoght at the Tourist Office from Visit Maribor.