Jeruzalem in Central-Europe Traditional Geocache
Jeruzalem in Central-Europe
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
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A geoláda a geocaching.hu oldalon GCJERU név alatt szerepel. Ne feledkezz el a jelszóról!
This cache is also available on geocaching.hu as GCJERU.
Where are We?
The tiny settlement of about 40 people, Jeruzalem, is located in the Ormož - Ljutomer district in the southeast corner of Slovenia's largest wine region, the Drava Valley.
We hope that the scenery will impress you as much as it impressed us, and also the German crusaders who settled here in the 13th century, on their way back from a crusade in Jerusalem. This is how the settlement got its name. The surrounding hills were named after the apostles.
The Church of Jeruzalem
Part of the current church, a pilgrimage chapel was built in 1652. This was soon extended with a nave and the old chapel became the sanctum. The church was dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows (celebration is on September 15th). The bell tower and the Saint Anne chapel in the northern corner of the church was built in the 18th century.
The main altar picture of Mary is from the 17th century. It is believed by some to be a copy of a painting brought by the crusades from the Holly Land. The church is an important place of pilgrimage.
Other Things to See
If churches do not interest you, there is still plenty to see around here. If the scenery, the hilly countryside with the terraced rows of grapes everywhere, the thermal spring and spas, architecture and etnography do not fascinate you, you can still have a good time.
The endless vineyards are crisscrossed with many low traffic and generally good quality roads that offer one of the prettiest and most enjoyable cycling trips in Slovenia.
You are in a famous wine region! Visit a cellar or restaurant, spend a night in a tourist farm, taste the local wine, sample the food!
The Wine Region
Slovenia's viticultural history predates Roman influences and can be traced back to the early Celtic and Illyrian tribes who began cultivating grapes for wine production sometime between the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Wine-growing in the Drava Valley became especially important in the 1st century AD when Poetovia (now Ptuj) became a major Eastern stronghold and a large city of Pannonia Province.
When winelover Ceasar Probus (born 232 AD Sirmium, Pannonia [today Sremska Mitrovica, Vojvodina, Serbia] - died in 282, Sirmium) tasted the wine from this area he gave the honorable "Vinea nobilis districtis" to the region. It is an interesting trivia that Probus' death is related to his devotion to wine-growing and agriculture. His own soldiers killed him, revolting against being ordered to do agricultural work in current Vojvodina.
By the Middle Ages, the Christian Church controlled most of the region's wine production through the monasteries. They used nearly scientific precision both in vine growing and in wine making.
The region was flourishing in the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy. Together with (the Austrian) Styria it was the largest wine-growing region in the monarchy. Wine was sold under the brand name: Luttenberger. The wine from here was held in so high esteem that locals were not allowed to drink it, they had be satisfied with wine brought from other regions for them.
Another fun anecdote: When Napoleon tasted the local wine he liked it and when putting down his empty glass he said enthusiastically: "Si bon". His host were all surprised what a connoisseur he was that he immediately recognized that what he was drinking was Šipon (Furmint in Slovenian).
Nearly 97% of the wine made in the Drava Valley region is white wine. In the Ljutomer-Ormož district the most common wines are Furmint, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon és Pinot Blanc. But Pinot Noir, Tramini, Muscat Ottonel, Yellow Ottonel, Kerner, and Bouvier can also be found here.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre n cvar. Frnepu sebz gur srapr fvqr!