SLO: Škocjan na Dolenjskem leži malce odmaknjen od avtoceste, ki pelje od Ljubljane proti Zagrebu, zato je mnogim nepoznan ali vsaj premalo znan. Prav zaradi te ‘skritosti’ med dolenjskimi hribi in griči pa je toliko bolj nedotaknjen, zanimiv in lep. Vsa pokrajina od Mokronoga do Kostanjevice je en sam vrt, ki se spomladi, ko cveti drevje in vse zeleni, spremeni v predpodobo paradiža. Vasice in zaselki, ki jim kraljujejo cerkvice, pa dajejo še dodaten čar. Sredi vsega tega stoji stara romarska cerkev Rožnovenske Matere božje na Stopnem.
Zgodovina Srobotne gore, kot se je Stopno med domačini imenovalo nekoč, je zavita v temo. Le malo pisnih dokumentov govori o njegovi preteklosti.
Prvo omembo vasi "Stamph" , nad dolino Dolskega potoka, prinaša urbar freisinškega gospostva iz leta 1392. Omenja ga tudi Valvasor, saj naj bi bila že takrat tu cvetoča božja pot, kamor so prihajali romarji celo z Ogrskega.
Cerkvena zgradba, posebno prezbiterij z gotskimi oporniki, zgovorno pripoveduje o starejši preteklosti. Zunanji oporniki prezbiterija, kakršne srečamo na Stopnem, so v gotskem stavbarstvu na Dolenjskem redek pojav in vedno pričajo o pomembnosti cerkve. Tako lahko zatrdimo, da je bilo Marijino svetišče na Stopnem dobro obiskano že davno pred Valvasorjem.
Z vrha griča se odpira lep razgled na škocjansko dolino, Bučko, Pijano goro, Gorjance ter Krško ravnino. Pobočja Stopna krasi najlepša roža med rožami - vinska trta, saj je prisojna lega primerna za vinograde. Vrh krasijo tudi tri mogočne lipe, največja med njimi pa ima premera več kot 5 metrov.
Včasih je blizu cerkve stala še ena, posvečena sv. Petru, a so jo v preteklem stoletju zaradi slabega stanja podrli. Ruševine si lahko ogledate ~150 metrov severno, na označeni referenčni točki.
Mimoidočega pohodnika prevzame že sama lega cerkve. Sama stoji vrh griča. K njej se sicer lahko pripeljemo z avtom, a se je lepše sredi narave povzpeti gor peš.
Ko najdete zaklad, ga prosim previdno vrnite na prvotno mesto, da se res ne vidi.
ENG: Škocjan is a small village, a bit far from the motorway, leading from Ljubljana to Zagreb,
so it is unknown to many. It is because of its ‘secrecy’ that Škocjan is both interesting and beautiful.
The whole landscape from Mokronog to Kostanjevica is a blooming garden, which in the spring, turns into a pre-image of paradise.
The villages and hamlets are populated by old churches, which adds an extra charm.
In the middle of this bloom stands the old pilgrimage church of the Rosary Mother of God in Stopno.
The history of Srobotna gora, as Stopno was once called by the locals, is sorrounded in darkness. Few written documents speak of its past.
The first mention of the village "Stamph", above the valley of Dolski potok,
is made by the land register of the Freising lordship from 1392. It is also mentioned by Valvasor,
a natural historian and polymath from Carniola, present-day Slovenia, and a fellow of the Royal Society in London(1641 – 1693), as there was already a flourishing divine path here, where pilgrims even came from Hungary.
The church building, especially the presbytery with Gothic buttresses, eloquently gives away its old roots.
The external supports of the presbytery, as we find in Stopno, are a rare phenomenon in Gothic architecture
in the Dolenjska region and always testify to the importance of the church.
Thus, we can say that the shrine of Mary at Stopno was well visited long before Valvasor.
From the top of the hill there is a beautiful view over to the Škocjan valley, Bučka, Pijana gora, Gorjanci and the Krško plain. The slopes of Stopno are adorned with the most beautiful flower among the flowers - the grapevine, as the sunny location is suitable for vineyards. In the near proximity flourish three mighty linden trees, the largest of which has a diameter of more than 5 meters.
In the past there was another church nearby, dedicated to St. Peter, it was demolished in the last century due to its poor condition.
The ruins can be seen ~ 150 meters north, at marked reference points.
A passer-by gets taken over just by sole location of the church. It stands alone at the top of the hill.
Near-cache location is accessible by car, but I recommend a short walk, slightly uphill, so you can appreciate some nature.
Once you find the cache, please carefully return it to its original invisible position.