Vzpetina Gradišca (na zemljevidih Gradišče), na kateri stoji romarska cerkev Marije Snežne, se nahaja med Črnotičami in Prapročami.
Vzpetina, jugovzhodno od Črnotič (med vasmi Črnotiče in Praproče) je že v prazgodovini služila kot gradišče (od tod ime Gradišče na zemljevidih ali Gradišce po domače) - utrdba za varovanje pred sovražniki. O tem gradišču pričajo najdbe, ki se hranijo v naravoslovnem muzeju na Dunaju. Že v prazgodovini je bil verjetno tudi poseben prostor - svetišče, namenjeno bogočastju. V času turških vpadov so staro gradišče z obzidjem obnovili, da je služilo svojemu namenu. Najverjetneje so na mestu stare cerkve zgradili sedanjo cerkev Marije Snežne. Leta 1663 je bil pozidan prezbiterij, čez dve leti pa še cerkvena ladja. Cerkev je bila obnovljena leta 1765. Tako pričata kamniti plošči, vzidani na zunanji strani prezbiterija in nad vhodni-mi vrati. Ob odstranitvi ometa v letu 1995 smo opazili tudi podaljšanje cerkve proti zahodu za približno tri metre ter seveda izgradnjo vhodne stene s preslico za zvonove (verjetno v letu 1765).
O nastanku božjepotne cerkve Marije Snežne obstaja več legend. Najbolj razširjena, domačim razmeram prilagojena, je privzeta legenda o zidavi bazilike Marije Velike ali Marije Snežne v Rimu iz četrtega stoletja. Tedaj naj bi isto noč papež in bogati Rimljan Ivan sanjala, da jima je Marija naročila, naj zgradijo cerkev na kraju, kjer bo 5. avgusta zapadel sneg. Tako pravi tudi legenda o Gradišcah, da je tega dne ležal sneg na vzpetini, kjer so nato okoliški prebivalci zgradili cerkev na čast Mariji Snežni.
Druga legenda pravi, da je Mati božja potovala po Podgorskem Krasu in se ustavila na lepi, utrjeni vzpetini, kjer naj bi se prikazala ljudem. V spomin na to naj bi ostal, še sedaj viden, odtis noge v kamnu na stezi sredi hriba, preden se pride do stopnic in obzidja.
Tretja legenda pripoveduje o napadu nekaj turških konjenikov, ki so pridirjali pred cerkev, kjer so se skrivali domačini. Pred vrati cerkve naj bi se konj poveljnika nenadoma ustavil in se zasukal. Kopito naj bi se mu vdrlo v živo skalo. To znamenje - odtis (obris) konjskega kopita v kamnu - so ljudje nekoč občudovali nedaleč od vhoda v cerkev na zahodni strani in se zahvaljevali Mariji za rešitev.
Dostop iz Črnotič:
Avtocesto Ljubljana - Koper zapustimo na izvozu Kastelec, nato pa sledimo oznakam za Podgorje. S ceste proti Podgorju kmalu zavijemo desno v smeri naselja Črnotiče, pri cerkvi v Črnotičah pa zavijemo na desno cesto, ki za hišami postane makadamska. Peljemo se še malo naprej, potem pa prispemo do manjšega križišča, kjer se v desno nadaljuje cesta do železniške postaje Črnotiče, na levi pa opazimo nogometno in otroško igrišče. Parkiramo v bližini križišča na primernem mestu. Od tukaj dalje gremo peš do naslednjega križišča, kjer zavijemo desno skozi želežniški podvoz in pot nadaljujemo po cesti do rumene table za Marijo Snežno, sledimo kolovozu do znamenja, kjer se pot razcepi. Sledite levi poti do cerkvice.
Dostop iz Praproč:
Avtocesto Ljubljana - Koper zapustimo na izvozu Kastelec, nato pa sledimo oznakam za Podgorje. Še pred Podgorjem zavijemo desno na cesto v smeri naselja Praproče, pri tabli, ki označuje začetek naselja Praproče pa nadaljujemo po levi cesti in ob njej parkiramo 50 metrov naprej na označenem parkirišču.S parkirišča se po povezovalnem kolovozu vrnemo na desno cesto, po njej pa hodimo proti središču vasi. Pri prvih hišah zapustimo asfaltno cesto in nadaljujemo desno po markirani poti, ki se nadaljuje po slabši makadamski cesti. Po nekaj minutah gremo s ceste rahlo levo na travnat kolovoz, s kolovoza pa po nekaj korakih rahlo desno na markirano pešpot. Od razpotja naprej se še kratek čas zložno vzpenjamo, nato pa pot postane nekoliko bolj strma in prehodno tudi razgledna. Sledi prečenje ograje, nato pa se priključimo kolovozu iz Črnotič, po katerem se v minuti nadaljnje hoje povzpnemo do cerkve Marije Snežne. Pot iz Praproč je markirana, ker je del slovenskih pohodniških poti.
Zakladek: Zakladek se nahaja cca. 20 metrov vzhodno od zadnje strani cerkve. Začetna vsebina steklenega kozarca je Logbook, svinčnik in 3 igračke.
English description:
The Gradišca hill (on the maps Gradišče), on which the pilgrimage church of Marija Snežna stands, is located between Črnotiče and Praproče.
The hill, southeast of Črnotiče (between the villages of Črnotiče and Praproče) has served in prehistoric times as a fort (hence the name Gradišče on maps or Gradišce for local people) - a fortress for protection against enemies. Finds kept in the Natural History Museum in Vienna testify to this hillfort. Already in prehistory there was probably a special place - a sanctuary dedicated to worship. During the Turkish invasions, the old fort with walls was restored to serve its purpose. Most likely, the present church of Marija Snežna was built on the site of the old church. In 1663 a presbytery was built, and two years later a church nave. The church was rebuilt in 1765. This is evidenced by the stone slabs built into the outside of the presbytery and above the front door. When the plaster was removed in 1995, we also noticed the extension of the church to the west by about three meters and, of course, the construction of the entrance wall with a cross for the bells (probably in 1765).
There are several legends about the origin of the pilgrimage church of Marija Snežna. The most widespread, adapted to domestic conditions, is the default legend about the construction of the Basilica of Mary the Great or Mary of the Snows in Rome from the fourth century. Then, on the same night, Pope and the wealthy Roman John dreamed that Mary had ordered them to build a church on the spot where the snow would fall on the 5th of August. The legend of Gradišče also says that on that day there was snow on the hill, where the surrounding residents then built a church in honor of Marija Snežna (Mary of the Snows).
Another legend says that the Mother of God traveled through the karst of Podgorje and stopped on a beautiful, fortified hill, where she was supposed to appear to the people. In remembrance of this, a footprint in a stone on a path in the middle of a hill is said to be still visible, before the stairs and walls are reached.
The third legend tells of the attack of some Turkish horsemen who were scurrying in front of the church where the locals were hiding. In front of the church door, the commander's horse suddenly stopped and spun. His hoof is said, broke into a living rock. This sign - the imprint (outline) of a horse's hoof in stone - was once admired by people not far from the entrance to the church on the west side and thanked Mary for the rescue.
Access from Črnotiče:
Leave the Ljubljana - Koper motorway at the Kastelec exit, then follow the signs for Podgorje. From the road towards Podgorje, soon turn right in the direction of the Črnotiče, and at the church in Črnotiče, turn right onto the road, which becomes unpaved behind the houses. We drive a little further, and then we reach a small crossroads, where the road to the Črnotiče railway station continues to the right, and on the left we notice a football and children's playground. We park near the intersection in a suitable place. From here we go on foot to the next crossroads, where we turn right through the railway underpass and continue along the road till to the yellow sign for Marija Snežna, follow the cart track to the sign where the path splits. Follow the left path to the church.
Access from Praproče:
Leave the Ljubljana - Koper motorway at the Kastelec exit, then follow the signs for Podgorje. Before Podgorje, turn right onto the road in the direction to Praproče, and at the sign indicating the beginning of the settlement of Praproče, continue along the left road and park 50 meters further on in the marked parking lot. We walk towards the center of the village. At the first houses, leave the asphalt road and continue to the right along the marked path, which continues along a poor macadam road. After a few minutes, go slightly left from the road to the grassy cart track, and from the cart track, after a few steps, slightly right to the marked footpath. From the crossroads onwards, we climb steeply for a short time, and then the path becomes a bit steeper and temporarily also scenic. We cross the fence, then join the footpath from Črnotiče, after which we ascend to the church of Marija Snežna in a minute of further walking. The trail from Praproče is marked because it is part of Slovenian hiking trails.
Geocache: Geocache is located approx. 20 meters east of the back of the church. The initial contents of the glass jar are a Logbook, a pencil and 3 gadgets.
viri/sources:
www.hribi.net/gora/marija_snezna_na_gradiscah/26/2916
poti.pzs.si/
