Grad brings together a castle on an extinct volcano, a marked themed trail, olivine nodules and a pilgrimage church with a history dating back to the 11th century. Those exploring the area encounter both its volcanic landscape and traces of its cultural heritage.
Grad Castle and the Goričko Landscape
Grad Castle stands on the remains of an extinct volcano, on a hill above the village of Grad. The castle is considered Slovenia’s largest castle and feudal complex. Its location alone makes the volcanic ground part of the description of the place: here, the castle and hill form a shared historical and geological point of reference.
Two distinct interpretive offerings are housed in the renovated rooms of Grad Castle. One exhibition explores the natural wealth and cultural landscape of Goričko Nature Park. Another presentation focuses on the historical and ethnological heritage of Goričko. Nature and human history are thus presented side by side, without being combined into a single exhibition theme.
The Olivinova Path: Village, Castle Grounds and Discovery Site
The Olivinova Path connects the upper part of the village and the castle grounds with the lower village center of Pörgo and a disused quarry of volcanic rock. An olivine nodule discovery site is located there. The route therefore leads down from the higher village and castle areas to Pörgo and a specific geological site. Blue directional arrows guide visitors from one point to the next and draw attention to the natural or cultural sights described along the way.
Olivine nodules are also found in the volcanic rocks of Grad. They are described as remnants of an earlier volcano. The trail thus connects a discovery site with a geological trace that helps explain the landscape. For getting around, the blue arrows are a practical alternative to a visit that—as with the church—must be arranged in advance.
Vulkanija and Geological History
Vulkanija Adventure Park explains volcanoes and the geological history of Goričko through images, texts, films, playful elements and interactive content. The park includes a lift ride down to the center of the Goričko volcano and a return to the surface on Oli’s underground train. The different formats therefore explore the geological theme not only through text, but also through visual and interactive elements.
Vulkanija is located in the center of a crater 1 km in diameter, which belongs to Slovenia’s last active volcano. This volcano was active three million years ago. The Geological Museum is located in the Lednar Tannery. It includes an Olivine Hall, a Geology Hall, Oli’s Kitchen, an exhibition and a journey through Goričko. The park and museum thus offer different ways to explore volcanoes and Earth’s history, from a ride into the volcano’s center to the museum’s named areas.
Pilgrimage Church and Traces of Building History
The Church of the Assumption of Mary in Grad is a pilgrimage church whose origins date back to the 11th century. Its nave was significantly shaped by restoration work carried out by Jože Plečnik in the 1950s. A visit can be arranged in advance through the Grad parish house. The priest or a guide will explain the church’s history and Plečnik’s work.
The Crypt in the hamlet of Kaniža is the burial vault of the castle lords and lies about 2 km from the castle. It has a dome, and its four façades are decorated with triangular gables. The crypt was probably built during the castle renovation in 1751. Its form and qualified dating make it another point of reference for the building history around Grad Castle.
The main parish feast is celebrated on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary; a fair is held along Pörgo. Grad’s cultural character therefore encompasses not only its church and building history but also a feast day tied to the church calendar.
Discover more destinations: Moravske-Toplice, Martjanci, Beltinci, Križevci, Murska Sobota, Melinci, Šalovci, Hodoš.
Back to the main travel overview: Murska Sobota.
