Sveti Miklavž nad Savo

Along the Sava River, you could find a large number of churches dedicated to St Nicholas. This is no coincidence, as St Nicholas was the patron saint of boatmen and rafters. One of St Nicholas’ churches, perhaps the most important of them all, stands on a hill above the Sava River. According to oral tradition, it was built in the second half of the 15th century by the very boatmen who carried goods down the river. Because of its exceptional vantage point, this church was once called the guardian of the upper Sava. The fordsmen believed that nothing could happen to them as long as they could see the church. The church was supposed to have been burnt down by the Turks, so the locals built a new church in a less accessible place above the village, on the site of what was originally supposed to be a pagan temple.

The church is vaulted, has a rectangular nave and a shallow chancel. The church has a large altar of St Nicholas as its centrepiece, flanked by statues of St Ambrose and St Augustine in the throne, and St Joseph with doves and St Luke the Evangelist on the outside of the columns. The side altars are dedicated to St Lucy and the Innocent Little Children. The frescoes have not yet been discovered, but are believed to be very old, dating from the 15th century.

At the top of St Nicholas, you will enjoy a beautiful view, where you can rest your eyes on the beautiful sunrises and sunsets.