Church of St. Bolfenk

St. Bolfenk on Pohorje is a charming little church, surrounded by the green forests of the Pohorje mountains.

The Church of St. Bolfenk on Pohorje has undergone many changes over the centuries. In its immediate vicinity once ran a prehistoric path along the mountain ridge, as evidenced by burial mounds, the Poštela fortifications, the Pohorje foundry, and other archaeological finds all the way to St. Areh.

The present church was built in 1501 on the site where a smaller chapel had most likely stood before. The first written documents referring to the beginning of construction at this location date back to 1291. The church was built by Wolfgang Herzenskraft of Limbuš in the then typical German late Gothic style.

After the reforms of Emperor Joseph II in 1785, it was abandoned, and part of its interior furnishings was transferred to nearby churches. By 1856, when the building was already in very poor condition, it became the property of the then mayor and notary of Maribor, Otmar Reiser. Five years later he began its renovation. On the north wall of the tower, an observation balcony was added—a gallery that had previously been part of the Pix Café in Maribor.

Otmar Reiser Jr., who inherited the building, continued with the renovation. On the renovated tower roof he placed a gilded finial with a cross, which was blessed by Bishop Anton Martin Slomšek. In 1878 he arranged an apartment for a forester in the building, as well as six rooms for hikers with a guestbook. For this reason, Bolfenk can be considered the oldest mountain lodge on Pohorje, recording between 600 and 1,000 visitors annually.

On March 29, 1950, a fire destroyed the building. In 1971, workers from the Institute for the Protection of Monuments began restoring Bolfenk. The renovation was continued more intensively in 1991 by the owner of the building, the Municipality of Maribor. The restoration was completed, and the ceremonial reopening took place on March 29, 2000—exactly 50 years after Bolfenk had burned down.

The surroundings of the little church are interwoven with cycling and hiking trails as well as ski slopes. In the immediate vicinity stand Hotel Bellevue and the Bolfenk Apartment Village, while an observation tower is just a few minutes away.

St. Bolfenk can be reached on foot, by the Pohorje cable car, or by car.