Sv. Trojica v Slov. goricah - Church and Monastery

On the side of an old chapel the first church was built between 1636 and 1643. A bell from 1666, the bell-tower and a part of the nave, now exhibited in the presbytery, are the only remains of the original church. In 1663 the church was taken over by the Augustinian friars from Radgona. With the help of castellan Traumansdorf from Negova they had a monastery built along the southern part of the church which was in its turn aggrandized. The church had soon become too small to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims.

In 1735 the count Draskovic's financial help facilitated the building of a new Baroque church. In 1756 the main altar was completed and as many as six side altars three years later. The new church was consecrated in the year 1772. Both bell-towers at the church frontage and facing the square were built in years from 1779 to 1780. At the same period the church was connected to the cloister. In 1787 the monastery was closed down while the church became a parish under the patronage of deanery in Lenart. In 1811 the Augustinians abandoned the monastery and the church was taken care of by diocesan priests. In 1854 the parish passed to Franciscan friars who are still responsible for it. In 1885 the bell-tower near the main altar got its present appearance.

The church in itself is considered a Baroque masterpiece. A quite special artefact is the main altar made between 1752 and 1756. It belongs among three biggest altars in Slovenian churches. The magnificent Baroque altar is very dynamic due to statues and angel's figures, impressive pillars as well as a picture which represents the Mystery of the Holy Trinity. In 1883 and 1884 the church was painted by Oswald and Egid Bieri and Giacomo Brollo. The third altar was made by Josef Straub in 1756. A Loretto chapel was built in 1693 lean-to the first church and contains a statue of Black Mary. A column bears a famous Mary's throne and a statue of the Virgin which used to be carried around in processions. The cloister houses a church museum and a famous library with more than 3,000 precious volumes. Among the books can be found the first printed book on physics from the year 1574. Since 2003 the church has one of the biggest organs in Slovenia.