Radatovići between mountain scenery and cultural heritage

Radatovići lies in the western part of Žumberak-Samoborsko Gorje Nature Park, on the slopes of Žumberačka gora. The Sveta Gera cycling route also passes through the village. Churches, a fresco in the former school building and a literary connection add tangible traces of cultural history to the mountain landscape.

Cycling route to Sveta Gera and Sošice

The Sveta Gera cycling route runs through Radatovići and continues via Sekulići to Sveta Gera and Sošice. It is 59 kilometres long, has 1,030 metres of elevation gain, and combines asphalt and gravel. When planning your ride, consider these three figures together: the route length describes only part of the stage, while the elevation gain and changing surfaces add two further factors to consider. The route passes through a landscape of beech forests, mountain streams and mountain meadows; on the way back to Sošice, it runs through several traditional villages. At 1,178 metres, Sveta Gera is the highest peak in Žumberačka gora and north-western Croatia. The 1,030 metres refers to the route’s elevation gain; Sveta Gera itself is at an altitude of 1,178 metres.

Landscape and regional context

From Radatovići, views extend to Velika Kapela, Mala Kapela, Klek, part of Bela Krajina and Sveta Gera. These views are from the village itself; beech forests, mountain streams and mountain meadows are part of the landscape along the cycling route. The abandoned village of Gaj lies between Radatovići and Sveta Gera. At 850 metres above sea level, it was once Žumberak’s highest inhabited settlement. Its location between the village and the peak, as well as its former status as the highest settlement, make Gaj a point of reference in the region’s settlement history.

Churches, art and literature

The historical references associated with the religious buildings come from different periods. The parish of the Resurrection of Christ in Radatovići was first mentioned in 1623; the parish church of the Resurrection of the Lord was built at its present site in 1870. The dates refer to different things: 1623 to the parish, and 1870 to the construction of the church at its present site. In the cemetery, the All Saints’ Chapel also serves as a priest’s tomb. The former school building houses an anti-war fresco by Zlatko Prica and Nikola Reiser, dating from 1943. The site is currently closed to visitors due to ongoing research; take this restriction into account when planning your trip. Jovan Hranilović wrote his Žumberak Elegies in Radatovići. Alongside religious buildings and visual art, literature is therefore another cultural trace of the village.

Badovinci and its cultural heritage

In Badovinci, on the road towards Radatovići, stands the Greek Catholic Church of St Nicholas. A monument to well-known Uskok families stands right beside the church, displaying their family coats of arms.

Discover more destinations: Doljani Žumberački, Vrhovac, Ferenci, Slapno, Ozalj

Go to the main travel overview: Općina Ozalj.