Discover Šentjernej: churches, festivals and regional culture

Šentjernej offers several specific starting points for planning a trip: the parish church of St Bartholomew, the August festival Jernejevo, equestrian sports and regional wine culture. If you are looking for a hotel in Šentjernej, your travel dates may depend on whether you want to experience a festival or focus on historical and landscape-related interests.

Church history and furnishings

The parish church of St Bartholomew was rebuilt after the Ottoman fire of 1500. It acquired its present bell tower in 1641; the church was remodelled in 1827. Archaeological excavations uncovered at least three earlier churches: two Romanesque predecessors and one Gothic predecessor. These finds add earlier phases of the town’s history to the building’s story.

The furnishings also reflect different chapters of regional history. The church contains two side altars from the first half of the 17th century, which came from the church of the dissolved Cistercian monastery in Kostanjevica na Krki. There is also a painting of St Bartholomew by Metzinger. Here, you can explore both the history of the church building and individual works from its furnishings.

Jernejevo, the fair and equestrian sports

Jernejevo is Šentjernej’s annual municipal festival and takes place in August. It is named after St Jernej, the municipality’s patron saint, whose feast day is celebrated on 24 August. In 2025, the festival was described as having been held for almost 30 years. The Velike kasaške dirke at the Šentjernej Hippodrome were part of the JERNEJEVO 2025 programme on 17 August 2025. The event celebrated 140 years of trotting-race tradition.

The hippodrome is a major equestrian sports centre in the Šentjernej Valley, hosting training sessions, competitions and events. The Šentjernejski sejem also offers a special opportunity to experience local festivities: it has a fair tradition dating back more than 100 years and is presented as a place to browse, socialise and shop.

For cyclists, the distances of the Jernejev-K Marathon offer a useful point of comparison. The 20th Jernejev-K Marathon in 2026 featured a short route of 22 km and a long route of 44 km. The routes passed through the entire municipality of Šentjernej and through Kostanjevica na Krki, Škocjan, Šmarješke Toplice and Novo mesto. The route may change from one edition to another; the two stated distances differ mainly in the length of the planned ride.

Wine and landscape

Vinoteka Otilija offers wines from four of the largest wine producers in the Šentjernej Valley, including the Dolenjska speciality wine Cviček. A visit by prior arrangement may include a cellar tour, an exhibition about roosters and, occasionally, an exhibition of old musical instruments. The visit programme described may also include tastings of four types of Cviček as well as white and red wines, homemade cold cuts and a multimedia presentation.

At the Večer šentjernejskih penin event in 2025, seven local wine producers presented their best sparkling wines. For a different perspective on the landscape, the Šentjernejska učna pot showcases characteristic crops and habitat types of the Šentjernejsko polje. The educational trail is right next to the school and kindergarten and is easily accessible to all generations.

Nearby, Gorjansko jezero is another natural asset. The shallow ponds formed on impermeable ground that retains water; together, they make up a distinctive habitat type. The area also includes a sinkhole near Miklavž na Gorjancih. Nature and landscape therefore complement the historical and festive attractions in Šentjernej.

Places to visit nearby

The Pleterje Charterhouse offers another historical highlight nearby. Its old Gothic church dates from 1406 and is open to visitors by prior arrangement. A multimedia presentation about the monks’ lives and the cultural and historical importance of the charterhouse is shown there. The Pleterje Open-Air Museum features a traditional farmhouse from 1833 and is open every day of the year by prior arrangement.

The different themes can be grouped by occasion: the August festival and fair are events, the church and charterhouse offer history, and the hippodrome and marathon are for equestrian sports and cycling. If you are visiting for a specific event, check the relevant dates; prior arrangements are required for the places mentioned in Pleterje.

Discover more destinations: Žužemberk, Novo Mesto, Dvor, Škocjan, Šmarješke Toplice, Šmihel Pri Žužemberku, Dolenje Kronovo, Hrib pri Hinjah.

Back to the main travel overview: Novo Mesto.