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Traditions
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The city, which gently blends in with the surrounding nature, has always offered hidden and not-so-hidden corners of rest and relaxation. |
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The city, which gently blends in with the surrounding nature, has always offered hidden and not-so-hidden corners of rest and relaxation. The city has always lived with its river, which has brought much commerce but also interesting episodes. From the incident that the greatest admiral of the Austro-Hungarian navy, Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, was born here, to the fact that officers from all parts of the old monarchy learned to swim in Maribor. Because of Drava, logistics has been a core business since the Middle Ages, when the city was already situated along key European transport corridors. If the importance of the flow for the city's economy has diminished, the river still invites the recreation-hungry. And fishermen. And one of the largest colonies of wild swans in this part of Europe. The old quarter along the embankment, Lent, is home to many restaurants, and in summer it comes to life with a festival of music, street theatre and folklore. |
The roots of the oldest vine in the world, which has been growing on the facade a river inn for almost half a millennium, also reach deep into the river. The flow of wine has always been at least as important for the city as the flow of the Drava. Already under Austria-Hungary, the wines of the Maribor district (“Marweine”) ranked among the best of the entire monarchy. The first Austro-Hungarian oenological congress was held here in 1876. The Maribor wine merchants, Julius and Robert Pfrimer, were among the few chosen to supply the highest royal-imperial court in Vienna. At the time one of the most prestigious and demanding luxury consumer markets in the world. The same success was achieved by the riflemaker Johann Erhart – when the emperor went hunting with his courtiers, they were shooting with masterpieces made in Maribor. |