The church at Nova Štifta, in the foothills of the Velika Gora 7km west of Ribnica, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Slovenia. Completed in 1671, the baroque church is unusual for its octagonal shape. The interior of the church, with its golden altars and pulpit, is blindingly ornate.
In the courtyard opposite the Franciscan monastery (where the church key is kept) stands a wonderful old toplar and a linden tree, planted in the mid-17th century, complete with a treehouse that has been there for over a century.
