Turenček, part of the historical Church of the Nativity of Mary in Šmarje – Sap, represents a unique architectural fragment of an anti-Turkish fortification. The church, the oldest parish church in the Grosuplje municipality, was first mentioned in documents in 1228, and some historians believe the Šmarje parish was established as early as 1058. Built in the Romanesque style as a three-aisled basilica, it underwent significant changes at the end of the 15th century, gaining new vaults and a presbytery. The church contains Gothic paintings and frescoes by Štefan Šubic. During the Turkish invasions, the church and its surrounding wall served as an anti-Turkish fortification, of which only one tower, known as Turenček, remains visible.
Turenček consists of a tower and two building wings. The creation of the Šmarje fortification complex is believed to be linked to the period when the parish was incorporated into the Stična Monastery.
The Šmarje fort belonged to the highest category of forts, featuring residential buildings, granaries, lookout towers, and specially fortified towers for refuge. These complexes, typical of the late 15th century, were a response to the fear of Turkish invasions with lootings and massacres. The fortification presumably had five sides and four towers, two guarding the entrance to the south and the other two at the eastern and western ends. The northern side housed granaries for safely storing food supplies and defending the walls.
As mentioned by Valvasor, the fort was still intact by the 17th century, but it disappeared from the Josephine military map by the end of the 18th century. After the Turkish threat subsided, the walls were removed, some of the building materials were used to construct baroque side chapels, and the new facade of the expanded church was emphasised. Defensive ditches were also filled in.
Today, Turenček houses an ethnological collection of antiquities, peasant, and religious objects collected by the long-serving Šmarje parish priest Jože Mrvar. The hall hosts exhibitions, cultural events, and discussions. The lower floors contain a chapel.
Turenček
The only remaining tower and corridors of Turenček mark the remnants of one of the best-constructed anti-Turkish forts. By the end of the 18th century, when the Turkish threat had passed, the function of these forts became redundant. Many medieval walls and forts built around village churches were dismantled, creating open spaces often filled with linden trees, as seen in Šmarje.
In Šmarje, the northwest tower was preserved in memory of the significant battles for the Slovenian nation. It contains two halls, each in a separate floor, now serving for various events and exhibitions. For a deeper understanding of the forts, it is suggested to also visit the fort above Cerovo, which was built by farmers themselves (the Šmarje fort received funding from the Stična Abbey). Documents attest that Turenček housed a school as early as 1504.
