THE LOWER DRAVA REGION

The Drava lowland consists of the Drava and the Ptuj plains bordered on the north by the hills of Slovenske Gorice, and on the south by Haloze. The typical feature of the region is the river Drava, a several hundred-years old boundary between the Aquileia patriarchy and the Salzburg archdiocese. The River is trapped in a gorge between the Pohorje Massif and Kozjak, while above Maribor it slows down its flow and widens its bed. Being the most watery river in Slovenia, which does not lack water even in summer, the river Drava is stemmed at several spots with power stations (Fala, Mariborski otok, Zlatoličje, Formin), which create reservoirs and artificial lakes in Maribor, Ptuj and Ormož. The construction of dams caused the abandon of river mills and rafting of lumber from rich Pohorje forests. The energetic power of the river Drava played an extremely important role between both wars in the industrial development of Maribor and Ruše, and after the second world war in the development of aluminium factory in Kidričevo.

The Drava and the Ptuj plains are among the most fertile areas in Slovenia. On vast stretches of land grow wheat and sugar beet, while potatoes grow on smaller ones. The Ptuj plain used to be famous for the cultivation of onion and was called "LUKARIJA (onion in the local dialect). The hilly region lives on fruit (especially apples) and wine-growing. Exceptional wine-growing sites, good soil and mild climatic conditions enable the production of high quality white wines in Dravinjske, Mariborske, Ormoške and Ptujske Hills, and in Haloze. Varietal wines of this region are quite famous in Slovenia and abroad, and even blends - trade marks such as Haložan, Mariborčan, Jeruzalemčan and Ritoznojčan - are well known and appreciated.