On the east side of Minoritski trg, which has a plague pillar (1655), is the massive Minorite monastery , built in the late 13th century. Due to its teaching role, it avoided dissolution under Habsburg Emperor Joseph II in the late 18th century, and it has continued to function in Ptuj for more than seven centuries.
The arcaded monastery, which dates from the second half of the 17th century, has a summer refectory on the 1st floor, with beautiful stucco work and a dozen ceiling paintings of St Peter (north side) and St Paul (south side). It also contains a 5000-volume library of important manuscripts.
About 150m west of the monastery is round Drava Tower , a Renaissance water tower built as a defence against the Turks in 1551. It houses the Mihelič Gallery , which hosts exhibitions of modern art.
At the end of Krempljeva ulica is Mestni trg, a rectangular square once called Florianplatz in honour of the St Florian Column (1745) standing in the northwest corner. To the east is the (1907) neo-Gothic town hall .
A couple of hundred metres to the east, Ptujska Vinska Klet is the place to go if you want to sample Štajerska wine, especially Haloze chardonnay, Šipon or Laški Rizling. It also stocks Zlata Trta, the ‘Golden Vine’ sweet wine, Slovenia's oldest vintage.
