Plavje
Encyclopedia
Plavje is a village
in the Koper Municipality in the Littoral
region of Slovenia
. It is located on the northernmost edge of the Istria
n peninsula, on the border with Italy
, on a small hill overlooking the Gulf of Trieste
.
It has a small border crossing with Italy, connecting it with the nearby village of Belpoggio in Noghere , south of Trieste
, which used to be a hamlet of Plavje (until 1954). Since Slovenia's accession to the European Union
and the Schengen area
, customs and immigration checks have been abolished at the Italian-Slovenian border.
and Koper Bay. It is located on the border with Italy, which runs on the northern edge of the village. It has good road connections to Koper and Trieste
, as it is located above the highway connecting the two cities.
It enjoys a mild climate, safe for the strong Bora
wind which frequently blows in the winter.
. From the 14th century until 1797 it was part of the Republic of Venice
. Between 1805 and 1813, it was under Napoleonic French rule. After Napoleon's defeat, it was included in the Austrian Empire, as part of the Margravate of Istria within the Austrian Littoral
.
In 1907, a Slovene language primary school was opened in the village. In Nomevber 1918, the village was occupied by Italian troops and officially annexed to Italy in 1920. During World War II
, the partisan anti-Fascist guerilla was active in the area. The first cell of the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
in the Slovenian Istria
was organized in Plavje in early December 1941. After the Italian armistice in September 1943, it was occupied by the Nazi German forces and included in the Operational Zone Adriatic Coast. Many locals were arrested and sent to prisons and Nazi concentration camps
. In 1944, around 20 women from the village, accused of collaboration with the Yugoslav partisans, were rounded up and sent to the concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The village was liberated by the Yugoslav People's Army
on May 1, 1945. In early June 1945, the Yugoslav Army retreated east of the Morgan Line
, and Plavje was occupied by Anglo-American troops. The village was thus placed on the very border between Yugoslav and Anglo-American occupation zones, and became a centre of smuggling.
Between 1947 and 1954, Plavje was part of the Zone A of the Free Territory of Trieste
. It remained under Anglo-American occupation until 1954, when it was ceded to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
, thus cutting off its connections with the settlements of Muggia, Dolina
and Trieste
, which were left in Italy. Since then, it has been gravitating towards Koper. A local border crossing with Italy was opened north-west of village in 1955.
In 1991, it became part of independent Slovenia. During the Ten-Day War
of 1991, some intensive fighting took place close to the village.
Since 1991, it has mostly become a satellite settlement of Koper, with most locals daily commuting to the town for work.
production. It also produces some quality wines, especially refosco
and malvasia
. Nevertheless, agriculture is a part-time activity, as most of the people commute to Koper for work.
The local church is dedicated to the Saint Lucy
and belongs to the Škofije
Parish
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the Koper Municipality in the Littoral
Slovenian Littoral
The Slovenian Littoral is a historical region of Slovenia. Its name recalls the historical Habsburg crown land of the Austrian Littoral, of which the Slovenian Littoral was a part....
region of Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. It is located on the northernmost edge of the Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
n peninsula, on the border with Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, on a small hill overlooking the Gulf of Trieste
Gulf of Trieste
The Gulf of Trieste is a shallow bay of the Adriatic Sea, in the extreme northern part of the Mediterranean Sea. It is part of the Gulf of Venice and is shared by Italy, Slovenia and Croatia...
.
It has a small border crossing with Italy, connecting it with the nearby village of Belpoggio in Noghere , south of Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, which used to be a hamlet of Plavje (until 1954). Since Slovenia's accession to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and the Schengen area
Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
, customs and immigration checks have been abolished at the Italian-Slovenian border.
Geography and climate
Plavje is located on a small slope overlooking the Gulf of TriesteGulf of Trieste
The Gulf of Trieste is a shallow bay of the Adriatic Sea, in the extreme northern part of the Mediterranean Sea. It is part of the Gulf of Venice and is shared by Italy, Slovenia and Croatia...
and Koper Bay. It is located on the border with Italy, which runs on the northern edge of the village. It has good road connections to Koper and Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, as it is located above the highway connecting the two cities.
It enjoys a mild climate, safe for the strong Bora
Bora (wind)
Bora or Bura is a northern to north-eastern katabatic wind in the Adriatic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, and Turkey....
wind which frequently blows in the winter.
History
During most of its history, Plavje was part of the municipality of MuggiaMuggia
Muggia is a small Italian comune in the extreme south-east of Trieste lying on the border with Slovenia.Muggia is the last and only flap of Istria still in Italian territory, after the dissolution of the Free Territory of Trieste in 1954....
. From the 14th century until 1797 it was part of the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. Between 1805 and 1813, it was under Napoleonic French rule. After Napoleon's defeat, it was included in the Austrian Empire, as part of the Margravate of Istria within the Austrian Littoral
Austrian Littoral
The Austrian Littoral was established as a crown land of the Austrian Empire in 1849. In 1861 it was divided into the three crown lands of the Imperial Free City of Trieste and its suburbs, the Margraviate of Istria, and the Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca, which each had separate...
.
In 1907, a Slovene language primary school was opened in the village. In Nomevber 1918, the village was occupied by Italian troops and officially annexed to Italy in 1920. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the partisan anti-Fascist guerilla was active in the area. The first cell of the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
On 26 April 1941 in Ljubljana the Anti-Imperialist Front was established. It was to promote "an international massive movement" to "liberate the Slovenian nation" whose "hope and example was the Soviet Union"...
in the Slovenian Istria
Slovenian Istria
Slovenian Istria often called Obala in Slovene is a region in southwest of Slovenia. It comprises the northern part of the Istrian peninsula, and it is part of the wider geographical-historical region known as the Slovenian Littoral . Its largest urban center is Koper. Other larger settlements...
was organized in Plavje in early December 1941. After the Italian armistice in September 1943, it was occupied by the Nazi German forces and included in the Operational Zone Adriatic Coast. Many locals were arrested and sent to prisons and Nazi concentration camps
Nazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
. In 1944, around 20 women from the village, accused of collaboration with the Yugoslav partisans, were rounded up and sent to the concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The village was liberated by the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
on May 1, 1945. In early June 1945, the Yugoslav Army retreated east of the Morgan Line
Morgan Line
The Morgan Line was the line of demarcation set up after World War II in the region known as Julian March which prior to the war belonged to the Kingdom of Italy. The Morgan Line was the border between two military administrations in the region: the Yugoslav on the east, and that of the Allied...
, and Plavje was occupied by Anglo-American troops. The village was thus placed on the very border between Yugoslav and Anglo-American occupation zones, and became a centre of smuggling.
Between 1947 and 1954, Plavje was part of the Zone A of the Free Territory of Trieste
Free Territory of Trieste
The Free Territory of Trieste was to be a city-state situated in Central Europe between northern Italy and Yugoslavia, created by the United Nations Security Council in the aftermath of World War II and provisionally administered by an appointed military governor commanding the peacekeeping United...
. It remained under Anglo-American occupation until 1954, when it was ceded to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, thus cutting off its connections with the settlements of Muggia, Dolina
San Dorligo della Valle
San Dorligo della Valle is a comune in the Province of Trieste in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 4 km southeast of Trieste, on the border with Slovenia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,019 and an area of 24.5 km²...
and Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, which were left in Italy. Since then, it has been gravitating towards Koper. A local border crossing with Italy was opened north-west of village in 1955.
In 1991, it became part of independent Slovenia. During the Ten-Day War
Ten-Day War
The Ten-Day War or the Slovenian Independence War was a military conflict between the Slovenian Territorial Defence and the Yugoslav People's Army in 1991 following Slovenia's declaration of independence.-Background:...
of 1991, some intensive fighting took place close to the village.
Since 1991, it has mostly become a satellite settlement of Koper, with most locals daily commuting to the town for work.
Economy
Plavje is an important center of local olive oilOlive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
production. It also produces some quality wines, especially refosco
Refosco
Refosco is a very old Italian family of dark-skinned grape varieties native to the northern Italian areas of Friuli, Gavi, Trentino, Istria, and Karst Plateau. It is considered autochthonous in these regions....
and malvasia
Malvasia
Malvasia is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world...
. Nevertheless, agriculture is a part-time activity, as most of the people commute to Koper for work.
Culture and traditions
The great majority of the population of the village are Slovenes, and they speak the Istrian Slovene dialect.The local church is dedicated to the Saint Lucy
Saint Lucy
Saint Lucy , also known as Saint Lucia, was a wealthy young Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint by Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Orthodox Christians. Her feast day in the West is 13 December; with a name derived from lux, lucis "light", she is the patron saint of those who are...
and belongs to the Škofije
Spodnje Škofije
Spodnje Škofije is a settlement in the Koper Municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.-Overview:Until the dissolution of the Free Territory of Trieste in 1954, it was part of the municipality of Muggia, now in Italy...
Parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
.