Zagorje ob Savi
Encyclopedia
Zagorje ob Savi is a town and a municipality
in central Slovenia
. It is located in the valley of Medija Creek, a minor left-bank tributary
of the Sava River, 52 km (32 mi) east of Ljubljana
36 km (22 mi) southwest of Celje
, and 6 km (4 mi) west of Trbovlje
. Traditionally the area was part of the Upper Carniola
region. The entire municipality is now included in the Central Sava statistical region
. The town is home to about 7,000 people and the population of the municipality is about 17,000.
Archaeological evidence
shows that the area was already settled in the Late Bronze Age
and Iron Age
. Zagorje was first mentioned as Sagor in written records of the Patriarchate of Aquileia dating to 1296. In written form it later also appears as Zaegor, Sager, Seger, and Cagoer. In 1755 deposits of coal
were discovered in the area and the town's economic development began. Coal mining was one of the area's main activities until 1995, when the last mines were closed. In 2010, Zagorje ob Savi was heavily affected by floods
.
The parish church
in the settlement is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul
and belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana
. It is a Neo-Romanesque
church built in 1873.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in central 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 in the valley of Medija Creek, a minor left-bank tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Sava River, 52 km (32 mi) east of Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
36 km (22 mi) southwest of Celje
Celje
Celje is a typical Central European town and the third largest town in Slovenia. It is a regional center of Lower Styria and the administrative seat of the Urban Municipality of Celje . The town of Celje is located under Upper Celje Castle at the confluence of the Savinja, Ložnica, and Voglajna...
, and 6 km (4 mi) west of Trbovlje
Trbovlje
Trbovlje is a town and municipality in central Slovenia. Traditionally the area was part of the Lower Styria region. The entire municipality is now included in the Central Sava statistical region. Located in the valley of a minor left bank tributary of the Sava River, the area is known for its...
. Traditionally the area was part of the Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
region. The entire municipality is now included in the Central Sava statistical region
Zasavska statistical region
The Central Sava statistical region is a statistical region in Slovenia. It lies in Central Slovenia, mostly to the north of the Sava River, encompassing mostly territory that was part of the Central Sava Valley area of the traditional regions of Upper Carniola and Lower Styria.The largest town in...
. The town is home to about 7,000 people and the population of the municipality is about 17,000.
Archaeological evidence
Archaeological record
The archaeological record is the body of physical evidence about the past. It is one of the most basic concepts in archaeology, the academic discipline concerned with documenting and interpreting the archaeological record....
shows that the area was already settled in the Late Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. Zagorje was first mentioned as Sagor in written records of the Patriarchate of Aquileia dating to 1296. In written form it later also appears as Zaegor, Sager, Seger, and Cagoer. In 1755 deposits of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
were discovered in the area and the town's economic development began. Coal mining was one of the area's main activities until 1995, when the last mines were closed. In 2010, Zagorje ob Savi was heavily affected by floods
2010 Slovenia floods
The 2010 Slovenia floods, on the weekend of 17–19 September 2010, were caused by heavy rains in Slovenia, resulting in one of the worst floods in the country's history. Among the regions affected were the capital Ljubljana, the Zasavje region, Laško, the Slovenian Littoral and the Lower Carniola...
.
The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the settlement is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, or the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a liturgical feast in honour of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June...
and belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ljubljana is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Slovenia. It was erected as the Diocese of Ljubljana by Pope Eugene IV on 6 December 1461 and was immediately subject to the Holy See from its creation until erected...
. It is a Neo-Romanesque
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
church built in 1873.