Brestanica
Encyclopedia
Brestanica is a small town
in the Municipality
of Krško
in eastern Slovenia
. Until 1953 the town was called Rajhenburg (from German Reichenburg). It lies in the valley at the confluence
of the Sava River with a minor tributary called the Brestanica. The area was traditionally part of Styria
. It is now included with the rest of the municipality in the Lower Sava statistical region
.
The Protestant preacher, teacher, and author of the first grammar
of the Slovene, Adam Bohorič
, was born in the town in 1520.
On a hill on the right bank of the Sava River, to the south of the settlement, is Brestanica Castle. It was first mentioned in written documents dating to AD 895, making it the earliest documented castle in Slovenia. It has preserved some of its Romanesque
features and an early Gothic
chapel
, but most of its current structure dates to around 1600. During the Second World War it was used as a deportee
collection centre by the Nazi
occupying regime.
The parish church
in the town is a basilica
dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes
and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Celje
. It was built between 1908 and 1914 in a Neo-Romanesque style
. Previously the parish church was a church in the southern part of the settlement, dedicated to Saints Peter
and Paul. It was first mentioned in written documents dating to 1213, but the current building was built in 1341 with a 17th-century belfry
and two 18th-century side chapels. A third church in the town, close to the parish church, is dedicated to Saint Sebastian. On a hill to the east of the settlement a further church is dedicated to Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus
. It was built in the late 15th century and has a chapel dedicated to Saint Notburga
with well preserved, high-quality wall paintings
.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the Municipality
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...
of Krško
Krško
Krško is a town and municipality in eastern Slovenia. The town lies on the Sava River. The area is traditionally divided between Lower Styria and Lower Carniola...
in eastern 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...
. Until 1953 the town was called Rajhenburg (from German Reichenburg). It lies in the valley at the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Sava River with a minor tributary called the Brestanica. The area was traditionally part of Styria
Lower Styria
Lower Styria or Slovenian Styria is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of Lower Styria in its historical boundaries amounts to around 705,000 inhabitants, or 34.5% of the population of Slovenia...
. It is now included with the rest of the municipality in the Lower Sava statistical region
Spodnjeposavska statistical region
The Lower Sava statistical region is a statistical region in Slovenia. It is almost identical with the Posavje region. The largest town in the region is Krško. It is the second smallest region in Slovenia, but it has very good traffic connections...
.
The Protestant preacher, teacher, and author of the first grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
of the Slovene, Adam Bohorič
Adam Bohoric
Adam Bohorič was a Slovene Protestant preacher, teacher and author of the first grammar of Slovene.Bohorič was born in the market town of Rajhenburg in the Duchy of Styria, on the border between Lower Carniola and Lower Styria...
, was born in the town in 1520.
On a hill on the right bank of the Sava River, to the south of the settlement, is Brestanica Castle. It was first mentioned in written documents dating to AD 895, making it the earliest documented castle in Slovenia. It has preserved some of its Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
features and an early Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, but most of its current structure dates to around 1600. During the Second World War it was used as a deportee
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
collection centre by the Nazi
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupying regime.
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 town is a basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Celje
Roman Catholic Diocese of Celje
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Celje ; is a diocese located in the city of Celje in the Ecclesiastical province of Maribor in Slovenia.-Leadership:* Bishops of Celje ** Anton Stres...
. It was built between 1908 and 1914 in a Neo-Romanesque style
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...
. Previously the parish church was a church in the southern part of the settlement, dedicated to Saints Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and Paul. It was first mentioned in written documents dating to 1213, but the current building was built in 1341 with a 17th-century belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
and two 18th-century side chapels. A third church in the town, close to the parish church, is dedicated to Saint Sebastian. On a hill to the east of the settlement a further church is dedicated to Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus
Hermagoras of Aquileia
Saint Hermagoras of Aquileia is considered the first bishop of Aquileia, northern Italy. Christian tradition states that he was chosen by Saint Mark to serve as the leader of the nascent Christian community in Aquileia, and that he was consecrated bishop by Saint Peter...
. It was built in the late 15th century and has a chapel dedicated to Saint Notburga
Notburga
Saint Notburga , also known as Notburga of Rattenberg or Notburga of Eben, was an Austrian saint from modern Tyrol. She is the patron saint of servants and peasants....
with well preserved, high-quality wall paintings
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
.