Ilirska Bistrica
Encyclopedia
Ilirska Bistrica is a town and a municipality in Slovenia
. It belongs to the traditional region of Primorska.
The town of Ilirska Bistrica is the major economic centre of the district of the same name. Its coat of arms represents the history of the region, being part of the pre-slavic Ilyrian people that once populated the area, along with their shipbuilding past. The name Ilirska Bistrica, has its origin during the times of the Austrian Empire
, in which the adjective Ilirska (in German
: Illyrisch) was added to the old name Bistrica (German: Feistritz) to differentiate it from other towns in the Empire that had the same name, such as Banská Bystrica
in modern-day Slovakia
. The name Ilirska Bistrica thus means "Illyrian Bistrica", referring to the Kingdom of Illyria
, an administrative unit of the Austrian Empire between 1816 and 1849. The town's current coat of arms was also adopted at the same time; in fact, it is only a slight modification of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Illyria
.
The town is used by tourists and trekkers as a starting point for travelling to the peak of the Snežnik
plateau, a day long return trip from Ilirska Bistrica. At 1796 metres (5,892.4 ft), the plateau's highest peak Veliki Snežnik is the highest non-Alpine
peak in Slovenia.
The town's history has been primarily shaped by the nations which have occupied it. Within the last 100 years, the district has been under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy, Yugoslavia
and Slovenia. Remnants of this can still be seen in numerous monuments, the Ilirska Bistrica railway station
, and the Italian Barracks of the Second World War.
The most recent conflict the region has encountered was during the short ten day Slovene Independence War
, in which Yugoslav
and Slovene troops met in a small engagement ending with a handful of casualties, in the village of Koseze just south of Ilirska Bistrica.
The Parish Church
in the town is dedicated to Saint Peter
and belongs to the Koper Diocese. A second church in the town is dedicated to Saint George
.
Among the famous inhabitants of Ilirska Bistrica, the poet Dragotin Kette
and politician Karel Lavrič
are the most known.
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 belongs to the traditional region of Primorska.
The town of Ilirska Bistrica is the major economic centre of the district of the same name. Its coat of arms represents the history of the region, being part of the pre-slavic Ilyrian people that once populated the area, along with their shipbuilding past. The name Ilirska Bistrica, has its origin during the times of the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, in which the adjective Ilirska (in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Illyrisch) was added to the old name Bistrica (German: Feistritz) to differentiate it from other towns in the Empire that had the same name, such as Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
in modern-day Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. The name Ilirska Bistrica thus means "Illyrian Bistrica", referring to the Kingdom of Illyria
Kingdom of Illyria
The Kingdom of Illyria was an administrative unit of the Austrian Empire from 1816 to 1849. Its administrative centre was Ljubljana and it included the western and central part of present-day Slovenia, the present Austrian state of Carinthia, as well as some territories in north-western Croatia ...
, an administrative unit of the Austrian Empire between 1816 and 1849. The town's current coat of arms was also adopted at the same time; in fact, it is only a slight modification of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Illyria
Kingdom of Illyria
The Kingdom of Illyria was an administrative unit of the Austrian Empire from 1816 to 1849. Its administrative centre was Ljubljana and it included the western and central part of present-day Slovenia, the present Austrian state of Carinthia, as well as some territories in north-western Croatia ...
.
The town is used by tourists and trekkers as a starting point for travelling to the peak of the Snežnik
Snežník
Sněžník may refer to:*Děčínský Sněžník, a mountain in the Czech Republic, near Děčín*Králický Sněžník , a mountain on the Czech–Polish border*Králický Sněžník...
plateau, a day long return trip from Ilirska Bistrica. At 1796 metres (5,892.4 ft), the plateau's highest peak Veliki Snežnik is the highest non-Alpine
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
peak in Slovenia.
The town's history has been primarily shaped by the nations which have occupied it. Within the last 100 years, the district has been under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Slovenia. Remnants of this can still be seen in numerous monuments, the Ilirska Bistrica railway station
Ilirska Bistrica railway station
Ilirska Bistrica railway station serves the nearby village of Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia. It was opened in 1873, and is also a border station for trains to Rijeka, Croatia.- External links :*...
, and the Italian Barracks of the Second World War.
The most recent conflict the region has encountered was during the short ten day Slovene Independence 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:...
, in which Yugoslav
Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
and Slovene troops met in a small engagement ending with a handful of casualties, in the village of Koseze just south of Ilirska Bistrica.
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 dedicated to Saint 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 belongs to the Koper Diocese. A second church in the town is dedicated to Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
.
Among the famous inhabitants of Ilirska Bistrica, the poet Dragotin Kette
Dragotin Kette
Dragotin Kette was a Slovene Impressionist and Neo-Romantic poet. Together with Josip Murn, Ivan Cankar and Oton Župančič, he is considered as the beginner of modernism in Slovene literature.-Life:...
and politician Karel Lavrič
Karel Lavrič
Karel Lavrič, also spelled Laurič or Lauritsch , was a Slovene liberal politician and lawyer from the Slovenian Littoral, and one of the most prominent activists of the Young Slovene movement. Together with the conservative Lovro Toman, he was considered among the most popular Slovene politicians...
are the most known.