Kunšperk
Encyclopedia
Kunšperk is a settlement on the right bank of the river Sotla in the Bistrica ob Sotli
Municipality
in eastern Slovenia
. The area was traditionally part of Styria
. It is now included in the Savinjska statistical region
.
The ruins of Kunšperk Castle can still be seen on a steep hill to the south of the settlement. It was a Romanesque
castle surrounded by defence walls built in the 12th century with later additions (a Gothic
chapel
and Renaissance fortifications). It was abandoned in the 17th century.
Bistrica ob Sotli
Bistrica ob Sotli is a settlement and municipality in eastern Slovenia. It has been an independent municipality since 1999. The settlement itself lies on a river terrace above the right bank of the river Sotla. The area traditionally belonged to the region of Lower Styria...
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...
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...
. 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 in the Savinjska statistical region
Savinjska statistical region
The Savinja statistical region is a statistical region in Slovenia. The largest town in the region is Celje. It is named after the Savinja River....
.
The ruins of Kunšperk Castle can still be seen on a steep hill to the south of the settlement. It was a 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,...
castle surrounded by defence walls built in the 12th century with later additions (a 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,...
and Renaissance fortifications). It was abandoned in the 17th century.