Podbrezje
Encyclopedia
Podbrezje is a village in the municipality of Naklo
in the Upper Carniola
region of Slovenia
. It has become a single settlement, but is actually made up of what were, before the Second World War, the three separate villages of Dolenja vas, Srednja vas and Podtabor. The settlement lies on a terrace on the left bank of the River Sava known as Dobrava. Since the early 19th century Podbrezje has been known for its orchard
s which can be seen around the village to this day.
The Parish Church
is dedicated to Saint James, but Podbrezje is better known for its second church. The picturesque fortified
Tabor Church on a rock above the Ljubljana
to Karawanken Tunnel
motorway is a well-known landmark to many locals and foreigners using the route. It was built some time soon after 1471 as a fortification into which the locals could escape from Ottoman raids
. The worst Ottoman incursions across Upper Carniola and on into Carinthia
were in 1476 and 1477. The building of the walls around the church was conditioned by the favourable natural position on an elevation in the middle of a plain, affording a view in all directions. The walls surrounding the church are irregularly-shaped and were built on two levels with a roofed walkway, balistraria
and a defence tower. The defence tower overlooked the only entrance over a drawbridge
. On the western side the tabor was fortified with a moat
and dike. This was also where valuables, food and livestock
were kept. The church is dedicated to Saint Benedict
, but the church is often referred to as the Church of Saint Benedict and Our Lady of Sorrows, though this is not strictly true as only the chapel built outside the church on the site of the defence tower is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows
.
One of the paintings in the church is by Ivana Kobilca
who lived in the village for a while.
Naklo, Slovenia
-Background:Municipality Naklo lies at an altitude of 407 m and has a total of 5020 residents. The scope of a municipality comprises 28.3 square kilometers...
in 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 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 has become a single settlement, but is actually made up of what were, before the Second World War, the three separate villages of Dolenja vas, Srednja vas and Podtabor. The settlement lies on a terrace on the left bank of the River Sava known as Dobrava. Since the early 19th century Podbrezje has been known for its orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s which can be seen around the village to this day.
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....
is dedicated to Saint James, but Podbrezje is better known for its second church. The picturesque fortified
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
Tabor Church on a rock above the 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...
to Karawanken Tunnel
Karawanken Tunnel (motorway)
The Karawanken Tunnel is a motorway tunnel crossing the Alpine Karavanke mountain range between Austria and Slovenia, with a total length of , enclosure between the portals.Its construction began in 1986 and it opened on June 1, 1991...
motorway is a well-known landmark to many locals and foreigners using the route. It was built some time soon after 1471 as a fortification into which the locals could escape from Ottoman raids
Ottoman wars in Europe
The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts.- Rise :...
. The worst Ottoman incursions across Upper Carniola and on into Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
were in 1476 and 1477. The building of the walls around the church was conditioned by the favourable natural position on an elevation in the middle of a plain, affording a view in all directions. The walls surrounding the church are irregularly-shaped and were built on two levels with a roofed walkway, balistraria
Balistraria
An arrowslit is a thin vertical aperture in a fortification through which an archer can launch arrows....
and a defence tower. The defence tower overlooked the only entrance over a drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
. On the western side the tabor was fortified with a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
and dike. This was also where valuables, food and livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
were kept. The church is dedicated to Saint Benedict
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
, but the church is often referred to as the Church of Saint Benedict and Our Lady of Sorrows, though this is not strictly true as only the chapel built outside the church on the site of the defence tower is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows , the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows , and Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names by which the Blessed Virgin Mary is referred to in relation to sorrows in her life...
.
One of the paintings in the church is by Ivana Kobilca
Ivana Kobilca
Ivana Kobilca was a Slovene realist painter who lived, worked and studied in various European cities including Vienna, Sarajevo, Berlin, Paris and Munich. She was a member of Société Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris. Many of her paintings are still lifes, portraits or country settings...
who lived in the village for a while.