Šoštanj
Encyclopedia
Šoštanj is a town and municipality
in northern Slovenia
. It was first mentioned in written documents dating to around 1200 as Schönstein in relation to its castle. As a market town it was first mentioned in 1348. It was given town status in 1919 and until the 1960s was the center of the Šalek Valley
. In 1963 nearby Velenje
became the administrative center. Šoštanj again became a municipal center in the late 1990s. The town has a long leather-working history, with industrial-scale activity going back to 1788. The factory was owned by the Woschnagg family, a Germanized branch of the Vošnjak family, until it was nationalized in 1945. The processing factory was closed down in 1999. A leather industry museum is now open in the town.
Šoštanj is the site of a large coal-fired power station.
The parish church
in the town is dedicated to Michael the Archangel
and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Celje
. A second church in town was built in 1776 on the site of a 13th-century predecessor and is dedicated to Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus
.
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 northern 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 was first mentioned in written documents dating to around 1200 as Schönstein in relation to its castle. As a market town it was first mentioned in 1348. It was given town status in 1919 and until the 1960s was the center of the Šalek Valley
Šalek Valley
The Šalek Valley is a valley or basin in northern Slovenia in the northeastern pre-alpine foothills. It is named after Šalek Castle near the town of Velenje. The Šalek Valley lies between the Kamnik-Savinja Alps to the west, the Pohorje Mountain Range to the east, and the Sava Hills to the south...
. In 1963 nearby Velenje
Velenje
Velenje is a town and municipality in northern Slovenia. The municipality has 33.331 inhabitants. Staro Velenje is first mentioned in written doucments dating to 1264 and 1374 as small market town and was a center of handicraft and trade...
became the administrative center. Šoštanj again became a municipal center in the late 1990s. The town has a long leather-working history, with industrial-scale activity going back to 1788. The factory was owned by the Woschnagg family, a Germanized branch of the Vošnjak family, until it was nationalized in 1945. The processing factory was closed down in 1999. A leather industry museum is now open in the town.
Šoštanj is the site of a large coal-fired power station.
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 Michael the Archangel
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
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...
. A second church in town was built in 1776 on the site of a 13th-century predecessor and 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...
.
Notable residents
- Karel Destovnik, a.k.a. KajuhKarel Destovnik KajuhKarel Destovnik, pen name and nom de guerre Kajuh was a Slovenian poet, translator, resistance fighter, and Yugoslav national hero.- Life and work :...
, PartisanPartisans (Yugoslavia)The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
poet (1922–1944) - Jožef Kastelic (Castelliz), religious writer (1710–after 1773)
- Ivan Samonigg, Austrian officer and military education reformer (1839–1915)
- Mihael Valenci, technical writer and physician (1728–1813)
- Josip VošnjakJosip VošnjakJosip Vošnjak was a Slovene politician and author, leader of the Slovene National Movement in the Duchy of Styria, and one of the most prominent representatives of the Young Slovene movement....
, 19th-century national liberal leader (1834–1911) - Mihael Vošnjak, engineer and politician (1837–1920)