Slovenska Bistrica
Slovenska Bistrica
| Slovenska Bistrica Občina Slovenska Bistrica |
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| — Town and Municipality — | |
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 Slovenska Bistrica
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| Coordinates: 46°24′N 15°34′E / 46.4°N 15.567°ECoordinates: 46°24′N 15°34′E / 46.4°N 15.567°E | |
| Country |  Slovenia |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | |
| Area | |
| - Total | 334.5 km2 (129.2 sq mi) |
| Population (2002) | |
| - Total | 29,285 |
| - Density | 87.5/km2 (226.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+01) |
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+02) |
Slovenska Bistrica is a town and a municipality south of Maribor in eastern Slovenia. It is one of the largest municipalities in Slovenia. Traditionally the area was part of the Lower Styria region. The municipality is now included in the Drava statistical region. The town was established in the 13th century on the trade road between Maribor and Celje. It was granted market rights in 1313. It was originally called just Bistrica. The present name of Slovenska Bistrica (German: Windisch-Feistritz) first appears in records dating from 1565.
The town now has over 6,500 inhabitants and increasing. Many locals commute to Maribor for work, less than an hour's drive away. The town offers several interesting sights, including Bistrica Castle, churches, a Roman road, Ančnik fort (an Ancient Roman fort), and more. It is also a good starting point for people wishing to hike on Mount Boč, a nearby mountain peak and park.
The parish church in the settlement is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew (Slovene: Sveti Jernej) and belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Maribor. It is first mentioned in written documents dating to 1240, but was greatly rebuilt and extended in the Baroque style in the 18th century. The belfry dates to the 19th century. Two other larger churches in the town are dedicated to Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows and Saint Joseph. They date to the 15th and 18th centuries.
Prominent persons from the municipality of Slovenska Bistrica include the politician and intellectual Jože Pučnik and the writer Anton Ingolič.
- ^ Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, census of 2002
- ^ Slovenska Bistrica Municipality site
- ^ Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritage reference number ešd 3375
- ^ Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritage reference numbers ešd 3376 and 662
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