Bač pri Materiji () is a small settlement in the
in the
Littoral
The littoral zone, also called litoral or nearshore, is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal ecology, the littoral zone includes the intertidal zone extending from the high water mark (which is rarely i ...
region of
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
. The settlement includes the hamlet of Gabrk half a kilometer southeast of the village core. It is located in heavily karstified terrain with many sinkholes and caves.
Name
The name ''Bač pri Materiji'' literally means 'Bač near
Materija
Materija (; ) is a small settlement in the Municipality of Hrpelje-Kozina in the Littoral region of Slovenia. It lies between fields and meadows in the Materija Lowland (), a dry karst valley bottom, along Route 7 from Rijeka to Trieste
Triest ...
'. The name ''Bač'' is related to the Slovene common noun ''beč'' '(stone- or wood-lined) hollow with a spring' (< ''*bъťъ''), referring to a local geographical feature. The Slavic word ''*bъťъ'' was borrowed from Latin ''buttis'' 'barrel' and is also the origin of the Slovene toponyms ''
Beč'' and ''
Buč''.
History
A Roman road ran past the settlement of Bač pri Materiji. A stone built into a wall along the road is believed to be a Roman milestone. The ruins of Tabor Castle, of which only part of the tower are preserved, stand next to the road through the settlement. A communal village cistern was built in 1897. Running water was installed in 1935, with a water main from
Buzet
Buzet (; ; ) is a town in Istria, west Croatia, population 6,133 (2011). The historical core of Buzet dates back to the Middle Ages, and today Buzet is known as the town of truffles. Buzet is also known as the home of Croatian motorsport, and eve ...
. Štefak Cave () was used by locals as a shelter from Italian fascist troops. During the Second World War,
Partisan
Partisan(s) or The Partisan(s) may refer to:
Military
* Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line
** Francs-tireurs et partisans, communist-led French anti-fascist resistance against Nazi Germany during WWII
** Ital ...
troops from the Brkini Hills were active in the area. On 14 September 1943, five Partisan soldiers were killed in an engagement with German troops in the village. Until the Second World War, the structure in the hamlet of Gabrk was used as a military barracks. After the war, it was used as a toy factory. During the war, much of the wooded land around the settlement was burned; fire also destroyed extensive woodland in 1958. A civic center was established in 1955.
Mass grave
Bač pri Materiji is the site of a
mass grave
A mass grave is a grave containing multiple human corpses, which may or may Unidentified decedent, not be identified prior to burial. The United Nations has defined a criminal mass grave as a burial site containing three or more victims of exec ...
associated with the Second World War. The Materija 1 Mass Grave () is located about 500 m north of the settlement. It is a shaft with an opening measuring 2 × 1.5 m, bounded on two sides by cliffs rising up to a plateau.
Spelunkers have found what are believed to be human remains in the shaft.
Church
The small church in Bač pri Materiji is dedicated to Saint George. It has an open belfry and was restored in 1865. It is also referred to as Tabor Church or Holy Spirit Church. The first church at the site was dedicated to the Holy Spirit. That church was burned by the Venetians in 1616, and a new church dedicated to Saint Vitus was built at the same site in 1636. An altar dedicated to the Holy Spirit, in memory of the previous structure, was installed in the church in 1855, but it has since been removed and only the altar painting remains.
References
External links
Bač pri Materiji on Geopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bac Pri Materiji
Populated places in the Municipality of Hrpelje-Kozina