The Municipality of Brežice (; sl, Občina Brežice) is a municipality in eastern
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
in the
Lower Sava Valley
The Lower Sava Valley ( sl, Posavje, also ''Spodnje Posavje'' and ''Posavska regija''Ferenc, Tone. 1995. "Posavje". ''Enciklopedija Slovenije'' vol 9. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, pp. 155–156.) is a region in southeastern Slovenia on the border ...
along the border with
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
. The seat of the municipality is the town of
Brežice
Brežice (; german: Rann ) is a town in eastern Slovenia in the Lower Sava Valley, near the Croatian border. It is the seat of the Municipality of Brežice. It lies in the center of the Brežice Plain ( sl, Brežiško polje), which is part of the ...
. The area was traditionally divided between
Lower Styria
Styria ( sl, Štajerska), also Slovenian Styria (''Slovenska Štajerska'') or Lower Styria (''Spodnja Štajerska''; german: Untersteiermark), is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy o ...
(territory on the left bank of the
Sava River
The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally t ...
) and
Lower Carniola
Lower Carniola ( sl, Dolenjska; german: Unterkrain) is a traditional region in Slovenia, the southeastern part of the historical Carniola region.
Geography
Lower Carniola is delineated by the Ljubljana Basin with the city of Ljubljana to the no ...
(territory on the right bank of the Sava River). The entire municipality is now included in the
Lower Sava Statistical Region
The Lower Sava Statistical Region ( sl, Posavska statistična regija; until December 31, 2014 ) is a statistical region in Slovenia. It has good traffic accessibility and is located in the Sava and Krka Valleys, with hilly areas with vineyards and ...
.
Geography
Brežice is one of the largest municipalities in
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
. It lies at the
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
of the
Sava
The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally th ...
and Krka rivers and also stands at the junction of a number of international traffic routes.
Settlements
In addition to the municipal seat of Brežice, the municipality also includes the following settlements:
* Arnovo Selo
*
Artiče
Artiče (; german: Artitsch bei Rann) is a settlement in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. It lies in the hills north of the town of Brežice. The area is part of the traditional region of Styria. It is now included in the Lower Sa ...
Bizeljsko
Bizeljsko (; german: Wisell) is a settlement in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. It lies on the right bank of the Sotla River and in terms of its territory is the largest settlement in the Munici ...
Bojsno
Bojsno (; german: Boisno) is a village in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. The area is part of the traditional region of Styria. It is now included in the Lower Sava Statistical Region
The Lower Sava Statistical Region ( sl, Posa ...
Bračna Vas
Bračna Vas (; sl, Bračna vas, german: Bratschendorf) is a small settlement on the right bank of the Sotla River in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. It lies northeast of Bizeljsko, right next to the border with Croatia. The ar ...
*
Brezje pri Bojsnem
Brezje pri Bojsnem (; german: Bresje) is a small settlement to the north of Bojsno in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. The area is part of the traditional region of Styria. It is now included in the Lower Sava Statistical Region. ...
*
Brezje pri Veliki Dolini
Brezje pri Veliki Dolini () is a settlement in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. The area is part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola. It is now included in the Lower Sava Statistical Region
The Lower Sava Statistical Regi ...
*
Brezovica na Bizeljskem
Brezovica na Bizeljskem (; in older sources also ''Brezje'', german: Birkdorf) is a settlement south of Bizeljsko in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. The area is part of the traditional region of Styria. It is now included in the ...
*
Brvi
Brvi () is a settlement to the south of Bizeljsko in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. The area is part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola. It is now included with the rest of the municipality in the Lower Sava Statistica ...
*
Bukošek
Bukošek (, german: Bukoschek) is a settlement northeast of Brežice in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. The area is part of the traditional region of Styria. It is now included with the rest of the municipality in the Lower Sava ...
Bušeča Vas
Bušeča Vas (; sl, Bušeča vas, german: Puschendorf''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 70.) is a village on the right bank of the Krk ...
Dramlja
Dramlja (; in older sources also ''Dramlje'', german: Dramle) is a settlement in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. It lies in the valley of Dramlja Creek, a tributary of the Sutla, Sotla River, close to the border with Croatia. The ...
Jesenice
Jesenice (, german: Aßling''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru'', vol. 6: Kranjsko. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 144.) is a Slovenian town and the seat of the Municipality of Jesenice on the ...
Mostec
Mostec (, german: Brückel''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 4: ''Štajersko''. 1904. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 8.) is a village in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia. The ...
Rajec
Rajec ( hu, Rajec; german: Rajetz) is a town in the Žilina District, Žilina Region in northern Slovakia.
Etymology
Rajec, Rajčianka, Rajčanka are derived from Proto-Slavic appelative ''*rajь'' – a wet, muddy place (modern Slovak ''raj' ...
Velika Dolina
Velika Dolina (; german: Großdolina''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 68.) (literally, 'big valley') is a village in the Municipality o ...
hot spring
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...
s have contributed to the development of the largest natural spa and the second largest tourist center in Slovenia, Čateške Toplice (the Terme Čatež Thermal Health Resort).Terme Čatež site /ref> The Municipality of Brežice also offers visitors recreation and entertainment, as well as sports including hunting and fishing. The surrounding hills are ideal for fruit growing and
viticulture
Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
. The
vineyard
A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
s of the
Bizeljsko
Bizeljsko (; german: Wisell) is a settlement in the Municipality of Brežice in eastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. It lies on the right bank of the Sotla River and in terms of its territory is the largest settlement in the Munici ...
and Pišece districts are renowned for their top-quality wines.