Posavje region


Surface	885 km²
№ of municipalities	6
Population (2016)	75.711
Working population (2015)	29.662
Registered unemployment rate (2015)	13,6%
№ of companies (2014)	5293
Regional GDP (2014)	15.409 EUR / na prebivalca
Tourist overnight stays (2015)	649.912
Utilised agricultural area (2013)	27.130 ha

In the last few years, Posavje Region has become increasingly recognised. In terms of its acreage, it is one of the smaller Slovenian regions, which makes it, accordingly to the local people, adorable. A little less than a thousand square kilometres in the south-eastern part of Slovenia is sparsely populated, where the pace of life and development are dictated by the Rivers Sava, Krka and Sotla.

Six town centres, namely Krško, Brežice, Sevnica, Kostanjevica na Krki, Radeče, and Bistrica ob Sotli, are economically and culturally vibrant urban centres. The Posavje Region is a region with exceptional geo-strategic potential, as it is a border region with well-developed transport infrastructure, which is naturally and economically well interlinked.

Highway Ljubljana - Zagreb runs through the region, and a military - civilian airport Cerklje ob Krki is located in the region. The region’s energy pool including Nuclear Power Plant Krško, thermal power plant in Brestanica and chain of hydroelectric power plants on the lower Sava River meets 38 % of the total electricity demand in Slovenia.

The most important industrial sectors can be found in the region, such as the paper, metal, textile, wood, and food industries. Development of economy is the region’s primary focus. In order to keep highly educated youth in the region, the region has developed an effective scholarship scheme.

The largest proportion of the population lives in rural areas with natural conditions for development of agriculture, fruit cultivation, viticulture, accommodation and food service activities, and tourism. Genuine culinary offer attracts many new tourists, who can, in addition to culinary pleasures, enjoy themselves in the Terme Čatež Spa and Paradiso Spa & Wellness Centre or in recreational activities, such as cycling, golf, hunting and increasingly popular sport fishing.

The Posavje Region is also marked by few less known, but extremely important cultural monuments, medieval castles, and churches.

MUNICIPALITIES

Krško

The Municipality of Krško is the biggest municipality in the region. In the past, Krško developed mainly because of its manufacturing industry and energetics; however, in the last few years, its economy has undergone radical changes. There are nuclear power plant, thermal power plant and hydroelectric power plants on the lower Sava River. The municipality has a long tradition of metalworking and paper industries, as well as viticulture and cultivation of fruit. The municipality also prides itself with rich legacy of the past: archaeological findings from the Stone Age in the cave Ajdovska jama, from the Iron Age in Libna above Krško, remainders of the old Roman city and in the river port Neviodunum near Drnovo, medieval castles and churches – Rajhenburg Castle above Brestanica is the first castle to be mentioned in written literature.

Brežice

The Municipality of Brežice is located at the confluence of the Rivers Sava and Krka. It has a tremendously interesting geographic location, for there are important road and railroad connections that run through Brežice. The municipality consists of 109 settlements or local communities. The main economic activities are trading, smaller companies and craft, as well as tourism. The Terme Čatež Spa is one of the biggest tourist complexes in Slovenia. The municipality prides itself with numerous tourist attractions, monuments, and four castles from the 14 and 15 centuries, namely the Brežice Castle, the Pišece Castle, the Bizeljsko Castle and the Mokrice Castle, which is surrounded by a golf course. The Brežice Castle offers shelter to the Posavje Museum and the Knight’s Hall. The Brežice Water Tower is the symbol of the municipality.

Sevnica

The Municipality of Sevnica is located in the north-west part of the Posavje Region. The basin and its beautiful landscape is surrounded by the Posavsko hribovje Hills, and on the right bank of the Sava River landscape rises gently towards the Dolenjska Region. Sevnica Castle is located on a hill above the old town center of Sevnica. Where the current castle stands once stood a castle that was probably built in the first half of the 12th century. The Lutheran cellar on its slope was built in the 16 century and was allegedly occasionally visited by Jurij Dalmatin. Forested areas and a mild climate offer numerous opportunities for recreation and sport. The municipality is known mostly for its textile industry, wood-processing industry, and metal-processing and chemical industries.

Kostanjevica na Krki

The Municipality of Kostanjevica na Krki is a newly created municipality, located in the south part of the region. The municipality prides itself with its cultural and natural heritage. Kostanjevica na Krki is situated on an island and is one of the oldest and the smallest Slovenian towns. It was first mentioned in 1220 as the seat of the parish, and gained town rights in 1252. The old town structure with two parallel streets that meet in the northwest and southeast has remained the same until the present day and was declared a cultural monument. The town is also known as the “Venice of Dolenjska” because of its frequent floods and many cultural monuments and collections opened for the visitors: Bozidar Jakac Gallery and Forma viva. Other tourist attractions offered by Kostanjevica na Krki include a karstic cave, lowland flood forest Krakov, boating of the River Krka, fishing, hunting and culinary delights.

Radeče

The Municipality of Radeče is situated along the Sava River, next to the highest Sava Hills peaks Kum (1220 m) and Lisca (948 m), between the towns Zidani most and Sevnica, and among rail and road routs, which connect the Dolenjska Region, Celje Basin and Lower and Upper Sava Hills. It consists of 3 local communities, and 23 settlements, or, in terms of its acreage, of 50 km². In 1925, Radeče was formally given the town status by a decree issued by King Alexander. Until 1951, local administration seat was located in Radeče, then it moved to Hrastnik, and later on to Laško. Radeče became independent municipality again on January 1, 1995. In the past, Radeče was known for craftsmen, the presence of which can be felt even today, as the local people revive their customs and habits with traditional rafting and rafters' christening.

Bistrica ob Sotli

The Municipality of Bistrica ob Sotli was first part of the Municipality of Podčetrtek, but became independent municipality in 1999. It is situated along the Sotla River and borders to the Municipality of Podčetrtek in the north, Municipality of Brežice in the south, Municipality of Kozje in the west, and to Croatia in the east. Throughout the centuries, the picturesque cultivated landscape of the municipality was mainly marked by agriculture. The municipality comprises 11 villages. The area is well-known for Pilgrimage Route to Svete gore (527 m), which consists of five sanctuaries or the so called Stations of the Cross.