Žiče, Slovenske Konjice

Žiče (pronounced [ˈʒiːtʃɛ]; German: Seitzdorf[2]) is a village in the Municipality of Slovenske Konjice in eastern Slovenia. It lies on the right bank of the Dravinja River near its confluence with Žičnica Creek, a minor right tributary that flows just south of the village. It is best known for the Žiče Charterhouse, a 12th-century monastery that is not actually in the settlement, but 6 km further up the valley of Žičnica Creek. The area is part of the traditional region of Styria. The municipality is now included in the Savinja Statistical Region.[3]

Žiče
Žiče Location in Slovenia
Coordinates: 46°18′41.13″N 15°28′51.56″E
Country	Slovenia
Traditional region	Styria
Statistical region	Savinja
Municipality	Slovenske Konjice
Area
• Total	4.67 km^2 (1.80 sq mi)
Elevation	279.5 m (917.0 ft)
Population  (2002)
• Total	520
[1]

Name

Žiče was attested in written sources in 1145 as Si^etss (and as Siz in 1177, Seydes in 1184, and Seitz in 1185). The name is derived from the plural demonym *Zitъčane or *Žiťane, based on the hypocorism *Žitъko or *Žitъ, referring to an early inhabitant of the place.[4] In the past it was known as Seitzdorf in German.[2]

Church

The parish church in the settlement is dedicated to Saint Peter and belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Maribor. It is a 14th-century church that was rebuilt in 1660.[5]

Tourism

• 1998 The village won the European Entente Florale Bronze Medal Award.

References

1. Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
2. Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru, vol. 4: Štajersko. 1904. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 54.
3. Slovenske Konjice municipal site
4. Snoj, Marko. 2009. Etimološki slovar slovenskih zemljepisnih imen. Ljubljana: Modrijan and Založba ZRC, pp. 489–490.
5. Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritage reference number ešd 3543

External links

• Media related to Žiče, Slovenske Konjice at Wikimedia Commons
• Žiče at Geopedia