Litija

Description:

Litija is a small mining town lying in the Sava river valley. It is worth visiting for its old city centre with Farbar Castle (Farbarjev grad), Jože Plečnik's monument to the Slovenian National Liberation Front and the Parochial Church of St. Nicholas (Župnijska cerkev sv. Nikolaja).It is located about halfway between the Slovenian capital Ljubljana and Zidani Most.

History
The town of Litija was first mentioned in church scriptures dated to 1145. It developed as a trading post between Trieste, Ljubljana, and Croatia. The town gained market rights in the 14th century. According to Janez Vajkard Valvasor, the name evolved from litus, the Latin word for 'riverbank'. This makes sense since the town lies on both sides of the Sava River and originally depended on it for income. In Roman times mining developed in Litija and remained one of the primary sources of income until the 1965, when the biggest of the mines closed. In 1849 the Austrian Southern Railway reached Litija and boosted its economy. However, this caused the end of most traditional local professions.

Litija's predominantly hilly surroundings, scattered with tourist farms and the remains of several castles, offers ample opportunity for hiking and cycling