Tuhinj Valley
Encyclopedia
The Tuhinj Valley is a valley in Slovenia
linking the Celje Basin
with the Ljubljana Basin
in an east-west direction along the courses of the Nevljica
and Motnišnica rivers.
The western part of the valley was formed by the watershed
of the Nevljica
, flowing into the Kamniška Bistrica
, and the narrower, eastern part by the Motnišnica, a tributary of the Savinja River
. Their drainage divide is at the Kozjak Pass at an elevation
of 655 m between Cirkuše v Tuhinju
and Špitalič
. The largest settlements in the valley include Laze v Tuhinju
, Šmartno v Tuhinju
, and Motnik
. The large number of old settlements points to the fact that the valley was an important thoroughfare
in the Middle Ages
and later as the passage between Lower Styria
and Upper Carniola
.
Until the mid-20th century brown coal
was mined in the valley near Motnik
. Tourism has only recently started to develop with the building of the Snovik Spa..
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
linking the Celje Basin
Celje
Celje is a typical Central European town and the third largest town in Slovenia. It is a regional center of Lower Styria and the administrative seat of the Urban Municipality of Celje . The town of Celje is located under Upper Celje Castle at the confluence of the Savinja, Ložnica, and Voglajna...
with the Ljubljana Basin
Ljubljana basin
The Ljubljana Basin is a basin in the upper river basin of Sava. It is the most populated area in Slovenia and it is metropolitan area of Ljubljana.- Cities and towns :* Ljubljana** Brezovica** Škofljica** Ig** Vodice** Dobrova-Polhov Gradec...
in an east-west direction along the courses of the Nevljica
Nevljica
Nevljica is a river in the Kamnik municipality, Slovenia. It comes out under Kozjak and flows through the Tuhinj Valley. It also flows through the village of Nevlje.Many bones of an ice age mammoth were found by Nevljica river in this village in 1938...
and Motnišnica rivers.
The western part of the valley was formed by the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Nevljica
Nevljica
Nevljica is a river in the Kamnik municipality, Slovenia. It comes out under Kozjak and flows through the Tuhinj Valley. It also flows through the village of Nevlje.Many bones of an ice age mammoth were found by Nevljica river in this village in 1938...
, flowing into the Kamniška Bistrica
Kamniška Bistrica
Kamniška Bistrica is an Alpine river in northern Slovenia, left tributary of the river Sava. It springs from the Kamnik Alps , near the border with Austria. It is long. The Kamniška Bistrica flows through the town of Kamnik, where it is fed by the river Nevljica...
, and the narrower, eastern part by the Motnišnica, a tributary of the Savinja River
Savinja
The Savinja is a river in northeast Slovenia which flows mostly in the Upper and Lower Savinja valley and through the cities of Celje and Laško. The Savinja is the main river of the Savinja Alps . It flows into Sava River at the town of Zidani Most. It has often flooded, such as in the 1960s,...
. Their drainage divide is at the Kozjak Pass at an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 655 m between Cirkuše v Tuhinju
Cirkuše v Tuhinju
Cirkuše v Tuhinju is a small settlement in the Tuhinj Valley in the Kamnik municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.- External links :*...
and Špitalič
Špitalic, Kamnik
Špitalič is a village in the Tuhinj Valley in the municipality of Kamnik in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.The church in the village is dedicated to Saint Anthony the Hermit and was originally built in the 13th century, but renovated in the 19th century in a Baroque style.Next to the church...
. The largest settlements in the valley include Laze v Tuhinju
Laze v Tuhinju
Laze v Tuhinju is a village in the Tuhinj Valley in the Kamnik municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.-External links:*...
, Šmartno v Tuhinju
Šmartno v Tuhinju
Šmartno v Tuhinju is a village in the Tuhinj Valley in the Kamnik municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.The Parish Church in the village is dedicated to Saint Martin.-External links:*...
, and Motnik
Motnik
Motnik is a village in the Tuhinj Valley in the Kamnik municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.The Parish Church in Motnik is dedicated to Saint George and is a Baroque building with 19th century furnishings. Close by is a smaller church, the chapel of Mary Magdalene...
. The large number of old settlements points to the fact that the valley was an important thoroughfare
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and later as the passage between Lower Styria
Lower Styria
Lower Styria or Slovenian Styria is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of Lower Styria in its historical boundaries amounts to around 705,000 inhabitants, or 34.5% of the population of Slovenia...
and Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
.
Until the mid-20th century brown coal
Lignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, or Rosebud coal by Northern Pacific Railroad,is a soft brown fuel with characteristics that put it somewhere between coal and peat...
was mined in the valley near Motnik
Motnik
Motnik is a village in the Tuhinj Valley in the Kamnik municipality in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.The Parish Church in Motnik is dedicated to Saint George and is a Baroque building with 19th century furnishings. Close by is a smaller church, the chapel of Mary Magdalene...
. Tourism has only recently started to develop with the building of the Snovik Spa..