Velenje

Velenje ( German: Wöllan ) is a town with 34,339 inhabitants ( 2008) in northeastern Slovenia, some 60 km north-east of the regional capital Ljubljana located. In addition, the surrounding area of ​​Velenje forms under the same name one of the 210 municipalities ( see chart), which divided the country. It is the seat of domestic appliances manufacturer Gorenje.

Stari Velenje (the part at the foot of the castle ) was first documented in 1264 and 1374 mentioned as a market town and was a center of handicraft and trade. After the Second World War Novo Velenje was a modern industrial and mining town, built. In 1981, the city was renamed in Titovo Velenje, 1991, the city has been brought back the old name shortly before Slovenia became independent.

Velenje as a German sister city since 1970 Esslingen am Neckar.

• 2.1 Established businesses
• 2.2 traffic
• 2.3 Education

Culture and sights

Theaters and cultural institutions

• House of Culture
• City ​​Library
• Youth Centre

Museums

• Slovenian Museum of Mining: Mine and Mining Museum with multimedia presentation of the history of development of lignite mining in the Salek valley (because fire is currently closed)
• Velenje Museum (Castle): African art collection of František Foit; Collection of Baroque art; reconstructed old general store; Collection of the remains of a Urweltelefanten; The collection of Slovenian 20th century art; Exhibition on Urban Development
• Private fire museum

Music

• Mixed Choir of the school center Velenje
• Internationally-known chapel in the coal mine
• Organ Hall of the Music School

Structures

The development and urban education Velenjes began in many parts until after 1950. Thus, the city, although mentioned in 1264 as a market, does not have a medieval old town. Only the castle and a few buildings at the old market recall this early period. The town is now sticking out of the last 50 years resulting in buildings of modern architecture, from the mainly public buildings ( town hall, library, community center, community college ), determined large green spaces and generous road layout.

• Velenje castle: pentagonal floor plan with a closed courtyard, built in the 13th century, in the 16th century transformation into a Renaissance palace, is now regarded as the system 's best-preserved among the castles in the Salek valley
• Villa Herbert Stein: representative suburban villa of the 19th century with ornate wooden ceiling profile ( guesthouse and restaurant )

Parks

• Landscape park scale: diverse, incurred as a result of coal mining habitat, including over 120 bird species

Sports

Velenje has not least due to the young average age of the population over a wide range of sports and leisure activities. It provides the tourist and recreation center " Lakeside " the core of the leisure infrastructure project, it is located on the shores of Lake Velenje incurred due to mining and also in international comparison, a successful example of the restoration and revitalization of former mining areas dar.

• Tourism and recreation center " Lakeside ": equestrian center (30 ha) with competition site; Football and athletics stadium; Tennis center with two indoor and eight outdoor playgrounds, gym; Water sports center with swimming holes, beach volleyball playgrounds, soccer field, mini golf, table tennis
• Sports and recreation center " Red Hall ": outdoor and indoor swimming pool; Multi-purpose hall with 1300 spectators
• Swimming pool and indoor swimming pool (25 x 12 m ) with sauna
• Winter and summer ski center with five hills ( up to 94 m long)

Velenje was the venue for the European Cross Country Championships in 1999 and the European Cross Country Championships 2011.

Regular events

Among the numerous events held regularly by the crime committed since 1990 Pippi Longstocking Festival stands out. It has evolved in recent years the largest international children's festival in Slovenia.

• February: Parade of humor with well-known comedians from all over Slovenia
• May: Flower market
• Mai: Cultural Day of youth in the Castle Velenje
• June: international athletics competition
• June: Review of the ski jumper ( night race ) / Ski Jumping Challenge
• June: Auto racing by Velenje and environment
• July: Day of miners with mountain Parade
• July: Summer Cultural Events
• July: Night on the Lake ( largest music and entertainment show in the Salek valley)
• September: Pippi Longstocking Festival ( week-long children's festival )
• December: Christmas and New Year market

Economy and infrastructure

Established businesses

• Bisol doo: Mono and polycrystalline solar modules, 40 % of employees are physically disabled
• Gorenje dd: Manufacture and sale of household appliances
• Premogovnik Velenje dd: Mining companies, 1966 employees (2005)
• Vegrad, dd: international construction company, 897 employees in Germany, 100 employees abroad ( 2000)

Traffic

Velenje is connected by the railway line Celje - Velenje, an extension of the now partly disused Slovenian Lavanttalbahn of Dravograd ( Unterdrauburg ), with the next largest city of Celje.

Education

• School center Velenje: one of the largest training centers in Slovenia; four vocational schools; a secondary school; a technical school; between a company training center; currently used by approximately 3800 students and adults
• Community College
• Music school " Fran Korun Koželski "

Sons and daughters of the town

• Gašper Berlot (* 1990), Nordic combined
• Ana Golob (* 1990), football player
• Natalija Golob ( born 1986 ), football player
• Klemen Lavrič ( b. 1981 ), football player
• Luis Murschetz (* 1936), children's book author
• Sanel Šehić ( born 1984 ), football player
• Bernard Vajdić (* 1980), skier