| Zgornja Velka | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
Postcard of Zgornja Velka | |
  Zgornja Velka Location in Slovenia | |
| Coordinates: 46°40′35.39″N15°46′13.99″E / 46.6764972°N 15.7705528°E Coordinates: 46°40′35.39″N15°46′13.99″E / 46.6764972°N 15.7705528°E | |
| Country |  |
| Traditional region | Styria |
| Statistical region | Drava |
| Municipality | Šentilj |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.96 km2 (3.07 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 402.8 m (1,321.5 ft) |
| Population (2002) | |
| • Total | 798 |
| [1] | |
Zgornja Velka (pronounced [ˈzɡoːɾnja ˈʋeːlka] ) is a dispersed settlement in the Slovene Hills (Slovene : Slovenske gorice) southeast of Sladki Vrh in the Municipality of Šentilj in northeastern Slovenia. [2]
A dispersed settlement, also known as a scattered settlement, is one of the main types of settlement patterns used by landscape historians to classify rural settlements found in England and other parts of the world. Typically, there are a number of separate farmsteads scattered throughout the area. A dispersed settlement contrasts with a nucleated village.
The Slovene Hills or the Slovenian Hills is the largest hilly region of Slovenia, a smaller part is located in the Austrian province of Styria. It is situated in the northeast of the country and has an area of 1,017 square kilometres (393 sq mi). It comprises the Western Slovene Hills and the Eastern Slovene Hills. The region is known for its vineyards and wines. The central town and municipality is Lenart.
Slovene or Slovenian belongs to the group of South Slavic languages. It is spoken by approximately 2.5 million speakers worldwide, the majority of whom live in Slovenia. It is the first language of about 2.1 million Slovenian people and is one of the 24 official and working languages of the European Union.
The parish church, built on a hill in the southern part of the settlement, is dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows and belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Maribor. It was originally built in the late 17th century and rebuilt as a pilgrimage church in 1791. [3]
A parish church in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, often allowing its premises to be used for non-religious community events. The church building reflects this status, and there is considerable variety in the size and style of parish churches. Many villages in Europe have churches that date back to the Middle Ages, but all periods of architecture are represented.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Maribor is an archdiocese located in the city of Maribor in Slovenia.
A pilgrimage church is a church to which pilgrimages are regularly made, or a church along a pilgrimage route, like the Way of St. James, that is visited by pilgrims.
