Pečica (pronounced [pɛˈtʃiːtsa]) is a settlement in the Municipality of Šmarje pri Jelšah in eastern Slovenia. It lies in the hills north of Sladka Gora. The area is part of the historical Styria region. The municipality is now included in the Savinja Statistical Region.[2]

Pečica
Sveti Mihael (until 1955)
Pečica is located in Slovenia
Pečica
Pečica
Location in Slovenia
Coordinates: 46°16′18.85″N 15°32′3.92″E / 46.2719028°N 15.5344222°E / 46.2719028; 15.5344222
Country Slovenia
Traditional regionStyria
Statistical regionSavinja
MunicipalityŠmarje pri Jelšah
Area
 • Total
2.77 km2 (1.07 sq mi)
Elevation
470.1 m (1,542.3 ft)
Population
 (2002)
 • Total
109
[1]

Geography

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Pečica includes the hamlet of Orehova Vas (Slovene: Orehova vas) southeast of the village church.

Name

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The name of the settlement was changed from Sveti Mihael (literally, 'Archangel Michael') to Pečica (literally, 'small cliff/cave') in 1955. The name was changed on the basis of the 1948 Law on Names of Settlements and Designations of Squares, Streets, and Buildings as part of efforts by Slovenia's postwar communist government to remove religious elements from toponyms.[3][4][5] Before Pečica became the name of the entire settlement, the name used to refer to one of the hamlets in the settlement.[6]

Church

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The local church is dedicated to Saint Michael and belongs to the Parish of Sladka Gora. It is a medieval building that was partially rebuilt and restyled in the Baroque.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
  2. ^ Šmarje pri Jelšah municipal site
  3. ^ Spremembe naselij 1948–95. 1996. Database. Ljubljana: Geografski inštitut ZRC SAZU, DZS.
  4. ^ Premk, F. 2004. Slovenska versko-krščanska terminologija v zemljepisnih imenih in spremembe za čas 1921–1967/68. Besedoslovne lastnosti slovenskega jezika: slovenska zemljepisna imena. Ljubljana: Slavistično društvo Slovenije, pp. 113–132.
  5. ^ Urbanc, Mimi, & Matej Gabrovec. 2005. Krajevna imena: poligon za dokazovanje moči in odraz lokalne identitete. Geografski vestnik 77(2): 25–43.
  6. ^ Savnik, Roman, ed. 1976. Krajevni leksikon Slovenije, vol. 3. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije. p. 378.
  7. ^ Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritage reference number ešd 3363
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