Ljutomer

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Občina Ljutomer

Area:

107.2 km²

Population

11,720

- males

5,733

- females

5,987

Mayor:

Franc Jurša

Average age:

41.45 years

Residential areas:

29.60 m²/person

- households:

3,906

- families:

3,370

Working active:

5,705

- unemployed:

1,090

Average monthly salary (August 2003):

- gross:

196,283 SIT

- net:

128,831 SIT

College/university students:

356

Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, census of 2002.

Ljutomer (German: Luttenberg in der Steiermark) is a municipality in northeast Slovenia, some 40 km eastern of Maribor in the Slovenian Styria, near the Croatian border. Until 1918 bilingual (Slovenian and German). 1880: 608 Slovenians, 468 Germans.

Ljutomer was a birthplace of ethnologue Stanko Vraz (1810-1851), Austrian philologist of Slovenian origin Franz von Miklosich slovene Franc Miklošič (1813-1891), pioneer of Slovenian film making Karel Grossmann (1864-1929), painter Ante Trstenjak (1894–1970), and is a home of the bowler Miro Steržaj (1933-). The economy of Ljutomer is based on wine, and grape farming.

[edit] The History of Ljutomer and its surroundings

Ljutomer, the heart of Prlekija, was first mentioned as a settlement in 1242 and it became a borough in 1265. It was devastated by plagues and fires and it had to defend itself against Turkish and Hungarian raids. The concept of the United Slovenia was embodied here in the first mass meeting of Slovene nationalists in 1868. Ljutomer was given town status in 1927. The tradition of the Slovenian national awakening of the 19th century is continued by the library, the museum, the art gallery, The Horsemen’s Association and different clubs. Ljutomerske gorice (Ljutomer vineyard hills) are famous for top quality wines and fine cuisine. Gourmets can choose among dishes like žganci, milk soup, sour cream soup with mushrooms, potato sour cream soup, mushroom soup with buckwheat, pork from tünka and many others. There are three main squares in the city centre, each boasting with its own shrine. On Stari trg there is St. Ana Chapel dating from 1756, showing St. Ana on the front and St. Anton and St. Florien on the side walls. On its back side there is the Sacred Heart and the Holy Trinity. On Glavni trg there is a monument dedicated to Mary: on its pedestal are statues of St. Rok, and St. Boštjan. It was set up in 1729 by the mayor. Before that this place had been a pillory for offenders, so other people could make fun of them. On Miklošičev trg there is St Florien Chapel which was built in 1736 and which is a part of the church walls. The church of John the Baptist has five altars, one with the picture of John the Baptist, then there is one with St. John, one with Rosary, one with the Holy Cross and one with Janez Nepomuk There are three bells in the bell tower. The church got pipe organ in 1737, but unfortunately it was destroyed in 1901 when a fire broke out. After the fire the church was renovated. There used to be a graveyard around the church. Today the bust of the linguist Franc Miklošič is in front of the church. The narrow landscape between the Mura and the Drava, the latter making the border of Prlekija, is the birthplace of many important men in Slovenian art, science, politics and religion. In the city is industry too: Mlekopromet (creamery), Konos (leather factory), Krka (medicine factory), Mura (fashion industry) and Murales (wooden chairs and tables). In May 2008 the renovation of the Glavni trg.