Celje is the third largest city in Slovenia. Exhibiting the typical characteristics of a Central European city, it is the regional center of Lower Styria and the administrative seat of the municipality of the same name - the Urban Municipality of Celje (Mestna občina Celje). Celje is located under Upper Celje Castle (407 m) at the confluence of the Savinja (German: Sann), Ložnica, and Voglajna (with its tributary Hudinja) rivers in the lowest part of the Savinja Valley. It is 241 m above mean sea level (MSL).
The first urban settlement in the area of Celje appeared during the Hallstatt era. The settlement was known in the Celtic times as Kelea; Celts coined money in the region.
Once the area was incorporated in the Roman Empire, it was known as Civitas Celeia. It received municipal rights in AD 46 under the name municipium Claudia Celeia during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius (41-54). Written records suggest that the town was rich and densely populated, secured with the walls and towers, full of multi-storied marble palaces, wide squares, and streets. It was called Troia secunda, or the second or small Troy. A Roman road through Celeia led from Aquileia (Sln. Oglej) to Pannonia. Celeia soon became one of the most flourishing Roman colonies, and possessed numerous great buildings, of which the temple of Mars was famous throughout the whole empire. Celeia was incorporated with Aquileia ca. 320 under the Roman Emperor Constantine I (272-337).
The city was razed by Slavic tribes during the Migration period of the 5th and 6th century, but was rebuilt in the Early Middle Ages. The first mention of Celje in the Middle Ages was under the name of Cylie in Admont's Chronicle, which was written between 1122 and 1137.
PLACE TO VISIT
Celje Castle, is a castle in Celje, Slovenia. It is located near the banks of the river Savinja. It was founded in 1322 but has since undergone much change and since 18th century is mainly a large ruin. It represents one of the largest fortification and castle in Slovene territory. For a long time of period during the 14th and 15th century it was the seat of the Counts of Celje.
The Celje is a community center in Celje, Slovenia. It was built in an eclectic style by the Viennese architect Peter Paul Brang between 1905 and 1906 as the main seat of ethnic German associations in town. At such, it was intended to contrast with the Slovenian Community Center (Sln. Narodni dom), which had a similar function for the local Slovenes. The building's original name was the "German Center" (German Deutsches Haus) and it was used as the main community center for the purposes of the local German-speaking population and by those that identified with German culture.
Celje Post Office is the administrative post office in the city of Celje, Slovenia.
The building was built in the Art Nouveau design in the 1890s. Celje previously used the number 63000 between 1945-1991, but on becoming independent now uses the number SI-3000.
National Hall is a city hall in Celje, Slovenia. It was built between 1895 and 1896 and today hosts the seat of a township. It was designed by Jan Vladimir Hrásky.
WHAT TO DO
The obvious thing to do in Celje is simply walk, and take in the amazing views of all the historic buildings they have. If you're missing being near a computer and e-mail, in downtown, they have a cyber cafe. The cost was 150 tolars per hour (around 90 cents). Spend a whole day just walking around, maybe taking pictures. In some places, they have the original cobblestone roads, which are beautiful.
