Celje

Sister cities

• Graz
• Singen
• Slavonski Brod
• Grevenbroich
• Cherepovets
• Spittal an der Drau
• Ćuprija
• Zonguldak
• Budva
• Doboj
• Gaziantep

History

The first settlement in the area of Celje appeared during the Hallstatt era. The settlement was known in Celtic times and to Ancient Greek historians as Kelea; findings suggest that Celts coined Noric money in the region. Once the area was incorporated in the Roman Empire in 15 BC, it was known as Civitas Celeia. It received municipal rights in AD 45 under the name municipium Claudia Celeia during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius (41–54). Records suggest that the town was rich and densely populated, secured with the walls and towers, containing multi-storied marble palaces, wide squares, and streets. It was called Troia secunda, the second; or small Troy. A Roman road through Celeia led from Aquileia (Sln. Oglej) to Pannonia. Celeia became a flourishing Roman colony, and many great buildings were constructed, including the temple of Mars, which was known across the Roman Empire. Celeia was incorporated into Aquileia c. 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 centuries, but was rebuilt in the Early Middle Ages. The first mention of Celje in the Middle Ages was under the name of Cylie in Wolfhold von Admont's Chronicle, which was written between 1122 and 1137. The town was the seat of the Counts of Celje from 1341 to 1456, with princely status from 1436. It acquired market-town status in the first half of the 14th century and town privileges from Count Frederick II on 11 April 1451. After the Counts of Celje died out in 1456, the region was inherited by the Habsburgs of Austria and administered by the Duchy of Styria. The city walls and defensive moat were built in 1473. The town defended itself against the Turks and during the Slovene peasant revolt of…

Geography

Celje has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb).