TheCentral Sava Valley (Slovene:Zasavje) is a valley in theSava Hills and a geographic region along theSava in centralSlovenia, now constituting theCentral Sava Statistical Region. The region consists of three municipalities:Zagorje ob Savi,Trbovlje, andHrastnik. Several coal mines operated in the Central Sava Valley, although all except theTrbovlje–Hrastnik Mine are now defunct. It is surrounded by theSava Hills, withKum (1,220 metres or 4,000 feet) on the right side of the Sava and Black Peak (1,204 metres or 3,950 feet) onČemšenik Pasture [sl] at the left side of the Sava, as its highest peaks.
The Slovene termZasavje for this area[Note 1] is a recent coinage[2][3] that did not come into general use until the 1920s, with the western part of the region being part ofCarniola (Slovene:Kranjska) and its eastern part (Trbovlje and Hrastnik) belonging toStyria (Slovene:Štajerska). Due to itscoalmining tradition, it was one of the first regions in today's Slovenia to be industrialized in the 19th century. Construction of theAustrian Southern Railway, which led fromVienna toTrieste through Slovenia and the Central Sava Valley in 1849, was a major milestone.
Media related toCentral Sava Valley at Wikimedia Commons46°4′47.64″N15°0′26.37″E / 46.0799000°N 15.0073250°E /46.0799000; 15.0073250
