Location

Bistrica ob Sotli lays in the east of Slovenia, just by the Croatian border, by the Sotla river. The closest towns are Brežice and Krško (round 25 kilometers south, southwest), third closest is Celje (50 km northwest).

Bistrica ob Sotli, including the surroundings, has around 1500 of habitants. Despite that, Šompeter (local name of the village) is quite a vivid place.

First name of the village was Leskovec, after that Sveti Peter pri Kunšperku, Sveti Peter pod Svetimi Gorami and since 1952 Bistrica ob Sotli. The first mention of St. Peter church comes from year 1257. It become a parish round 1640 and had branches in Bizeljsko and Polje pri Bistrici. The shape of the settlement is defined by the widened crossroad of three roads, where village houses are gathered. They got their actual image in the middle of 19 th century; classicist cover, nice carved portals. School lessons started in 1783.

Above the village Svete Gore (holy mountains), an old pilgrimage point, are rising. Above the neighboring village Kunšperk there are the ruins of once mighty Kunšperk castle, that was built between 1174 and 1178 on the place of an older castle.