Rifnik

Rifnik is a settlement in the Municipality of Šentjur, eastern Slovenia. It lies on Rifnik Hill, just south of the town of Šentjur. The settlement, and the entire municipality, are included in the Savinja Statistical Region, which is in the Slovenian portion of the historical Duchy of Styria.

Name

Rifnik was first attested in written sources in 1326 as Reichenekk. The name originally referred to the castle at the site, a compound formed from the Middle High German personal name Rîcho + egge 'hill, castle'. The name therefore originally meant 'Rîcho's castle'.

Archaeological park

is located on the hilltop above the settlement. It has a permanent exhibition about local prehistoric and ancient finds curated by the Celje Regional Museum.

Castle

The settlement is best known for its 13th-century castle. The castle was abandoned in the 17th century, but the remains of the residential part and the fortifications are still visible.