The Slovene Association of Historic Towns was established in Ptuj on 12 June 2001. It is organised as an economic interest association and represents those local communities whose urban heritage is considered to be of the highest rank in Slovenia. The culture of settlement in Slovenia, which can be followed from the early prehistoric era through the Middle Ages to the Baroque and down to the post-war period, is extremely rich. A third of Slovenia's towns have been declared monuments according to the Act on Preservation of Cultural Heritage. After 1991 there was a change in the ownership structure of housing, which raised several issues relating to the renovation and conservation of old buildings in ancient town centres. The Association was founded as a common platform for action, and especially as a forum for dialogue with the state agencies and government institutions, with a view to acquiring financial means either at home or abroad.

In 2006 membership the Association comprised the municipalities of Celje, Idrija, Kamnik, Koper, Kranj, Piran, Ptuj, Radovljica, Slovenske Konjice, Škofja Loka and Tržič, together with eight companies that co-operate in the restoration of monuments.

The Slovene Association of Historic Towns is a member of the European Union of Historical Towns, Norwich, UK. It hosted the English Historic Towns Forum in 2004 and co-operated in organising the 16th European Heritage Days of 2006 that opened in the old town of Škofja Loka.