Kranjska Gora

Kranjska Gora
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Kranjska Gora Location in Slovenia
Coordinates:
Country	Slovenia
Traditional region	Upper Carniola
Statistical region	Upper Carniola
Municipality	Kranjska Gora
Area
• Total	44.7 km2 (17.3 sq mi)
Elevation	806.3 m (2,645.3 ft)
Population (2012)
• Total	1,452

Kranjska Gora (pronounced [ˈkɾàːnska ˈɡɔ̀ːɾa]; German: Kronau, Italian: Monte Cragniscacode: it is deprecated ) is a town on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwestern Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders. It is the seat of the Municipality of Kranjska Gora.

Name

Kranjska Gora was first mentioned in written sources in 1326 as Chrainow (and as Chrainau and Chrainaw in 1363, as Cranaw and Chranaw in 1390, and as Kraynaw in 1456–61, among other names). The Slovene name Kranjska Gora is a reworking of the German name, influenced by German Krainberg 'Karawanks'. The settlement was also called Borovska vas (or Borovska ves or Borovška ves) in Slovene in the past.

History

Kranjska Gora is believed to have been settled in the 11th century by Slovenes from Carantania. It was a fief of the Counts of Ortenburg in the 12th century. A trade route to Tarvisio already led through the town in the 14th century. In 1431 the Counts of Celje built a castle at Villa Bassa (now part of Tarvisio), which belonged to the town until 1848. Kranjska Gora came under Ottoman attack in 1476. A railroad connection was built to Kranjska Gora in 1870.

Mass grave

Savsko Naselje Mass Grave

Kranjska Gora is the site of a mass grave from the end of the Second World War. The Savsko Naselje Mass Grave (Slovene: Grobišče v Savskem naselju), also known as the Rušar Meadow Mass Grave (Grobišče Rušarjev travnik), is located in the eastern part of the town, south of the main road in the Rušar Meadow, between a wooden fence and some trees. The grave contains the remains of up to 35 German soldiers killed in an engagement with the Partisans in May 1945.

Church

View from northeast

Interior

Assumption Church

The Counts of Ortenburg established a church dedicated to Our Lady of the White Gravel (Slovene: Marija na belem produ) in the 14th century, referring to the bank of the Pišnica River, which has since changed course. The current church, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, is late Gothic in style and has typical Carinthian rib vaulting. It contains two sculptures from the second half of the 15th century and paintings by Leopold Layer (1752–1828).

Recreation

Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps. It annually hosts an event in the Alpine skiing World Cup series, also known as the Vitranc Cup, for the slalom and giant slalom events. The well-known ski jumping hill Planica is located in the nearby Tamar Valley.

Notable people

Notable people that were born or lived in Kranjska Gora include:

• Franjo Kogoj (1894–1983), dermatologist
• Josip Lavtižar (1851–1943), storyteller and local historian
• Janez Mencinger (1819–1909), writer
• Simon Robič (1824–1897), natural scientist
• Janez Smolej (1873–1938), translator and journalist
• Josip Vandot (1884–1944), children's writer

Twin towns — Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Slovenia

• Waasmunster, Belgium
• Santa Marinella, Italy

Gallery

• 

  View from Kranjska Gora.

• 

  Lake Jasna at Kranjska Gora.

• 

  Main street

• 

  Street scene

• 

  Fountain

See also

• Kranjska Gora Ski Resort

External links

• Official Website
• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons