Kranj
Kranj
| Kranj, Slovenia | |||
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| — City and Municipality — | |||
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 Kranj, Slovenia
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| Coordinates: 46°14′N 14°22′E / 46.233°N 14.367°ECoordinates: 46°14′N 14°22′E / 46.233°N 14.367°E | |||
| Country |  Slovenia |
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| Region | Upper Carniola | ||
| Municipality | Kranj | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Mohor Bogataj | ||
| - Deputy Mayor | Bojan Homan | ||
| - Deputy Mayor | Stane Štraus | ||
| - Deputy Mayor | Igor Velov | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 148 km2 (57.1 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - Total | 53,000 | ||
| - Density | 358.1/km2 (927.5/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+01) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+02) | ||
| Website | kranj.si | ||
| Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, census of 2002 | |||
Kranj (help·info) (known in historic sources at various times as Carnium, Creina, Chreina or Krainburg) is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 (2010). It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana. The centre of the Upper Carniola region (northwestern Slovenia) is a mainly industrial city with significant electronics and rubber industries. The historical region of Carniola (Slovene: Kranjska) is named after the town, which was its provincial capital in the early Middle ages.
The city is now also known for its sports facilities, including soccer tennis and basketball, as well as the biggest aquatic centre in the country, which hosted the 2003 Men's European Water Polo Championship (along with Ljubljana, hosting the women's competition). The annual Teden Mladih (Youth Week) festival and Festival Carniola are very popular.
The nucleus of the city is a well-preserved medieval old town, built at the confluence of the Kokra and the Sava rivers.
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Geography
The city lies on the busy Ljubljana - Jesenice - Villach (Austria) - Munich (Germany) railway (served by Kranj's railway station) and highway.
Slovenia's national airport, Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (in Brnik) is also very close to Kranj, considerably more so than its nominal client, Ljubljana.
Towns and villages
Babni Vrt, Bobovek, Brdo pri Kranju, Breg ob Savi, Britof, Čadovlje, Čepulje, Golnik, Goriče, Hrastje, Ilovka, Jama, Jamnik, Javornik, Kokrica, Kranj, Lavtarski Vrh, Letenice, Mavčiče, Meja, Mlaka pri Kranju, Nemilje, Njivica, Orehovlje, Pangršica, Planica, Podblica, Podreča, Povlje, Praše, Predoslje, Pševo, Rakovica, Spodnja Besnica, Spodnje Bitnje, Srakovlje, Srednja vas - Goriče, Srednje Bitnje, Suha pri Predosljah, Sveti Jošt nad Kranjem, Šutna, Tatinec, Tenetiše, Trstenik, Zabukovje, Zalog, Zgornja Besnica, Zgornje Bitnje, Žabnica, Žablje
Landmarks
- Plečnik Steps
- Kokra Canyon
- Šum Falls in Besnica
- Šmarjetna gora (Mount St. Margaret)
- The village of Podreča
- Gora sv. Jošta (Mount St. Jodocus)
Church of St. Cantianus
Sts. Cantius, Cantianius, Cantianella and Prot Church (Cerkev Sv. Kancija, Kancijana, Kancijanile in Prota) is the largest church in Kranj and also the seat of the Kranj parish and deaconates. It was built in the 14th century, and measures 442m³. Construction was commissioned by the then-counts of Kranj.
Kieselstein Castle
The castle was built in the mid-16th century by baron Janž Khisl. Later owners have included the Moscon, Ravbar, Apfaltrer, Ausperg, and Pagliaruzzi families. The building was renovated in 1952 by the architect Jože Plečnik, near the end of his life. The castle garden is currently used as a setting for concerts.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Kranj is twinned with:
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Notable people
- Leopold Layer (1752–1828), painter
- Friderik Irenej Baraga (1797–1868), missionary
- France Prešeren (1800–1849), poet
- Janez Bleiweis (1808–1881), politician
- Janez Puhar (1814–1864), inventor of photography on glass
- Simon Jenko (1835–1869), poet
- Ciril Metod Koch (1867–1925), architect
- Janez Mencinger (1838–1912), writer
- Ernst Mally (1879–1944), philosopher
- Hinko Smrekar (1883–1942), painter
- Ivan Pregelj (1883–1960), writer
- Lojze Dolinar (1893–1970), sculptor
- Franc Novak (1908), gynaecologist
- Peter Lipar (1912–1980), composer
- Marij Pregelj (1913–1967), painter
- Marjan Šorli (1915–1975), architect
- Davorin Dolar (1921), chemist
- Zvone Černe (1927–2007), industrialist
- Boštjan Hladnik (1929–2006), film director
- Marko Pogačnik (1944), sculptor
- Andrej Šifrer (1952), musician
- Andrej Štremfelj (1957), alpinist
- Borut Petrič and Darjan Petrič (1964), freestyle swimmers
- Primož Grašič (1968), guitarist
- Gregor Fučka (1971), Italian basketball player
- Marko Milič (1977), Slovenian basketball player
- Aleksandar Radosavljevic (born 1979), footballer
- Robert Kranjec (born 1981), ski jumper
- Vesna Fabjan (born 1985), cross country skier
- Bojan Jokic (born 1986), footballer
- Domen Lorbek (born 1985), Slovenian basketball player
External connections
- ^ Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, census of 2002
- ^ Kranj Tourist Board publication Kranj, Open City for Europe, 2007 ISBN978-961-92218-2-2
- ^ Waterfall "Šum" in Besnica
- ^ Mount Šmarjetna
- ^ St. Kancijan's Church
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