Krško Občina Krško
—  Town and Municipality  —
Location of the Municipality of Krško in Slovenia
Krško Location of the Town of Krško in Slovenia
Coordinates: 45°57′N 15°29′E / 45.95°N 15.483°E / 45.95; 15.483Coordinates: 45°57′N 15°29′E / 45.95°N 15.483°E / 45.95; 15.483
Country	Slovenia
Government
- Mayor	Franc Bogovič
Area
- Total	344.9 km2 (133.2 sq mi)
Population (2002)
- Total	27,586
- Density	80/km2 (207.2/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+01)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+02)

Krško is a town and municipality in eastern Slovenia. The town lies on the river Sava. The area was traditionally divided between Lower Styria (territory on the left bank of the river Sava) and Lower Carniola (territory on the right bank of the river Sava). The whole municipality is now included in the Spodnjeposavska statistical region.

Slovenia's only nuclear power plant, the Krško Nuclear Power Plant lies to the southeast of the town.

History

This section requires expansion.

Archaeological evidence shows that the area was settled in prehistoric times. Along the river Sava, numerous Bronze and Iron Age sites as well as Roman remains show continuous occupation. After the Medieval period the area was a Habsburg possession. It was affected by Ottoman raids from the 15th to the 17th centurues.

Main sights

The Krško parish church in the town centre is dedicated to John the Evangelist and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Mesto. It is an originally late 15th century building that was largely rebuilt in 1899. A second parish is the Videm - Krško parish in the southern part of the town. Its parish church is dedicated to Saint Rupert. It was built in 1893 to 1897 in the Neo-Romanesque style. The church in the Stara vas area of the town, dedicated to Saint Michael belongs to this parish. It was built in 1768 to replace an older structure. The church on the right bank of the river Sava is dedicated to the Holy Spirit and was built in 1777 according to plans of the Austrian architect Johann Fuch.

The Capuchin monastery with its church is in the centre of town on the right bank of the river Sava. It was built in 1640 to 1644 and was altered at various stages in its history.

Krško Castle is a 12th-century castle ruin above the old center of the town. Further to the south is Šrajbarski Turn Castle, built in the 16th century.

Natural sights in the municipality include the Kostanjevica Cave at the foot of the Gorjanci hills and the Krakovo forest, the only virgin forest in Slovenia where Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur) grows and provides a habitat for several rare and endangered animal species.

Famous people

To the south of the church of The Holy Spirit is a town house built in 1607 in which the 17th century scholar and polymath Janez Vajkard Valvasor lived the final years of his life. He died there in 1693. Other important figures in Slovene history linked with Krško are Adam Bohorič, a grammarian and early schoolmaster, born in Brestanica in 1520 and his pupil Jurij Dalmatin who translated the entire Bible into Slovene in 1584, born in Krško in around 1547.

Economy

Industries of Krško include construction, metalworking, paper, textiles, wood processing, agriculture, trade, and transportation, while tourism continues to develop.

The fertile flatlands to the southeast of the town along the banks of the river Sava, known as the Krško - brežiško polje, provide for vineyards as well as apple, pear, peach, apricot, and plum orchards. Local vineyards produce wines such as Cviček, Laški Rizling, Modra Frankinja as well as less known local wines such as white and red Sremičan and others, matured in local wine cellars.

See also

• Speedway Grand Prix of Slovenia
• Brežice