Country Slovenia Statistical region Lower Sava Elevation 150 m Population 703 (2012) | Traditional region Lower Carniola Municipality Kostanjevica na Krki Area 240 ha Local time Friday 6:49 PM | |
Weather 16°C, Wind SW at 11 km/h, 45% Humidity | ||
Kostanjevica na Krki ([kɔˈstaːnjɛʋitsa na ˈkəɾki]; also Kostanjevica ob Krki, German: Landstraß), is a small town in the historic Lower Carniola region of southern Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Kostanjevica na Krki. Today it is part of the Lower Sava Statistical Region. It is located in the northern foothills of the Gorjanci Hills near the border with Croatia. The center of the settlement is on an island in the Krka River, and it is also promoted as the "Venice of Lower Carniola" in Slovenian (Slovene: Dolenjske Benetke).
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Map of 8311 Kostanjevica na Krki, Slovenia
Name
The name of the settlement was changed from Kostanjevica to Kostanjevica na Krki in 1955. In the past the German name was Landstraß.
History
The town is protected as a cultural and historical monument. Kostanjevica is the oldest city of the region. In the early 13th century, the Carinthian duke Bernhard von Spanheim established the Fons Sanctae Mariae Cistercian Abbey on the southern frontier of the March of Carniola, which he claimed against the resistance of the Patriarchs of Aquileia and the Dukes of Merania.
The monastery, a filial of Viktring Abbey near Klagenfurt, was enlarged in a Baroque style in the early 18th century. It was nevertheless finally disbanded in 1785 by the Habsburg emperor Joseph II.
The settlement of Kostanjevica was first mentioned as a town in 1210 and received market rights in 1249. During the Late Middle Ages it was an important commercial centre in the Duchy of Carniola held by the Habsburg archdukes of Austria. After several devastations by Ottoman military raids in the 15th and 16th centuries, it lost its importance. After the 17th century, it turned into a mostly rural settlement, which however retained its town status. In 2000, it was recognised by the National Assembly as a city.
In 1945, a mass post-war massacre occurred in the Krakovo Forest near Kostanjevica. The Commission on Concealed Mass Graves in Slovenia has discovered a World War II mass grave of victims of the Slovene Partisans.
Sights
A former monastic complex, which was severely damaged in World War II, has been renovated and now houses the Božidar Jakac Gallery, an art gallery with a sculpture park and a permanent exhibition of works by Božidar Jakac. It is dominated by the Early Gothic abbey church built in 1234.
The town's parish church is dedicated to Saint James and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Mesto. It is an originally 13th century Romanesque building that was largely rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 17th century.
Kostanjevica Cave (Slovene: Kostanjeviška jama), a popular tourist destination, is nearby.
Notable people
Notable people that were born or lived in Kostanjevica na Krki include: