Kranj

Kranj
—  City  —
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Location of the Municipality of Kranj in Slovenia
Kranj Location of the city of Kranj in Slovenia
Coordinates:
Country	Slovenia
Region	Upper Carniola
Municipality	Kranj
Government
- Mayor	Damijan Perne
- Deputy Mayor	Bojan Homan
- Deputy Mayor	Stane Štraus
- Deputy Mayor	Igor Velov
Area
- Total	57.1 sq mi (148 km2)
Population (2007)
- Total	53,000
- males	24,739
- female	26,486
Average age	37.38 years
Residential areas	27.93 m2 (300.6 sq ft)/person
Households	18,190
Families	14,554
Website	Official site
Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, census of 2002.

Kranj (known in historic sources at various times as Carnium, Creina, Chreina or Krainburg)^[1] 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.

Geography

Prešernova Street, Kranj.

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, 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

The Sava, flowing through Kranj

Savska Cesta, Kranj

• Plečnik Steps
• Kokra Canyon
• Šum Falls in Besnica^[2]
• Šmarjetna gora (Mount St. Margaret)^[3]
• 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.^[4]

Khislstein 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:

Notable people

Glavni trg (Main Square)

Falls on the Sava River in Kranj

• 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, footballer
• Robert Kranjec (born 1981), ski jumper
• Vesna Fabjan (1985), cross country skier
• Bojan Jokic (born 1986), footballer

External connections

• Kranj city homepage
• Tourist board Kranj

References

Kranj City landmarks Kieselstein Castle, Plečnik steps, Church of Saint Cantius, Kokra river canyon, Waterfall "Šum" in Besnica, St. Margaret's Hill, Šentjošt Towns and villages Capital: Kranj - Babni Vrt, Bobovek, Breg ob Savi, Britof, Čadovlje, Čepulje, Golnik, Goriče, Hrastje, Ilovka, Jama, Jamnik, Javornik, Kokrica, 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, Žablje, Žabnica Notable people Friderik Irenej Baraga, Janez Bleiweis, Davorin Dolar, Lojze Dolinar, Primož Grašič, Boštjan Hladnik, Simon Jenko, Leopold Layer, Peter Lipar, Janez Mencinger, Franc Novak, Jože Plečnik, Marko Pogačnik, Ivan Pregelj, Marij Pregelj, France Prešeren, Janez Puhar, Edvard Ravnikar, Hinko Smrekar, Andrej Šifrer, Marjan Šorli, Andrej Štremfelj