Kranjska Gora | |
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 Coat of arms | |
  Kranjska Gora Location in Slovenia | |
| Coordinates:46°29′7.37″N13°47′13.59″E / 46.4853806°N 13.7871083°E /46.4853806; 13.7871083 | |
| 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 ft) |
| Population (2025) | |
• Total | 1,488 |
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Kranjska Gora (Slovene:[ˈkɾàːnskaˈɡɔ̀ːɾa];[2]German:Kronau[3]) is a town in northwesternSlovenia, on theSava Dolinka River in theUpper Carniola region, close to theAustrian andItalian borders. It is the seat of theMunicipality of Kranjska Gora. Thetripoint between Austria, Italy and Slovenia lies on the mountain ofDreiländereck, known asPeč in Slovenia.
Kranjska Gora was first mentioned in written sources in 1326 asChrainow (and asChrainau andChrainaw in 1363, asCranaw andChranaw in 1390, and asKraynaw in 1456–61, among other names). The Slovene nameKranjska Gora is a reworking of the German name, influenced by GermanKrainberg 'Karawanks'.[4] The settlement was also calledBorovska vas[4] (orBorovska ves[5] orBorovška ves[6]) in Slovene in the past.
Kranjska Gora is believed to have been settled in the 11th century by Slovenes fromCarantania. It was a fief of theCounts of Ortenburg in the 12th century.[5][6] A trade route toTarvisio already led through the town in the 14th century. In 1431 theCounts of Celje built a castle at Villa Bassa (now part of Tarvisio), which belonged to the town until 1848. Kranjska Gora came underOttoman attack in 1476. A railroad connection was built to Kranjska Gora in 1870.[6]
During theFirst World War, in 1916, Russian prisoners of war built awooden chapel above the settlement[5] commemorating their comrades killed in an avalanche while building a road over theVršič Pass. There is a small cemetery nearby.[7] Commemorations take place at the chapel every year.
Amass grave from the end of theSecond World War is found in the eastern part of the town. The Savsko Naselje Mass Grave (Slovene:Grobišče v Savskem naselju), also known as the Rušar Meadow Mass Grave (Grobišče Rušarjev travnik), contains the remains of up to 35 German soldiers killed in an engagement with thePartisans in May 1945.[8]
Tourism developed further in Kranjska Gora after the Second World War. Various ski lifts were built on Mount Vitranc west of the town in 1949, 1962, 1964, and 1965, and a freight cableway was installed in 1958.[5]
The Counts of Ortenburg established a church dedicated to Our Lady on the White Gravel (Slovene:Marija na belem produ) in the 14th century,[5] referring to the bank of the Pišnica River, which has since changed course.[6] The current church, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, is late Gothic in style and has typicalCarinthian rib vaulting. It contains two sculptures from the second half of the 15th century and paintings byLeopold Layer (1752–1828).[5]
Kranjska Gora is best known as awinter sports town, being situated in theJulian Alps. It annually hosts an event in theFIS Alpine Ski World Cup series, also known as the Vitranc Cup, for theslalom andgiant slalom events. The well-known ski jumping hillPlanica is located in the nearby Tamar Valley.
Anže Kopitar (pronounced[anˈʒɛkɔˈpiːtaɾ], born 24 August 1987) is a Slovenian professionalice hockey player who is acentre andcaptain for theLos Angeles Kings of theNational Hockey League (NHL). He played for the formerice hockey team that representedKranjska Gora playing forHK Kranjska Gora in theSlovenian Hockey League and theYugoslav Ice Hockey League between 1961 and 2006 when the team eventually folded
Notable people that were born or lived in Kranjska Gora include:
Waasmunster, Belgium
Santa Marinella, Italy
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Media related toKranjska Gora at Wikimedia Commons| Settlements | Administrative seat:Kranjska Gora
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