The Municipality of Kranjska Gora is located in the far northwestern corner of Slovenia, on the tripleborder of Austria and Italy, at the foot of the Julian Alps with the Triglav National Park and Karavanke. Kranjska Gora is a municipal center and the largest town of the Upper Sava Valley. It is also a mountain tourist destination and an important, world-renowned winter sports center.
A new, tourist part of the village, with hotels, private rooms and apartments, holiday homes, recreational facilities and shopping center, has grown around the old village core. The municipality covers 256 km2 of area and was founded in early 1995. The largest settlement is Kranjska Gora with about 1,500 inhabitants, followed by Mojstrana, Dovje, Rateče and Gozd-Martuljek.
Kranjska Gora was originally named Borovška vas and was populated with Slovenian Carinthians. During the Ottoman invasions, the first house in Srednji vrh was built, where the Turks' arrival was announced with bonfires. The house is still called 'pr'Merkeljen' today.
In 1870, the Ljubljana-Rateče-Tarvisio railway line was opened, which contributed to the rise of tourism. Today, the municipality has over 4,500 tourist beds. The central cultural monument is the wonderful church of the Mary of the Assumption, built in late Gothic style.
History and Heritage
Among the secular buildings, the 300-year-old Liznjek homestead is best preserved, featuring an ethnographic collection and a "black kitchen". In the old part of the village, you can also find the birthplace of Josip Vandot, the author of the popular stories about Kekec.
During the First World War, the road across the Vršič pass was built, which facilitated access to the Soča valley. Today, the area is famous for international skiing competitions and the world-renowned ski jumping center in Planica.
Sources: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia; Senegačnik J., Slovenia and its provinces; Atlas of Slovenia, Mladinska knjiga.