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Capital City: Ljubljana
Population: 2,008,516
Languages: Slovenian, Italian,
Hungarian
Currency: Euro
(EUR)
Useful links:
Municipality
of Kranj
Radio Kranj
Ljubljana Airport
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 The
City Municipality of Kranj is located in the central part of Gorenjska,
Slovenia’s northwestern region at the foot of the Alps, it is situated
385 meters above sea level, has a population of 51,000 and has a
favourable geographical position at the intersection of major highways
running from northern Europe to the Adriatic and from Western to Eastern
Europe. Roads from the border crossings at Jezersko, Ljubelj, the
Karavanke Tunnel, Ratece, and Podkoren lead here. Kranj is seven
kilometers from the international airport at Brnik, and the
transcontinental railroad from London to Istanbul runs through it.
The grey rock promontory on which the ancient city of Kranj stands was
inhabited as early as the first century B.C. It is believed that Kranj
was the seat of the powerful Slovene prince Vojnomir during the
transition from the Roman period to the Middle Ages. Later it was a seat
of the Carniola march and its margrave. In the Middle Ages, Kranj
developed into an important trade center and therefore acquired city
status in the 13th century. The development of ironworks in Gorenjska
and Carinthia in the 16th century influenced the city’s economic growth,
and trade and transport flourished. The first manufacturers appeared in
the first half of the 19th century, and the end of the century witnessed
the rise of industry. Kranj thus developed into the economic, trade,
cultural, administrative, educational, and religious center of the
Gorenjska region, which it remains today.
Kranj is a “University City” as it is home to the University of
Maribor’s School of Organizational Sciences. There are eight secondary
schools and nine elementary schools in the municipality. Kranj is also
called the “City of Preseren” because Slovenia’s greatest poet, Dr.
France Preseren (1800-1849), lived, worked, and died here. The city
boasts a theatre, a museum, a public library, and Gorenjska’s regional
television and radio station. Kranj prides itself on having one of the
most beautiful Olympic swimming pools in Central Europe. Its highly
developed sports program and outstanding sports facilities have enabled
many an athlete to achieve excellent results at national and
international competitions, for example, Primoz Peterka, winner of the
1996/97 and 1997/98 World Cup in ski jumping.
With the ever increasing quality of their goods and services, Kranj
firms have competed successfully in world markets for many years. Kranj
has maintained its more than 500-year-old fair tradition and hosts
numerous trade exhibitions of international importance every year.
Especially well developed are the large tire, footwear, textile, and
electronics industries, while middle-sized and smaller companies and
manufacturers are increasingly making their mark. The hard-working
people of Kranj take great pride in the worldwide success of their
companies.
 The
old town draws tourists because of its numerous archeological and other
attractions, among which the most important are architect Joze Plecnik’s
arcades and fountain, the 16th-17th century City Hall, the Pavslar
House, the ancient tollhouse, and Kislkamen Castle. On the old city
cemetery at the edge of the old town core is a well-arranged park called
Presernov gaj (“Preseren Grove”) with monuments to the poets France
Preseren and Simon Jenko and the first anti-Fascist monument in the
world, erected in 1930. St. Kancijan, one of Slovenia’s first parish
churches, is a monument of Gothic design completed in 1491. The
Rozenvenska (Rosary) church and the St. Sebastian and Rok church in the
Pungert district of the old town add to the beauty of the city center,
and the city wall and the Skrlovec fortress are attractive places for
strolls. On the main square there is a Carniolan communal well whose top
is adorned with a gilded ball and an eagle that symbolizes the City of
Kranj. Since the Middle Ages, Kranj has had the shape of a pyramid with
the city wall and its defence towers at its base and topped by its
church towers. Despite some later incomprehensible demolition, Kranj is
one of the few cities in Slovenia that has preserved its original
silhouette.
Kranj’s suburbs and the surrounding countryside are also interesting for
tourists, offering many possibilities for excursions and walks. The
hills of Jost (847 m) and Smarjetna gora (646 m) with its renovated St.
Marjeta church are two well-known excursion points very close to the
city. From the top of Smarjetna gora, visitors have a magnificent view
of Kranj and its surroundings as well as the entire Ljubljana Basin.
Whether here to conclude a business deal, to visit one of our numerous
cultural or natural sites, or merely to visit the hospitable residents
of Kranj, every visitor can find something to enjoy in the capitol of
Gorenjska and its surroundings.
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