Kranj (, ) is the fourth-largest city in

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

and the largest urban center of the traditional region of

Upper Carniola Upper Carniola ( ; ; ) is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The largest town in the region is Kranj, and other urban centers include Kamnik, Jesenice, Jesenice, Jesenice, Domžale and ...

(northwestern Slovenia) and the Slovene

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

. It is located approximately northwest of the national capital

Ljubljana {{Infobox settlement , name = Ljubljana , official_name = , settlement_type = Capital city , image_skyline = {{multiple image , border = infobox , perrow = 1/2/2/1 , total_widt ...

, acting as the seat of the

City Municipality of Kranj The Urban Municipality of Kranj (; ) is one of twelve urban municipalities of Slovenia. It lies in northwestern Slovenia and was established in 1994. Its seat is the town of Kranj. The area traditionally belongs to the region of Upper Carniola a ...

Geography

The nucleus of the city is a well-preserved

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

old town, built at the confluence of the

Kokra The Kokra () is a river of Slovenia. Originating in the Karawanks, the river is long. It flows into the Sava in Kranj. References

Rivers of Upper Carniola {{Slovenia-river-stub ...

and

Sava The Sava, is a river in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. From its source in Slovenia it flows through Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally reac ...

rivers. The city is served by the

Kranj railway station Kranj railway station () is the railway station in Kranj, the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia. The station is located on the railway line between Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, and Villach, Austria ...

on the route from

Ljubljana {{Infobox settlement , name = Ljubljana , official_name = , settlement_type = Capital city , image_skyline = {{multiple image , border = infobox , perrow = 1/2/2/1 , total_widt ...

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

(via

Jesenice Jesenice (, ''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru'', vol. 6: Kranjsko. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 144.) is the tenth-largest town in Slovenia, located in the traditional province of Upper C ...

and

Villach Villach (; ; ; ) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the federal state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the population is 61,887. Together wit ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

) and a

highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It includes not just major roads, but also other public roads and rights of way. In the United States, it is also used as an equivalent term to controlled-access highway, or ...

's national airport,

Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport () , also known by its previous name ''Brnik Airport'' (), is the international airport serving Ljubljana and the largest airport in Slovenia. It is located near Brnik, northwest of Ljubljana and east of Kranj, ...

(in Brnik) is also very close to Kranj, considerably more so than to its nominal client, Ljubljana. In Kranj, the Kokra cuts deeply into the conglomerate, forming a canyon deep. Kosorep, on the northern outskirts of Kranj, is a picturesque site along the river. Parts of the canyon can be reached by a walking trail. Below Kranj, at

Drulovka Drulovka (; in older sources also ''Druljevek'',''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 54. ) is a former settlement in the Municipality of ...

, the Sava forms a deep canyon with conglomerate on both sides. Due to the dam for the

Mavčiče Hydroelectric Plant Mavčiče (; ''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 54.) is a village on the right bank of the Sava, Sava River in the Urban Municipality of ...

, the river's flow there is very slow.

Climate

Kranj has a warm-summer

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Dfb'').

Etymology

Kranj was attested in written sources in the 5th century and 670 as ''Carnium'' (and as ''via Chreinariorum'' in 973, ''actum Kreine'' in 1050–65, ''in loco Chreina'' in 1065–77, and ''Chrainburch'' in 1291). The Slovene name is derived from Slavic ''*Korn’ь'', borrowed from Romance ''Carnium'' in late antiquity. Like the Latin regional name ''Carnia'', it is derived from the Celtic tribe known as the ''Carnī'' (Greek: Κάρνοι). The name of the tribe is probably derived from the Celtic root ''*karno-'' 'peak, hill, pile of stones'. The German name of the town was ''Krainburg''. The name of the historical region of

Carniola Carniola ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region that comprised parts of present-day Slovenia. Although as a whole it does not exist anymore, Slovenes living within the former borders of the region still tend to identify with its traditional parts Upp ...

is a Latin

diminutive A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...

form of ''Carnia''.

History

Prehistory and antiquity

Archaeological finds show that Kranj was settled in prehistoric times. Discoveries include a bronze ax found in Drulovka,

Hallstatt Hallstatt () is a small town in the district of Gmunden District, Gmunden, in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Situated between the southwestern shore of Hallstätter See and the steep slopes of the Dachstein massif, the town lies in the Sa ...

-era graves in the northern part of the town above the bank of the Kokra River, testifying to Illyrian settlement, and a burial site in the southern part of the town above the left bank of the Sava River, indicating a

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

settlement. The Romans founded the settlement of Carnium at the confluence of the Sava and Kokra. In the 6th century, a major Germanic settlement stood at the same site, and an

Ostrogothic The Ostrogoths () were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Western Roman Empire, drawing upon the large Gothic populatio ...

cemetery was discovered nearby. The Gothic settlement was continued by the

Lombards The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...

and existed until AD 580, when it was destroyed by invading Slavs.

Middle Ages

Traces of the old Slavic settlement (a Slavic burial site) date from the 9th and 10th centuries. As the seat of the margraves of Carniola in the 11th century, it was the most important settlement in the territory. The town itself is believed to have developed in the early 13th century; citizens of the town of Kranj appear in a document from 1221, and Kranj was officially referred to as a town in 1256. It was the seat of a court whose jurisdiction extended between that of

Radovljica Radovljica (; ) is a List of cities and towns in Slovenia, town in the Upper Carniola region of northern Slovenia. It is the administrative seat of the Municipality of Radovljica. Geography The town is located on the southern slope of the Karawan ...

and

Kamnik Kamnik (; ''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, pp. 26–27. or ''Stein in Oberkrain'') is the ninth-largest town of Slovenia, located in t ...

. In 1414 a decision was issued relieving the citizens of the town from paying tolls. In 1422 an ordinance required houses to be built of stone to prevent fires. A parish school was established in Kranj in 1423, and the same year the right was granted to Kranj to elect its own judge. Kranj was laid waste in 1471 in an Ottoman attack. Emperor Frederick III granted Kranj the right to collect tolls in documents from 1488 and 1493, and a 1493 document also granted the town the right to hold fairs twice a year. The town hospice records date back to the 15th century. Crafts developed in Kranj during the Middle Ages. Mills first developed along the Sava and Kokra rivers, and this was followed by butchers, fur merchants, hide and wood processors, and then weavers of canvas and woolen cloth. Habsburg efforts to maintain Vienna's monopoly on trade with Italy resulted in trade routes bypassing Kranj.

Renaissance

Kranj was affected by peasant revolts in the 16th century; the leaders of the 1515 peasant revolt were beheaded in Kranj, and in 1525, when a new revolt threatened Carniola,

hussar A hussar, ; ; ; ; . was a member of a class of light cavalry, originally from the Kingdom of Hungary during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely adopted by light cavalry ...

s commanded by

Johann Katzianer Johann Katzianer (), or Hans Katzianer, Freiherr zu Katzenstein und Fledingen (1491, Begunje () – 27 October 1539, Hrvatska Kostajnica) was a Carniolan aristocrat and a commander of the Habsburg Imperial Army . History He is first mentione ...

occupied the town and caused more damage than the Ottomans had inflicted half a century earlier. In 1668 half of the houses in Kranj were destroyed by a fire, and the entire town burned in 1749. Kranj was affected by plague outbreaks in 1552, 1557, 1625, 1627, and 1657. In the mid-16th century, most of the townspeople converted to Protestantism; the merchants of Kranj opened a Protestant school and Slovenian books by Protestant authors were imported from Germany. The

Protestant Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...

in Kranj was led by

Gašpar Rokavec Gašpar () is a Slavic surname, cognate to Gaspar (given name). Notable people with this surname include: * Alojz Gašpar (1848–1919), known in Hungarian as Alajos Gáspár, Hungarian-Slovene writer * Đuro Gašpar (1900–1981), Croatian athlete ...

, who was succeeded by Jernej Knafel after his death. Knafel was forced to withdraw from Kranj to Brdo Castle during the

Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...

. Economically, teamster services developed in Kranj in the 16th century, with connections to the rest of Upper Carniola and Carinthia. There were also several blacksmith workshops and two foundries along the Sava River.

Sieve A sieve (), fine mesh strainer, or sift is a tool used for separating wanted elements from unwanted material or for controlling the particle size distribution of a sample, using a screen such as a woven mesh or net or perforated sheet m ...

-making also developed at this time;

horsehair Horsehair is the long hair growing on the Mane (horse), manes and Tail (horse), tails of horses. It is used for various purposes, including upholstery, brushes, the Bow (music), bows of musical instruments, a hard-wearing Textile, fabric called ...

was imported from around Europe and the sieves were exported to France, Belgium, Germany, and Greece. Several breweries and leather works operated in the town. Kranj went into an economic decline in the 17th century, when there was much emigration from the town, leaving many houses empty, and business did not revive again until the second half of the 18th century.

Modern era

Kranj was affected by plague outbreaks in 1836 and 1855. A Slovene reading room was established in 1863. Artisans' workshops became established in Kranj in the 19th century, with roots going back to a number of painters in the 17th and 18th centuries. Prominent among these was the workshop of Josip Egartner Jr. (1833–1905), who settled in Kranj in 1875. An upper secondary school was established in 1861, and a vocational school for textile workers opened in 1930. A water supply system was installed in Kranj in 1901, supplied by Čemšenik Spring on the Kokra River. There was limited industry in Kranj until the late 19th century. Until this time, trade in agricultural products, livestock, and wood was economically most important. The Majdič Mill, which operated from 1874 until the Second World War, was an early industry, producing up to of milled products per day. A leather factory was established in 1875. Large-scale industrialization occurred after the First World War, starting with the founding of a rubber factory in 1921. The Jugo-Češka textile works was established in 1923. Additional textile works were established after this, making Kranj one of the most important centers of textile manufacturing in pre-war Yugoslavia. A major strike by textile workers occurred in 1936, when they occupied the factories. Two shoe factories were established in 1925, and a bakery in 1937.

Second World War

During the Second World War, Kranj, along with the rest of northern Slovenia, was annexed by

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

. The German authorities dismantled the Jugo-Češka textile works, replacing the machinery with equipment to produce aircraft. On 21 March 1944, German forces discovered several communist activists and functionaries at the Šorli Mill in

Rupa Rupa may refer to: Places *Rupa, Arunachal Pradesh, India, a town *Rupa, Croatia, a town *Rupa, Kranj, a former village, now part of the city of Kranj, Slovenia *Rupa gold mine, Uganda *Rupa Lake, Nepal Organizations * RUPA, Rugby Union Players ...

in the northern part of the town, where military supplies for the

Partisans Partisan(s) or The Partisan(s) may refer to: Military * Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line ** Francs-tireurs et partisans, communist-led French anti-fascist resistance against Nazi Germany during WWII ** Itali ...

were being stored. Three of the men at the mill were killed and the German forces then burned the mill.

Mass grave

Kranj is the site of a

mass grave A mass grave is a grave containing multiple human corpses, which may or may Unidentified decedent, not be identified prior to burial. The United Nations has defined a criminal mass grave as a burial site containing three or more victims of exec ...

from the period immediately after the Second World War. The Planina Mass Grave () is located in a small woods in a field near the city cemetery. It contains the remains of an undetermined number of people murdered after the war; the victims may be German prisoners of war,

Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting ...

soldiers repatriated from Austria, or Slovene civilians from Kranj and the surrounding area.

Economy

Kranj is a mainly industrial city with significant

electronics Electronics is a scientific and engineering discipline that studies and applies the principles of physics to design, create, and operate devices that manipulate electrons and other Electric charge, electrically charged particles. It is a subfield ...

and

rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...

industries. It experienced a wave of deindustrialisation with many of its factories going bankrupt following independence in 1991, leaving behind several brownfields. In recent years, its manufacturing sector has become more based around highly-competitive export-oriented industries. Major industrial companies operating in Kranj include Goodyear (under their subsidiary Goodyear Dunlop Sava), Iskratel and Hidria.

Landmarks

St. Cantianus and Companions Parish Church

The St. Cantianus and Companions Parish Church () is the largest church in Kranj and also the seat of the Kranj

Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

and Deaconates. It was built in the 14th century, and measures . Construction was commissioned by the

counts Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

of Kranj.

Kieselstein Castle

The castle was built in the mid-16th century by

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

Johann Jakob Khisl. Later owners included the families of Moscon, Ravbar, Apfaltrer, Auersperg, and Pagliaruzzi. The building was renovated in 1952 by the architect

Jože Plečnik Jože Plečnik () (23 January 1872 – 7 January 1957) was a Slovenian architect who had a major impact on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague and of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, most notably by designing the iconic Triple Bridge a ...

in his late period. The castle garden is currently used as a concert setting.

Culture

The city is 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 The 2003 Men's European Water Polo Championship was the 26th edition of the event, organised by the Europe's governing body in aquatics, the Ligue Européenne de Natation. The event took place in the Aquatic Centre in Kranj, Slovenia from June 6 ...

(along with

Ljubljana {{Infobox settlement , name = Ljubljana , official_name = , settlement_type = Capital city , image_skyline = {{multiple image , border = infobox , perrow = 1/2/2/1 , total_widt ...

, hosting the women's competition). The annual ''Teden Mladih'' (Youth Week) festival and Carniola Festival are very popular.

Gallery

File:Sava River in Kranj with Kranj HE.jpg,

River, Sava Hydroelectric Plant on right File:Kranj Savska cesta.JPG, Sava Street () File:Kranj Main Square 01.jpg, Main Square () File:Kranj City Hall 01.jpg, Kranj city hall File:Kranj 03.jpg, View of Kranj from Mount St. Margaret () File:Kranj - Slovenski trg.jpg, Kranj Secondary School and Slovenia Square () File:Kranj Center 05.jpg, Corner building on Main Square (), Prešeren Street () right, Jenko Street () left File:Sv. Rok - Kranj 01.jpg, St. Roch's Church File:Cankarjeva ulica, Kranj.jpg, Street near Kieselstein Castle File:Kranj 06.jpg,

Kamnik–Savinja Alps The Kamnik–Savinja Alps () are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps. They lie in northern Slovenia, except for the northernmost part, which lies in Austria. The western part of the range was named the Kamnik Alps () in 1778 by the sc ...

seen from Kranj File:Kranj 91.jpg, Panoramic view of Kranj File:Kranj_Kokra_01.jpg,

Kokra The Kokra () is a river of Slovenia. Originating in the Karawanks, the river is long. It flows into the Sava in Kranj. References

Rivers of Upper Carniola {{Slovenia-river-stub ...

River in Kranj File:Kranj - skakalnica Bauhenk.jpg, Bauhenk ski-jumping hill in Kranj File:Kranj Train Station 01.jpg, Kranj Train Station File:Kranj - Grad Kieselstein 01.jpg, Kieselstein Castle File:Kranj - panorama 03.jpg, Panoramic view of Kranj and

from Mount St. Margaret () File:Kranj - stara Posta 01.jpg, Stara Pošta a small shopping center in Kranj File:Kranj - Pungert 01.jpg, Pungert - Old Defense tower with St. Roch's Church

Twin towns — sister cities

Kranj is twinned with: *

Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city in Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is the tr ...

, Bosnia and Herzegovina *

Bitola Bitola (; ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki border crossing ...

, North Macedonia *

Büyükçekmece Büyükçekmece, historically Athyras (Greek: Αθύρας) is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 173 km2, and its population is 277,181 (2022). It is on the Sea of Marmara coast of the European side, west o ...

, Turkey *

La Ciotat La Ciotat (; ; in Mistralian spelling ''La Ciéutat''; 'the City') is a Communes of France, commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region in Southern France. It ...

, France *

Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 census, a 15.02% increase since 2010. Colorado Springs is the second-most populous c ...

, United States *

Doberdò del Lago Doberdò del Lago (; Venetian language#Regional variants, Bisiacco: ; ) is a (municipality) in the Province of Gorizia, Regional decentralization entity of Gorizia in the Italy, Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about northwest of ...

, Italy *

Eisenkappel-Vellach Eisenkappel-Vellach () is a market town in the Völkermarkt District in the Austrian state of Carinthia. The spa town is the southernmost municipality of Austria, close to the border with Slovenia. Geography The municipal area covers the valley o ...

, Austria *

Grožnjan Grožnjan (; ) is a settlement and a municipality in Croatia. It is part of Istria County, which takes up most of the Istrian peninsula. Around 36% of the municipality's population is Italian. History Early history In Grožnjan are found ancient ...

, Croatia *

Herceg Novi Herceg Novi (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Херцег Нови, ) is a town in Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro located at the Western entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of ...

, Montenegro *

Kočani Kočani ( ) is a town in the eastern part of North Macedonia, situated around east from Skopje. It has a population of 24,632 as of 2021 and is the seat of the Kočani Municipality. Geography The town spreads across the Northern side of the K ...

, North Macedonia *

Kotor Varoš Kotor Varoš ( sr-cyrl, Котор Варош) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013 census, the municipality has a population of 19,710 inhabitants, while the town of Kotor Varoš has a population o ...

, Bosnia and Herzegovina *

Oldham Oldham is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers River Irk, Irk and River Medlock, Medlock, southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative cent ...

, England, United Kingdom *

Pula Pula, also known as Pola, is the largest city in Istria County, west Croatia, and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istria, Istrian peninsula in western Croatia, wi ...

, Croatia * Rivoli, Italy *

Senta Senta ( sr-cyrl, Сента, ; Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Zenta'', ; Romanian language, Romanian: ''Zenta'') is a town and municipality located in Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated on the bank of the Tisza, Tisa river in the geographical ...

, Serbia *

, Austria * Zemun (Belgrade), Serbia *

Zhangjiakou Zhangjiakou (), also known as Kalgan and by several other names, is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hebei province in Northern China, bordering Beijing to the southeast, Inner Mongolia to the north and west, and Shanxi to the southwest ...

, China

Notable people

Notable people that were born or lived in Kranj include: *

Miroslav Ambrožič Miroslav may refer to: * Miroslav (given name), a Slavic masculine given name * ''Young America'' (clipper) or ''Miroslav'', an Austrian clipper ship in the Transatlantic case oil trade * Miroslav (Znojmo District), a town in the Czech Republic S ...

(1885–1944), physical education specialist * Janez Mihael Arh (1678–c. 1730), actor and singer * Franc Babič (1868–1913), merchant * Friderik Irenej Baraga (1797–1868), missionary * Ana Belac (born 1997), first Slovenian to join the

LPGA Tour The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is an American organization for female golfers. The organization is headquartered at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida, and is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly ...

Žan Benedičič Žan Benedičič (born 3 October 1995) is a Slovenian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Triglav Kranj. He represented Slovenia at various youth levels. Club career AC Milan After progressing through the youth ranks at AC Mila ...

(born 1995), football player * Jurij Blatnik (born 1693), composer *

Janez Bleiweis Janez Bleiweis (19 November 1808 – 29 November 1881) was a Slovene conservative politician, journalist, physician, veterinarian, and public figure. He was the leader of the so-called Old Slovene political movement. Already during his lifetime ...

(1808–1881), politician * Franjo Bradaška (1829–1904), historian and geographer * Fran Čadež (1882–1942), physicist and meteorologist * Zvone Černe (1927–2007), industrialist * Karel Dobida (1896–1964), art historian and critic *

Davorin Dolar Davorin Dolar (1 January 1921 – 12 November 2005) was a Slovenian chemist at the University of Ljubljana. He was a physical chemist who studied polyelectrolyte solutions. He is regarded as a founder of modern physical chemistry teaching in Slov ...

(1921–2005), chemist *

Lojze Dolinar Lojze Dolinar (April 19, 1893 – September 9, 1970) was a Slovenian sculptor recognized for his impact on local and global 19th- and 20th-century art. When he moved to America he worked in architectural plastic art and thereafter in antique and ...

(1893–1970), sculptor * Genti Sheholli (born 1997), singer and software developer * Leon Engelman (1841–1862), port and writer * Vesna Fabjan (born 1985), cross country skier *

Gregor Fučka Gregor Fučka (; born 7 August 1971) is a Slovenian-Italian former professional basketball player and coach. A 215 cm (7' ") forward- center, he was a both a Mister Europa and Euroscar laureate in 2000. Professional career Fučka pla ...

(born 1971), Italian basketball player *

Stojan Globočnik Stojan () is a masculine given name of Slavic origin. Notable people with the name include: *Stojan Gjuroski (born 1991), basketball player *Stojan Andov (born 1935), politician *Stojan Aralica (1883–1980), painter *Stojan Čupić (1765–1815), ...

(1895–1985), designer and construction engineer * Alojzij Goetzl (1820–1905), sculptor and painter * Franc Serafin Goetzl (1783–1855), painter * Gašpar Luka Goetzl (1782–1852), painter * Josip Goetzl (1754–1806), painter * Karel Goetzl (1816–1892), sculptor and painter * Leopold Goetzl (1817–?), sculptor * Stanko Gogala (1901–1987), education specialist * Peter Graselli (1841–1933), politician *

Primož Grašič Primož is a male given name, the South Slavic (primarily Slovenian) form of the Latin " Primus", meaning "first" or "best". Sequential birth-order numerical names were a Roman custom; a male firstborn might be named ''Primus'', a third-born terti ...

(born 1968), guitarist * Anton Hayne (1786–1853), painter *

Boštjan Hladnik Boštjan Hladnik (30 January 1929 – 30 May 2006) was a Yugoslav/ Slovene filmmaker. Hladnik was born in Kranj. He started with amateur short films after acquiring a projector and a 8mm camera in 1947. From 1949 he studied at the Academy for ...

(1929–2006), film director *

Simon Jenko Simon Jenko (October 27, 1835 – October 18, 1869) was a Slovene poet, lyricist and writer. Jenko was born in Podreča in the Sora Plain (''Sorško polje'') in Upper Carniola, then part of the Austrian Empire, now in Slovenia, as an illegit ...

(1835–1869), poet *

Bojan Jokić Bojan Jokić (born 17 May 1986) is a Slovenian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back or left-back. Jokić amassed 100 caps with the Slovenia national team between 2006 and 2019. Club career Jokić made his senior debut in ...

(born 1986), footballer *

Ciril Metod Koch Ciril Metod Koch (31 March 1867 – 6 May 1925) was a Slovene architect. Together with Max Fabiani, he introduced the Vienna Secession style in the Slovene Lands. Koch was born in Kranj, then part of the Duchy of Carniola in the Austro-Hungaria ...

(1867–1925), architect *

Robert Kranjec Robert Kranjec (born 16 July 1981) is a Slovenian former ski jumper. Career Kranjec won a bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in the team large hill event. He won his first World Cup event at Kuusamo, Finland in 2005. I ...

(born 1981), ski jumper * Anton Layer (1765–?), painter *

Leopold Layer Leopold may refer to: People * Leopold (given name), including a list of people named Leopold or Léopold * Leopold (surname) Fictional characters * Leopold (''The Simpsons''), Superintendent Chalmers' assistant on ''The Simpsons'' * Leopold B ...

(1752–1828), painter * Marko Layer (1727–1808), painter * Valentin Layer (1763–1810), painter * Peter Lipar (1912–1980), composer * Peter Malec (1909–1986), theater director *

Valentin Mandelc Valentin is a male given name meaning "strong, healthy, power, rule". It comes from the Latin name ''Valentinus'', as in Saint Valentin. Commonly found in Argentina, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, Ukraine, Latin A ...

(1837–1872), writer and translator *

Janez Mencinger Janez may refer to: People: * Janez (given name), a Slovene given name * Janež, a Slovene surname In music: * Janez Detd., a Belgian rock band May also refer to a semi-pejorative term used in the Croatian North and beyond for Slovenes The ...

(1838–1912), writer *

Ernst Mally Ernst Mally (; ; 11 October 1879 – 8 March 1944) was an Austrian analytic philosopher, initially affiliated with Alexius Meinong's Graz School of object theory. Mally was one of the founders of deontic logic and is mainly known for his co ...

(1879–1944), philosopher * Mihael Markič (1864–1939), grammarian *

Aleš Mejač Aleš Mejač (born 18 March 1983) is a Slovenian retired footballer who played as a defender. Honours Koper * Slovenian Cup: 2006–07 Maribor *Slovenian PrvaLiga (6): 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 * ...

(born 1983), footballer * Janez Michor (a. 1626–1686), sculptor * Marko Milič (born 1977), Slovenian basketball player *

Matej Mohorič Matej Mohorič (born 19 October 1994) is a Slovenian professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . Mohorič turned professional in 2014. He won the Slovenian National Road Race Championships in 2018 and 2021, and the U ...

(born 1994), cyclist * Franc Novak (1908–1999), gynecologist * Janez Jakob Olben (1643–1728), mathematician * Nikolaj Omersa (1878–1932), literary historian * Josip Paternoster (1847–1903), singer and theater actor *

Borut Petrič Borut Petrič (born 28 December 1961 in Kranj, Slovenia) is a former Yugoslav freestyle swimmer, who represented Yugoslavia in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1976. A brother of swimmer Darjan Petrič, he won the silver med ...

and

Darjan Petrič Darjan Petrič (born August 24, 1964 in Kranj, Slovenia) is a former Yugoslav freestyle swimmer of Slovene ethnicity, who represented Yugoslavia in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1980. He is the brother of swimmer B ...

(born 1964), freestyle swimmers * Ciril Pirc (1865–1941), politician * Valentin Pleiweis (1814–1881), merchant * Lovrenc Pogačnik (1698–1768), Latin religious writer *

Marko Pogačnik Marko Pogačnik (born August 11, 1944) is a Slovenian artist and author. Background Pogačnik studied at the Academy of Arts in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, where he graduated in 1967. He was a co-founder of the neo-avantgarde artistic ...

(born 1944), sculptor *

Jan Polanc Jan Polanc (born 6 May 1992) is a Slovenian former bicycle racing, racing cyclist, who competed professionally for UCI WorldTeam from 2013 to 2023. He is a two time Giro d'Italia stage winner. He was forced to retire in May 2023 after cardiac s ...

(born 1992), cyclist * Dragotin Poljanec (1892–1940), painter * Karel Pollak (1853–1937), merchant and industrialist * Jakob Posinger, founder of

Prvi partizan Prvi partizan (; abbr. PPU) is a Serbian manufacturer of ammunition and handloading components, based in Užice, Serbia. The company produces ammunition for civilian and military consumers in a variety of calibers in various loadings. Several ...

ammunition factory in 1927, who started with a workshop in Kranj *

Ivan Pregelj Ivan Pregelj (27 October 1883 – 30 January 1960) was a Slovene writer, playwright, poet, and critic. Life Pregelj was born to a tailor's family in Most na Soči (at that time called Sveta Lucija). His father died while Pregelj was still a chi ...

(1883–1960), writer *

Marij Pregelj Marij Pregelj (8 August 1913 – 18 March 1967) was a Slovene painter, considered one of the key figures in Slovene painting in the second half of the 20th century. Pregelj was born in Kranj in 1913 and was the son of the Slovene writer and pl ...

(1913–1967), painter *

France Prešeren France Prešeren () (3 December 1800 – 8 February 1849) was a 19th-century Romantic Slovene poet whose poems have been translated into many languages.

(1800–1849), poet *Nina Prešiček (born 1976), classical pianist * Mirko Pretnar (1898–1962), poet and translator *

Peter Prevc Peter Prevc (; born 20 September 1992) is a Slovenian former ski jumper. He won the 2016 Ski Jumping World Cup overall title and four Olympic medals, including gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics in the mixed team event. He also won the 2016 Fou ...

(born 1992), ski jumper * Janez Puhar (1814–1864), inventor of a glass photography process * Aleksandar Radosavljević (born 1979), footballer * Ivan Rakovec (1866–1925), industrialist * Franc Remec (1846–1917), playwright *

Franjo Roš Franjo is a Croatian masculine given name. The name Franjo is of German origin and has a very long history. Franjo comes from the word "Frank", which means "brave and free man". The name Franjo was initially borne by men from the tribe of the Frank ...

(1898–1976), poet and children's writer *

Ivan Rozman Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was the Bu ...

(1873–1960), writer and journalist * Marjan Rus (1905–1974), concert and opera singer *

Evgen Sajovic Evgen Sajovic (25 November 1913 - 1986) was a Slovene painter, also known for his frescos and sgraffito as well as book illustrations. Sajovic was born in Ljubljana in 1913. He studied art at the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts under Marino Tarta ...

(1880–1916), athletics specialist * Gvido Sajovic (1883–1920), natural scientist * Ivan Savnik (1879–1950), industrialist and merchant * Karel Šavnik (1874–1928), physician * Leo Šavnik (1897–1968), physician *

Pavel Šavnik Pavel ( Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian: Павел; Czech, Slovene, and (although Romanian also uses Paul); ; ; ) is a male given name. It is a Slavic cognate of the name Paul (derived from the Greek Pavlos). Pavel may refer to: People Given ...

(1882–1924), dermatologist * Florijan Sentimer (1786–1836), physician * Andrej Šifrer (born 1952), musician *

Ljubo Sirc Ljubo Sirc CBE (19 April 1920 – 1 December 2016) was a British- Slovene economist and prominent dissident from Yugoslavia. Life and work Sirc was born in Kranj, then part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, in a wealthy and ren ...

(born 1920), economist * Fran Skaberne (1877–1951), lawyer * Minka Skaberne (1882–1965), education specialist * Viktor Skaberne (1878–1956), designer and construction engineer *

Hinko Smrekar Hinko Smrekar (13 July 1883 – 1 October 1942) was a Slovenian painter, draughtsman, caricaturist, graphic artist, and illustrator. Smrekar was a member of the Vesna Art Club, which was active in Vienna, and a partisan in the Liberation Fr ...

(1883–1942), painter * Blaž Snedic (c. 1631–1684), merchant and banker *

Marjan Šorli Marjan may refer to: Places Albania * , a village in Gorë Municipality, Korçë District * , a village in Lekas Municipality, Korçë District Iran * Marjan, Alborz, a village * Marjan, Fars, a village * Marjan, Isfahan, a village * Marj ...

(1915–1975), architect * Ivo Štempihar (1898–1955), journalist *

Jurij Štempihar Jurij is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Jurij Alschitz (born 1947), theatre director, theatre and acting theorist who has lived in Berlin since 1992 *Jurij Brězan (1916–2006), Sorbian writer * Jurij Cherednikov (born 1964), ...

(1891–1978), lawyer *

France Štiglic France Štiglic ( 12 November 1919 – 4 May 1993) was a Slovenian film director and screenwriter. His 1948 film '' On Our Own Land'' was entered into the 1949 Cannes Film Festival. His film '' The Ninth Circle'' (1960) was Yugoslavia's su ...

(1919–1993), film director and journalist *

Andrej Štremfelj Andrej Štremfelj (born 17 December 1956) is a Slovenian mountaineer, and in 2019, became the 10th recipient of the Piolet d'Or ''Lifetime Achievement Award''. Life and work Štremfelj was born in Kranj and got involved in mountaineeri ...

(born 1956), alpinist * Gustav Strniša (1887–1970), poet and children's writer * Suimon Strupi (1813–1880), veterinarian * Desanka Švara (Schwara; born 1959), historian * Aliash Tepina, actor *

Fidelis Terpinc Fidelis may refer to: ;People: * ''See Fidelis (name)'' ;Places: * Fidelis, Florida, an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. * São Fidélis, a municipality in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil * ...

(1799–1875), businessman *

Tadej Valjavec Tadej Valjavec (born 13 April 1977 in Kranj) is a Slovenian former professional road bicycle racer, who last competed for the Sava team. He is well known as a good climber due to his rides on mountain stages in the Giro d'Italia. Although he has ...

(born 1977), cyclist * Anzelm Wissiak (1837–1876), painter * Edvard Wissiak (1841–1874), painter * Franz Wissiak (a.k.a. Franc Vizjak, 1810–1880), painter *

Grega Žemlja Grega Žemlja (born 29 September 1986) is a retired Slovenian tennis player. He has won five singles titles and one doubles title on the ATP Challenger Tour. In 2012, he reached the third round of the US Open, the first Slovenian male player eve ...

(born 1986), tennis player * Janko Žirovnik (1855–1946), folk song collector and musician * Franc Zupanc (1853–1922), technical writer

References

External links

*
Kranj on Geopedia

Kranj tourist board
{{Authority control Populated places in the Urban Municipality of Kranj Cities and towns in Upper Carniola