Ribnica (; ''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 48.) is a town in the Municipality of Ribnica in southern

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 ...

. It is the seat of the municipality. It is part of the traditional region of

Lower Carniola Lower Carniola ( ; ) is a traditional region 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 an ...

and is now included in the Southeast Slovenia Statistical Region.

Name

Ribnica was attested in written sources in 1220 as ''Rewenitz'' (and as ''Reiwencz'' and ''Reifenitz'' in 1241, ''Reiuenz'' in 1263, ''Reyuinz'' in 1303, and ''Reyfniz'' in 1327). The name was originally a hydronym derived from the common noun ''riba'' 'fish', thus referring to a stream with many fish and, by extension, a settlement along such a stream.Snoj, Marko. 2009. ''Etimološki slovar slovenskih zemljepisnih imen''. Ljubljana: Modrijan and Založba ZRC, p. 354. In the past, the settlement was known as ''Reifnitz'' in German, and in the local dialect it is known as ''Rîbənca''.

History

Archaeological evidence shows that the area has been settled at least since the late

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

between 1300 and 900 BC. It is first mentioned as ''Rewenicz'' in written documents dating to 1220, making it one of the oldest towns in Slovenia.

Mass grave

Ribnica is the site of a mass grave associated with the Second World War. The Žiglovica Cave Mass Grave () is located northeast of the town, in a former hay field on a slope overgrown with grass and sparse woods. It contains the remains of 14 civilians from Prigorica, Žlebič, and Pri Cerkvi–Struge that were murdered on 28 July 1942. The men were abducted by a Partisan patrol while clearing woods along the railway. Some of the victims were thrown into the shaft alive, and one of them managed to pull a Partisan in with him. After the murders, the local Partisan political activist insisted that the men had merely been sent to White Carniola for punitive labor, but the murders were acknowledged by some of the Partisan participants.

Landmarks

St. Stephen's Parish Church

The

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...

in the settlement is dedicated to

Saint Stephen Stephen (; ) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity."St ...

and belongs to the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ljubljana (, ) is a Latin ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Slovenia.belfry that was only completed after 1957 based on an idea by the architect Jože Plečnik.Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritage
reference number ešd 2220 File:Ribnica 01.jpg, The French Bridge over the Bistrica River File:Grad Ribnica 01.jpg, Ribnica Castle

Notable people

Notable people that were born or lived in Ribnica include: * Bojan Adamič (1912–1995), composer (born in Ribnica)Savnik, Roman, ed. 1971. ''Krajevni leksikon Slovenije'', vol. 2. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije, pp. 571–574. * Jacobus Gallus (1550–1591), composer (presumed born in Ribnica) * France Prešeren (1800–1849), poet (studied in Ribnica) * Simona Škrabec (born 1968), translator, essayist, and literary historian (spent her childhood in Ribnica) * Ivan Šušteršič (1863–1925), conservative politician (born in Ribnica)

References

External links

*
Ribnica on Geopedia
{{Authority control Populated places in the Municipality of Ribnica Cities and towns in Lower Carniola