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 the traditional province of Upper Carniola (northern Slovenia). It is the seat of the Municipality of Kamnik, which encompasses a large part of the Kamnik Alps and the surrounding area. The town of Kamnik has three as well as many examples of historical architecture.
History
The name Kamnik was first mentioned in the 11th century. The first time it was mentioned as a town was in 1229, when it was an important trading post on the road between
Ljubljana and
Celje. This makes the town one of the oldest in Slovenia. In the
Middle Ages, Kamnik had its own mint and some aristocratic families among its residents. The town was among the most influential centers of power for the
counts of Andechs in the region of
Carniola at the time. The only remnant of the Bavarian nobility are the two ruined castles which are both strategically built on high ground near the town center. The
Franciscan monastery built in the town itself is a testament to its importance. The building is well preserved and has undergone extensive renovation in recent years.
Historical suburbs of the town include Šut(i)na (),[Savnik, Roman, ed. 1971. Krajevni leksikon Slovenije, vol. 2. Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije. pp. 178–179.]
Most of the old town center is built in an Austria-Hungary style. Most of the facades have been renovated in recent years but the process is still ongoing.
Mass grave
Kamnik is the site of a mass grave from the period immediately after the Second World War. The Cuzak Meadow Mass Grave () is located in the southeast part of the town, in a grassy area encircled by a road on the premises of the Svit factory. The grave contains the remains of several hundred soldiers and civilians, mostly Croats but also some Serbs, that were murdered on 11 May 1945.
[Komisija za reševanje vprašanj prikritih grobišč. 2008. Poročilo Komisije vlade Republike Slovenije za reševanje vprašanj prikritih grobišč: 2005-2008. Ljubljana, Družina, p. 1897.][Ferenc, Mitja, & Ksenija Kovačec-Naglič. 2005. Prikrito in očem zakrito: prikrita grobišča 60 let po koncu druge svetovne vojne. Celje: Muzej novejše zgodovine Celje, p. 118.][Ferenc, Mitja, & Želimir Kužatko. 2007. Prikrita grobišča Hrvatov v Republiki Sloveniji. Ljubljana: Inštitut za novejšo zgodovino.]
Notable people
Notable people that were born or lived in Kamnik include:
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Fran Albreht (1889–1963), author
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France Balantič (1921–1943), poet
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Jurij Japelj (1744–1807), philologist
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Rudolf Maister (1874–1934), military leader
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Elizabeth S. Selden (1887–1970), dancer and writer
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Jakob Savinšek (1922–1961), sculptor and illustrator
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Bojan Kraut (1908–1991), engineer
-
Marjan Šarec (born 1977), politician and actor
International relations
Twin towns and sister cities
Kamnik is twinned with:
Gallery
File:Kamnik south.JPG|Southern part of Kamnik with suburbs
File:Upper Kamnik valley and Alps.JPG|Kamnik's northern suburbs with the Kamnik–Savinja Alps in the background
File:R Maister-Birthhouse-Kamnik-Slovenia.JPG|House where Rudolf Maister was born
File:Kamnik-Valvasor.jpg|A copper engraving of Kamnik in 1689
File:Kamnik - Mali grad.jpg|Little Castle
File:Kamnik - Castle Zaprice.jpg|Zaprice Castle
File:Kamnik - Franciscan monastery.jpg|Franciscan monastery
External links
