Cerknica (; , ''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 120.) is a town in the

Karst Karst () is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble carbonate rocks such as limestone and Dolomite (rock), dolomite. It is characterized by features like poljes above and drainage systems with sinkholes and caves underground. Ther ...

region of southwestern

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 ...

, with a population of 4,018 (2016 census). It is the seat of the Municipality of Cerknica. It belongs to the traditional region of

Inner Carniola Inner Carniola ( ; ) is a traditional region of Slovenia, the southwestern part of the larger Carniola region. It comprises the Hrušica (plateau), Hrušica karst plateau up to Postojna Gate, bordering the Slovenian Littoral (the Goriška, Gor ...

Name

Cerknica was first attested in written sources as ''Circhinitz'' in 1040 (and as ''Czirknicz'' in 1145, ''Cyrknitz'' in 1261, and ''Cirnizza'' in 1581). The name is derived from ''*Cerkvnica'', a univerbation of ''*Cerkvna (vas)'' 'church village'. A church was established very early in Cerknica, probably already in the 9th century. The original structure was burned down in an Ottoman attack in 1472.

Churches

There are three churches in Cerknica. The parish church is dedicated to the Nativity of Mary.Parish of Cerknica
It stands at the top of a hill in the center of Cerknica at the site of a former fortification against Ottoman raids. It is a late Gothic hall church, a triple-naved structure with lierne vaulting built between 1480 and 1520 at the site of an earlier church that was burned during an Ottoman attack in 1472. A Baroque chapel was added to the church in the 18th century and the church's furnishings date from the 19th century. The other two churches are chapels of ease dedicated to

John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

and Saint Roch. Saint John the Baptist Church is a cemetery church south of the main settlement. A chapel was mentioned at the site in a visitation report of 1581; the church itself was built in 1642. It has a rectangular nave, a polygonal chancel walled on three sides, and a bell tower. The interior combines groin vaulting and barrel vaulting with spandrels. Saint Roch's Church stands in the northern part of Cerknica. It was built between 1630 and 1644 at the site of a plague chapel dating to 1578. It has a rectangular nave, a polygonal chancel walled on three sides, and a bell tower. The altar painting of Saint Roch is a 1763 work by Anton Cebej.Slovenian Ministry of Culture register of national heritage
reference number ešd 1704 File:Cerknica--cerkev.jpg, Nativity of Mary Church File:Cerknica Slovenia - John the Baptist Church.JPG, Saint John the Baptist Church

Notable people

Notable people that were born or lived in Cerknica include: * France Arhar (born 1948), banker and politician * Jože Udovič (1912–1986), poet

Twin town

* Kispest, Hungary (2024)

References

External links

*
Cerknica on GeopediaOfficial site of the municipality

{{Authority control Populated places in the Municipality of Cerknica Cities and towns in Inner Carniola