Idrija (, in older sources ''Zgornja Idrija''; , ) is a town in western

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 of Idrija The Municipality of Idrija (; ) is a municipality in the Gorizia region of western Slovenia. Located in the traditional region of the Slovenian Littoral and in the Gorizia Statistical Region, the municipality covers 293.7 km2 of mostly fore ...

. Located in the traditional region of the

Slovene Littoral The Slovene Littoral, or simply Littoral (, ; ; ), is one of the traditional regions of Slovenia. The littoral in its name – for a coastal-adjacent area – recalls the former Austrian Littoral (''Avstrijsko Primorje''), the Habsburg possess ...

and in the

Gorizia Statistical Region The Gorizia Statistical Region () is a statistical region in western Slovenia, along the border with Italy. It is named after the Italian town of Gorizia (the feminine adjective ''goriška'' comes from the Slovenian name for Gorizia: ''Gorica''). ...

, it is notable for its mercury mine with stores and infrastructure, as well as miners' living quarters, and a miners' theatre. Together with the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

mine at

Almadén Almadén () is a town and municipality in the Spanish province of Ciudad Real, within the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The town is located at 4° 49' W and 38° 46' N and is 589 meters (1,932 ft) above sea level. Almadén is approx ...

, it has been a

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

since 2012.Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
/ref> In 2011, Idrija was given the

Alpine Town of the Year The Alpine Town of the Year award is given to towns which have made exceptional efforts for the realization of the Alpine Convention and for sustainable development. The ''Alpine Towns of the Year'' are members of the international association of ...

award.

Geography

The town of Idrija lies in the

Idrija Basin Idrija (, in older sources ''Zgornja Idrija''; , ) is a town in western Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Idrija. Located in the traditional region of the Slovene Littoral and in the Gorizia Statistical Region, it is notable for it ...

, surrounded by the

Idrija Hills Idrija (, in older sources ''Zgornja Idrija''; , ) is a town in western Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Idrija. Located in the traditional region of the Slovene Littoral and in the Gorizia Statistical Region, it is notable for ...

. It is traversed by the

Idrijca The Idrijca is a river flowing through the Idrija Hills and Cerkno Hills in Slovenia. It is long. It rises near Vojsko, Idrija, Vojsko, flows towards northeast and after passing through Idrija turns to the northwest. After passing through Spodn ...

River, which is joined there by Nikova Creek. It includes the neighborhoods of Brusovše, Cegovnica, Prenjuta, and Žabja Vas close to the town center, as well as the more outlying hamlets of Češnjice, Ljubevč, Marof, Mokraška Vas, Podroteja, Staje, and Zahoda. The Marof hydroelectric plant is located on the Idrijca River on the northern outskirts of Idrija, between Marof and Mokraška Vas. Springs in the area include Podroteja Spring and

Wild Lake Wild Lake () is a lake near Idrija in western 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 sout ...

on the Idrijca River south of the town.

History

Mercury was discovered in Idrija (known as ''Idria'' under Austrian rule) in the late 15th century (various sources cite 1490,Arko, Mihael. 1931. ''Zgodovina Idrije: po raznih arhivalnih in drugih virih.'' Ljubljana: Katoliška knjigarna, p. 1.Kmecl, Matjaž. 1981. ''Treasures of Slovenia.'' Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba, p. 262. 1492, and 1497). To support the mining activities,

Gewerkenegg Castle Gewerkenegg Castle () is a castle in downtown Idrija, Slovenia. Originally built to support the Idrija mercury mine, mercury mine, it now facilitates the town's museum. History With the discovery of mercury in Idrija at the end of the 15th centur ...

was constructed between 1522 and 1533 by the mine owners. Mining operations were taken over by the government in 1580. The mineral

idrialite Idrialite is a rare hydrocarbon mineral with approximate chemical formula C22H14. Idrialite usually occurs as soft orthorhombic crystals, is usually greenish yellow to light brown in color with bluish fluorescence. It is named after Idrija, town i ...

, discovered here in 1832, is named after the town. In the Middle Ages, Idrija was managed by the

Patriarchate of Aquileia The Patriarchate of Aquileia was an episcopal see and ecclesiastical province in northeastern Italy, originally centered in the ancient city of Aquileia, situated near the northern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It emerged in the 4th century as a m ...

and the

Counts of Gorizia The County of Gorizia (, , , ), from 1365 Princely County of Gorizia, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. Originally mediate ''Vogts'' of the Patriarchs of Aquileia, the Counts of Gorizia (''Meinhardiner'') ruled over several fiefs in the are ...

as part of the Governorate of Tolmin, which became independent in the 15th century. After 1500, Idrija was occupied for one year by the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...

(in 1508), but it was otherwise governed by the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful Dynasty, dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout ...

. In March 1511, it was affected by the forceful

1511 Idrija earthquake The 1511 Idrija earthquake ( or ) occurred on 26 March 1511 with a moment magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum EMS intensity of X (''very destructive''). The epicenter was near the town of Idrija (now in Slovenia), although some place it in ...

. For long time Idrija was a cornerstone of the global supply of mercury. As such, Idrija supplied mercury needed in the

silver mines Silver mining is the extraction of silver by mining. Silver is a precious metal and holds high economic value. Because silver is often found in intimate combination with other metals, its extraction requires the use of complex technologies. In ...

of the

Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire, sometimes referred to as the Hispanic Monarchy (political entity), Hispanic Monarchy or the Catholic Monarchy, was a colonial empire that existed between 1492 and 1976. In conjunction with the Portuguese Empire, it ushered ...

when the mercury mines of

and

Huancavelica Huancavelica () or Wankawillka in Quechua is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the department of Huancavelica and according to the 2017 census had a population of 49,570 people. The city was established on August 5, 1572 by the Viceroy ...

faltered in their deliveries. In the 18th century, Idrija gained the rights of a

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rura ...

. From 1783 until the 1910s, it was part of the

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 ...

'' Kreis''. In 1920, it came under Italy with the Treaty of Rapallo. In September 1943, it became part of the

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 ...

and was then heavily rocketed by the SAAF in 1945. After the war, it formed part of the

Socialist Republic of Slovenia The Socialist Republic of Slovenia (, sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Slovenija, Социјалистичка Република Словенија), commonly referred to as Socialist Slovenia or simply Slovenia, was one ...

within

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

and became a town in independent Slovenia in June 1991. Today, its inhabitants mostly consider it part of the

Legend

According to legend, a bucket maker working in a local spring spotted a small amount of liquid mercury over 500 years ago. Idrija is one of the few places in the world where mercury occurs in both its elemental liquid state and as

cinnabar Cinnabar (; ), or cinnabarite (), also known as ''mercurblende'' is the bright scarlet to brick-red form of Mercury sulfide, mercury(II) sulfide (HgS). It is the most common source ore for refining mercury (element), elemental mercury and is t ...

(mercury sulfide) ore. The subterranean shaft mine entrance known as Anthony's Shaft (''Antonijev rov'') is used today for tours of the upper levels, complete with life-sized depictions of workers over the ages. The lower levels, which extend to almost 400 meters below the surface and are no longer being actively mined, are currently being cleaned up.

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 town is dedicated to

Saint Joseph the Worker According to the Gospel, canonical Gospels, Joseph (; ) was a 1st-century Jews, Jewish man of Nazareth who was Espousals of the Blessed Virgin Mary, married to Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus ...

and belongs to the Diocese of Koper. There are three other churches in Idrija, dedicated to the

Holy Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three ...

Saint Anthony of Padua Anthony of Padua, OFM, (; ; ) or Anthony of Lisbon (; ; ; born Fernando Martins de Bulhões; 15 August 1195 – 13 June 1231) was a Portuguese Catholic priest and member of the Order of Friars Minor. Anthony was born and raised by a wealth ...

, and

Our Lady of Sorrows Our Lady of Sorrows (), Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows (), and Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are Titles of Mary, names by which Mary, mother of Jesus, is referr ...

.Koper Diocese list of churches

Notable people

Notable people who were born or lived in Idrija include: *

Aleš Bebler Aleš Bebler (8 June 1907 – 12 August 1981) was a Yugoslav diplomat and a political Commissar. He was a Slovene by ethnicity and was born in Idrija, in the Austro-Hungarian Duchy of Carniola (now Slovenia). Bebler joined the Yugoslav Commun ...

(1907–1981), Slovene Communist leader, resistance fighter, and diplomat * Jožef Blasnik (1800–1872), printer, publisher *

Stanko Bloudek Stanko Bloudek (11 February 1890 – 26 November 1959) was a Slovenian aeroplane and automobile designer, a sportsman and a sport inventor, designer, builder and educator. Biography Stanko Bloudek was born on 11 February 1890 as son of a Czech ...

(1890–1959), designer *

Borut Božič Borut Božič (born 8 August 1980) is a Slovenian former professional road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2004 and 2018 for the , , , , , and teams. Considered a sprinter in the mold of Óscar Freire, Božič's career highli ...

(born 1980), professional road cyclist * Aleš Čar (born 1971), writer * Karel Dežman (1821–1889),

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 ...

n politician and scholar * Damir Feigel (1879–1959), writer, journalist, cultural worker, satirist, humorist, father of Slovenian science fiction, national awakener and anti-fascism fighter * Heinrich Freyer (1802–1866), Slovenian botanist, cartographer, pharmacist and natural scientist * Ludvik Grilc (1851–1910), painter/portrait painter *

Belsazar Hacquet Belsazar de la Motte Hacquet (also Balthasar or Balthazar Hacquet) ( – 10 January 1815) was a Carniolan physician of French people, French descent in the Enlightenment Era. He was a war surgeon, a surgeon in the mining town of Idrija, and a prof ...

(1739/40–1815), French natural scientist *

Marko Hatlak Marko may refer to: * Marko (given name) * Marko (surname) * Márkó, a village in Hungary See also *Marco (disambiguation) *Markko (disambiguation) *Marka (disambiguation) *Markov *Marku *Narko, Queensland Narko is a rural locality in the ...

(born 1980), accordionist *

Vladimír Karfík Vladimir Karfík (26 October 1901 – 6 June 1996) was a Czechs, Czech modernist architect and university professor. His life, professional career and his work reflected changes characteristic for the 20th century. Career Karfík cooperated wit ...

(1901–1996), Czechoslovak architect *

Eva Lucija Cecilija Viktorija Emilija Kraus Eva or EVA may refer to: * Eva (name), a feminine given name Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Eva (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book character * Eva (''Devil May Cry''), in the ''Devil May Cry'' video game series * ...

, (1785–1845), Baroness of Wolsberg, lover of French Emperor

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

Marko V. Lipold Marko may refer to: * Marko (given name) * Marko (surname) * Márkó, a village in Hungary See also *Marco (disambiguation) *Markko (disambiguation) *Marka (disambiguation) *Markov *Marku *Narko, Queensland Narko is a rural locality in the ...

(1816–1883), Miner, geologist and lawyer, known as the father of Slovenian geology * Jožef Mrak (1709–1786), one of the most notable Slovenian polytechnicians *

Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, film director, writer, actor and playwright. He is considered one of the defining public intellectuals in 20th-century Italian history, influential both as an artist ...

(1922–1975),

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

and

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

Vasja Pirc Vasja Pirc ( ; ) (December 19, 1907 – June 2, 1980) was a Yugoslav chess player. He is best known in competitive chess circles as a strong exponent of the hypermodern defense now generally known as the Pirc Defence. Pirc was champion of Yugo ...

(1907–1980), chess grandmaster * Nikolaj Pirnat (1903–1948), sculptor, painter, illustrator and author *

Zorko Prelovec Zorko Prelovec was a Slovene composer, well known for his choral works and Lieder In the Western classical music tradition, ( , ; , ; ) is a term for setting poetry to classical music. The term is used for any kind of song in contemporary ...

(1887–1939), musician, composer, choir composition author * Luka Rupnik (born 1993), Slovenian basketball player * Marko Ivan Rupnik (born 1954), artist, philosopher and theologian *

Giovanni Antonio Scopoli Giovanni Antonio Scopoli (sometimes Latinisation of names, Latinized as Johannes Antonius Scopolius) (3 June 1723 – 8 May 1788) was an Italians, Italian physician and natural history, naturalist. His biographer Otto Guglia named him the "first ...

(1723–1788), Italian natural scientist *

Jan Tratnik Jan Tratnik (born 23 February 1990) is a Slovenian cyclist who rides for UCI WorldTeam . Professional since 2009, he has won the 2024 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and a stage of the 2020 Giro d'Italia. Tratnik is also a four time Slovenian national ...

(born 1990), professional road cyclist * Anton Aloys Wolf (1782–1859), Roman Catholic bishop, philanthropist, patron of literature

References

External links

*
Idrija on Geopedia

Local newspaper

Tourist info

a page in English about the town and its history
Town portal
{{Authority control Populated places in the Municipality of Idrija Mining communities in Slovenia Cities and towns in the Slovene Littoral World Heritage Sites in Slovenia Mercury mining