Žirovnica (; Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru, vol. 6: Kranjsko. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 146.) is a settlement in northwestern Slovenia, in the Municipality of Žirovnica. It is located in the historic Upper Carniola region, on the southern slope of the Karawanks mountain range, close to the border with Austria.
Name Žirovnica was first attested in written sources in 1253 as Zarnonize (and as Zaronitz in 1306–1309, Sernavnicz in 1344). The name developed from *Žьrnovьnica, derived from žьrny 'quern', a metaphorical reference to the shape of the valley where it is located. In the past the German name was Scheraunitz.
History During the Second World War, a battle took place between German units and the Partisan Cankar Brigade on 20 February 1942 on nearby Mount Stol, during which the Prešeren Lodge ()Prešeren Lodge at Hribi.net was also burned (it was not rebuilt until 1965). The Partisans burned the wooden railway station in the town on 13 September 1942. After the Second World War, a Yugoslav labor camp for political prisoners operated in Žirovnica.Mrvič, Irena. 1999. "Taborišče." Enciklopedija Slovenije, vol. 13 (Š–T), pp. 177–179. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, p. 179.
Notable people Notable people that were born or lived in Žirovnica include: Janez Čop (1810–1846), writer Matija Čop (1797–1835), linguist Urban Gollmayr (1820–1905), priest Tomo Kajdiš (1834–1914), politician
References
External links
Žirovnica on Geopedia