Cerkno

Cerkno (pronounced [ˈtseːɾknɔ]; Italian: Circhina, German: Kirchheim) is a small town in the Littoral region of Slovenia. It has around 2,000 inhabitants and is the administrative centre of the Cerkno Hills. It is the seat of the Municipality of Cerkno.

Cerkno is a small but important local cultural center in the traditional Littoral region near Idrija. It is known for the Laufarija carnival, a spring festival with carved wooden masks; for the Franja Partisan Hospital (Partizanska bolnica Franja); for a Partisan hospital from World War II; and as a ski resort.

Name

Cerkno was attested in written records in 1257 as Curchinitz (and as Chyrchayn in 1299, Circhinç in 1337, and Circhiniz in 1486). The modern Slovene name is an ellipsis of *Cerьkъvьno (selo/polje); literally, 'church (village/field)'. The medieval attestations of the name indicate that the settlement was also once called Cerknica. The name indicates that the place was formerly a church property.

History

Historically, the Cerkno Hills belonged to Tolmin County. In the 16th century, the area came under Habsburg rule, and was included in the County of Gorizia and Gradisca. After the end of World War I, the area was occupied by the Italian Army, and then officially annexed to Italy in 1920. Between 1920 and 1943, it was part of the administrative region known as the Julian March. After the Italian armistice in September 1943, Cerkno was liberated by the Yugoslav Partisans and became one of the most important centres of Partisan resistance in the Slovenian Littoral.