Idrija
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| Občina Idrija | ||
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| Area: | 293.7 km² | |
| Population | 11,990 | |
| - males | 5,885 | |
| - females | 6,105 | |
| Mayor: | Bojan Sever | |
| Average age: | 35.58 years | |
| Residential areas: | 29.87 m²/person | |
| - households: | 4,169 | |
| - families: | 3,255 | |
| Working active: | 5,571 | |
| - unemployed: | 296 | |
| Average monthly salary (August 2003): | ||
| - gross: | 224,063 SIT | |
| - net: | 144,020 SIT | |
| College/university students: | 506[1] | |
| Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, census of 2002. | ||
Idrija (Italian: Idria) is a small town and municipality in the Goriška region of Slovenia. It is known for its mercury mine (currently in the process of closure) and lace.[2]
Near Idrija there was an archeological find of an approximately 43,100 year-old juvenile cave bear femur at Divje Babe, which may be a prehistoric flute.
Under Austrian rule it was known as Idria. Mercury was discovered there in 1497, and mining productions were taken over by the government in 1580. See Idrija mercury mine.
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 (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 vignettes of workers over the ages. The lower levels, which reach to almost 400 meters below the surface and are no longer being actively mined, are currently being remediated.
The ghost town of New Idria, California, a site of mercury mining during the 19th-century California Gold Rush, was named after Idrija.
The Parish Church in the town is dedicated to Saint Joseph the Worker and belongs to the Diocese of Koper. There are three other churches in Idrija, dedicated to The Holy Trinity, Saint Anthony of Padua and to Our Lady of Sorrows.[3]
[edit] Famous natives and residents
- Aleš Bebler, Slovene Communist leader, resistance fighter, and diplomat;
- Stanko Bloudek, designer;
- Aleš Čar, writer;
- Karel Dežman, Carniolan politician and scholar;
- Belsazar Hacquet; French natural scientist;
- Vladimír Karfík, Czechoslovak architect;
- Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italian film director and poet;
- Marko Ivan Rupnik, artist, philosopher and theologian
- Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Italian natural scientist.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Idrija, official page of municipality (in Slovene)
- Idrija on Geopedia
- Idrija municipal museum
- Local newspaper
- Tourist info
- tourist information, a page in English about the town and its history.
- City portal
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Coordinates: 46°00′N 14°06′E / 46.00°N 14.1°E
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This article about the Municipality of Idrija in Slovenia is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
