Postcards from Slovenia #54: Kostanjevica na Krki

This beautiful historic town lies on an island created by a meander in the Krka river in Southeastern Slovenia, close to the Croatian border. Its name means something like ‘Chestnut place on the Krka.’ There are two wooden trestle bridges at either end of the village which allow access to cars. It is worth visiting if you are in the area as it is very picturesque and peaceful.

History of the area

The town was built up around the 13th-century Cistercian Abbey located just south of the island. The Abbey still stands and is now an Art Gallery. The earliest surviving record of the town comes from 1210, and it became an important trading centre within the Habsburg Empire. It lost its importance as such, however, following a series of Ottoman raids in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The parish church of St James originally dates from the 13th Century, but it has since been rebuilt in the Baroque style. There is also a cave nearby, which unfortunately I did not have time to visit! The photos below show some of the sights of the small island.

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I hope you enjoyed this Postcard from Slovenia! As ever, you can find more images from my travels on Instagram.