Postojna

Postojna
Postojna
Town
	From top, left to right: Postojna from a nearby hill, Postojna Cave entrance manor, St. Stephen's Church, Villa Jurca, Karst Research Institute, Railway station
	Flag Coat of arms
	Postojna Location in Slovenia
	Coordinates: 45°46′33.11″N 14°12′49.18″E / 45.7758639°N 14.2136611°E
Country	Slovenia
Traditional region	Inner Carniola
Statistical region	Littoral–Inner Carniola
Municipality	Postojna
Area
• Total	33.3 km2 (12.9 sq mi)
Elevation	556.4 m (1,825.5 ft)
Population (2020)
• Total	9,605
• Density	290/km2 (750/sq mi)
Postal code	6230
Area code	05
Vehicle registration	PO
Climate	Cfb
Website	www.postojna.si

Postojna (pronounced [pɔˈstoːi̯na] ^ⓘ; German: Adelsberg,^[2] Italian: Postumia) is a town in the traditional region of Inner Carniola, 35 kilometers (22 mi) from Trieste, in southwestern Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Postojna.^[3] It includes the hamlet of Ravbarkomanda (sometimes also spelled Ravberkomanda, German: Räubercommando)^[2] to the northeast.

History

The area is known to have been populated since the paleolithic era due to the discovery of a cave settlement near the town of Postojna called Betal Rock Shelter (Betalov spodmol). The town lies on the Pivka River. Written sources first mention the settlement in the 13th century and in 1432 it became a borough. It was proclaimed a town in 1909.^[3]

From the late Middle Ages, it was part of the Duchy of Carniola and hence of the Habsburg monarchy. In the 19th century, it was part of the Inner Carniola Kreis. It was part of the Italy under the Treaty of Rapallo between 1918 and 1943 (nominally to 1947) and was part of the province of Trieste as Postumia.^[4]

Mass grave

At Postojna there is a mass grave associated with the Second World War. The Pine Shaft Mass Grave (Slovene: Grobišče Brezno v borovcih) is southeast of Postojna, between Little Trebevnik Hill (Mali Trebevnik) and Big Trebevnik Hill (Veliki Trebevnik). It is a steep sinkhole that contains the remains of unidentified victims.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Climate

Climate data for Postojna (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1950–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	17.2 (63.0)	20.0 (68.0)	22.9 (73.2)	27.6 (81.7)	31.0 (87.8)	34.0 (93.2)	36.2 (97.2)	36.3 (97.3)	31.5 (88.7)	25.7 (78.3)	23.6 (74.5)	16.9 (62.4)	36.3 (97.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	4.2 (39.6)	6.0 (42.8)	10.2 (50.4)	14.7 (58.5)	19.4 (66.9)	23.6 (74.5)	25.9 (78.6)	26.0 (78.8)	20.3 (68.5)	15.0 (59.0)	9.5 (49.1)	5.1 (41.2)	15.0 (59.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	0.5 (32.9)	1.3 (34.3)	4.9 (40.8)	8.9 (48.0)	13.4 (56.1)	17.4 (63.3)	19.3 (66.7)	18.9 (66.0)	14.2 (57.6)	10.1 (50.2)	5.6 (42.1)	1.3 (34.3)	9.6 (49.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−2.9 (26.8)	−2.8 (27.0)	0.3 (32.5)	3.6 (38.5)	7.6 (45.7)	11.3 (52.3)	12.9 (55.2)	13.1 (55.6)	9.7 (49.5)	6.5 (43.7)	2.6 (36.7)	−2.1 (28.2)	5.0 (41.0)
Record low °C (°F)	−26.8 (−16.2)	−30.4 (−22.7)	−24.2 (−11.6)	−11.7 (10.9)	−5.4 (22.3)	0.2 (32.4)	2.5 (36.5)	1.8 (35.2)	−3.0 (26.6)	−9.2 (15.4)	−17.5 (0.5)	−20.9 (−5.6)	−30.4 (−22.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	89 (3.5)	104 (4.1)	96 (3.8)	107 (4.2)	124 (4.9)	119 (4.7)	95 (3.7)	100 (3.9)	161 (6.3)	160 (6.3)	172 (6.8)	141 (5.6)	1,469 (57.8)
Average extreme snow depth cm (inches)	6 (2.4)	5 (2.0)	2 (0.8)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.4)	2 (0.8)	1.4 (0.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	11	10	11	13	14	13	12	11	12	13	14	12	146
Average snowy days (≥ 0 cm)	12	10	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	7	38
Average relative humidity (%) (at 14:00)	73	63	59	58	58	58	52	53	60	67	73	76	62
Mean monthly sunshine hours	98	121	154	172	219	241	292	268	196	144	91	82	2,079
Source: Slovenian Environment Agency (humidity/snow/sun 1981–2010)^[8]^[9]

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1948	3,391	—
1953	4,081	+20.3%
1961	4,857	+19.0%
1971	6,271	+29.1%
1981	8,181	+30.5%
1991	8,621	+5.4%
2002	8,548	−0.8%
2011	9,183	+7.4%
2021	9,750	+6.2%
Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.

Attractions

One of Slovenia's major tourist attractions, Postojna Cave, is located near the town.

Church

The parish church in the town is dedicated to Saint Stephen and belongs to the Koper Diocese. Within the urban area of Postojna, the church dedicated to the Prophet Daniel in the hamlet of Zalog and the chapel dedicated to Saint Lazarus at the town cemetery also belong to this parish.^[10]

References

^ "Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia". stat.si. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
^ ^a ^b Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru, vol. 6: Kranjsko. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna. 1906. p. 137.
^ ^a ^b Postojna municipal site (in Slovene)
^ "Image: 487px-Venezia_Giulia.jpg, (487 × 599 px)". upload.wikimedia.org. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
^ Ferenc, Mitja (December 2009). "Grobišče Brezno v borovcih". Geopedia (in Slovenian). Ljubljana: Služba za vojna grobišča, Ministrstvo za delo, družino in socialne zadeve. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
^ Komisija za reševanje vprašanj prikritih grobišč. 2008. Poročilo Komisije vlade Republike Slovenije za reševanje vprašanj prikritih grobišč: 2005–2008. Ljubljana, Družina, p. 1903.
^ Ferenc, Mitja, & Ksenija Kovačec-Naglič. 2005. Prikrito in očem zakrito: prikrita grobišča 60 let po koncu druge svetovne vojne. Ljubljana: Muzej novejše zgodovine, p. 122.
^ "Postojna Podnebne statistike 1950-2020" (in Slovenian). Slovenian Environmental Agency. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
^ "Postojna Climate Normals 1981-2010" (PDF). Slovenian Environmental Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
^ Koper Diocese list of churches Archived 2009-03-06 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Media related to Postojna at Wikimedia Commons
Postojna on Geopedia

[stat-1] "Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia". stat.si. Retrieved September 2, 2015.

[Leksikon-2] Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru, vol. 6: Kranjsko. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna. 1906. p. 137.

[Pms-3] Postojna municipal site (in Slovene)

[wikimedia-4] "Image: 487px-Venezia_Giulia.jpg, (487 × 599 px)". upload.wikimedia.org. Retrieved September 2, 2015.

[5] Ferenc, Mitja (December 2009). "Grobišče Brezno v borovcih". Geopedia (in Slovenian). Ljubljana: Služba za vojna grobišča, Ministrstvo za delo, družino in socialne zadeve. Retrieved November 2, 2023.

[6] Komisija za reševanje vprašanj prikritih grobišč. 2008. Poročilo Komisije vlade Republike Slovenije za reševanje vprašanj prikritih grobišč: 2005–2008. Ljubljana, Družina, p. 1903.

[7] Ferenc, Mitja, & Ksenija Kovačec-Naglič. 2005. Prikrito in očem zakrito: prikrita grobišča 60 let po koncu druge svetovne vojne. Ljubljana: Muzej novejše zgodovine, p. 122.

[SEA-8] "Postojna Podnebne statistike 1950-2020" (in Slovenian). Slovenian Environmental Agency. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.

[9] "Postojna Climate Normals 1981-2010" (PDF). Slovenian Environmental Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.

[10] Koper Diocese list of churches Archived 2009-03-06 at the Wayback Machine

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]