- Drežnica, Slovenia
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Drežnica 
Location in Slovenia
DrežnicaCoordinates: 46°15′24.08″N 13°36′52.02″E / 46.2566889°N 13.61445°ECoordinates: 46°15′24.08″N 13°36′52.02″E / 46.2566889°N 13.61445°E Country 
SloveniaRegion Slovenian Littoral Municipality Kobarid Area - Total 2.16 km2 (0.8 sq mi) Elevation 540.7 m (1,774 ft) Population (2002) - Total 256 [1] Drežnica (Italian: Dresenza) is a village in the Kobarid municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia. It is located above the Soča river in a small plateau under the Krn mountain. Together with the neighboring settlements of Koseč, Drežniške Ravne, Jezerca and Magozd it has around 565 inhabitants.
Contents
History
The village was first mentioned in 1324. In 1747, the parish of Drežnica was founded. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, it was a prosperous village with more than 1,000 inhabitants. During that time, the current church was built on the site of a previous, smaller one.
At the outbreak of World War I, most of the inhabitants were evacuated to the interior of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the first moths after the Italian attack on Austria-Hungary, the village was occupied by Italian troops and the rest of the inhabitants was sent to internment camps in Italy, where many died of malnutrition and bad conditions. The village was almost completely destroyed during the Battles of the Isonzo, but the church remained completely intact.
After the war, in 1918, it was occupied by Italian troops and annexed to Italy in 1920. Between 1920 and 1941, many locals emigrated abroad, mostly to Argentina and Yugoslavia, and the number of inhabitants dropped significantly.
During World War II, especially after the Italian armistice, the area was an important center of Slovenian partisan resistance. Between September 10 and November 1, Drežnica was part of the liberated territory, known as the Kobarid Republic, administered by the local anti-Fascist resistance (composed by partisans, former TIGR members and unaffiliated insurgents). In November 1943, it was occupied by Nazi German forces, but the partisan resistance remained strong in the surrounding mountainous area around Mount Krn. In 1945, it was liberated by the partisans and put under Yugoslav military administration.
Between June 1945 and September 1947, Drežnica was cut off from Kobarid, which was put under Anglo-American military administration. This caused a severe economic crisis and many people emigrated from the village, either to the nearby Anglo-American zone, to Tolmin or to the interior of Slovenia. In September 1947, it was officially annexed to Yugoslavia, and included in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia.
The church
The main attraction in the village is the church, dedicated to the Sacred Heart. It was built on the site of an older building dedicated to Saint Julius. The belfry was only completed in 1986 and is 52 metres high.[2] The paintings inside the church were made during World War II by the Slovene modernist painters Zoran Mušič and Avgust Černigoj.
In July 2009, the Slovenian politician and former Prime Minister Janez Janša married his current spouse, Urška Bačovnik, in the church.[3]
References
External links
Kobarid Settlements Administrative centre: Kobarid
Avsa, Borjana, Breginj, Drežnica, Drežniške Ravne, Homec, Idrsko, Jevšček, Jezerca, Koseč, Kred, Krn, Ladra, Libušnje, Livek, Livške Ravne, Logje, Magozd, Mlinsko, Perati, Podbela, Potoki, Robidišče, Robič, Sedlo, Smast, Stanovišče, Staro selo, Sužid, Svino, Trnovo ob Soči, VrsnoLandmarks Kostnica, Church of the Holy Spirit, Gregorčič’s birth house, Rutar’s birth house, Kobarid museum, Soča, Kozjak Waterfall, Koseč gorgesNotable people Categories:- Populated places in the Municipality of Kobarid
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