Kostanjevica na Krki is the smallest Slovenian town, lying on an island in the Krka River, and it is therefore also known as the Venice of Dolenjska.
The remains of settlements have been preserved from as far back as Celtic and Roman times, and the settlement here was first mentioned in 1091, when it was a centre of land held by the Carinthian Dukes of Spanheim. In 1234 Duke Bernard founded a monastery here. Then in 1252 Kostanjevica na Krki gained town rights, and recently we celebrated the 750th anniversary of these rights, which rank Kostanjevica as one of the oldest towns in Slovenia.
In 2006 Kostanjevica na Krki became a municipality with 2,500 inhabitants. More than half of the municipality is covered by forest. The forest of Krakovski Gozd with its nature reserve represents the largest area of lowland oak forest in Slovenia. In the southern part of the municipality, along the border with Croatia, rises the Gorjanci massif, which is covered primarily with beech forest. The largest areas of farmland are right along the banks of the Krka, and these are cultivated intensively with vegetables, while the higher slopes are given over to vineyards producing the cviček wine typical of Dolenjska, a very singular product and a legally protected wine. Kostanjevica na Krki has very little industry, just a few craft establishments, and local people tend to drive off to work in nearby towns such as Šentjernej, Novo Mesto, Krško and Brežice.
The main attraction in Kostanjevica na Krki is its cultural life, featuring most prominently the Božidar Jakac Gallery, which houses in its premises famous collections of the painters Božidar Jakac, Tone Kralj, France Kralj, Ivan Gorše, Zoran Didek, Jože Gorjup, the Pleterje collection of old medieval masters, the sculptor Janez Boljka and the graphics room of Bogdan Borčić. Close to the former monastery stands a collection of sculptures from the international Forma Viva symposium, and each year in the church and exhibition spaces various artists display their work. The primary school houses a Gorjup Gallery and on the island is the Lamut Art Salon.
Much of the credit for the full cultural calendar here goes to Lado Smrekar, who lent Kostanjevica na Krki a special cultural stamp. Alongside Smrekar, Kostanjevica na Krki has been home to a range of famous people, including the Cistercian Lenart Pachenecker, author of the Slovenia Catholic book, the forester and inventor of the ship's screw Josip Reselj, the physician and patron of the medical faculty Ivan Oražen, the horticultural expert Ivan Bele, the writer Božo Borštnik, the painter and sculptor Jože Gorjup, the founder in 1929 of the Kostanjevica viticultural cooperative Jože Likar, the veterinary medicine professor France Bučar and the local poet Jože Cvelbar.
Kostanjevica na Krki is also a region of tourism, offering as it does a range of natural and cultural features. In addition to the galleries, visitors can tour the Kostanjevica karstic cave, the virgin forest of Krakovski Gozd, and they can take a panoramic sightseeing flight or ride in a hot air balloon. There is also bathing in the Krka River, cycling on cycle paths, angling and hunting for game, and finally there is a range of catering establishments and farm tourism locations offering local food and cviček wine.

Mojmir Pustoslemšek
Mayor of the Municipality of Kostanjevica na Krki