Klana

Klana
Municipality
Klana Municipality Općina Klana
Flag
Klana Location of Klana in Croatia
Coordinates: 45°27′0″N 14°22′48″E
Country	Croatia
County	Primorje-Gorski Kotar
Government
• Mayor	Željka Šarčević Grgić (SDP)
• City Council	11 members   SDP-PGS-HSS (4) _   HDZ (3) _   Independents (2) _   Independents (1) _   Independents (1)
Area
• Total	94 km2 (36 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,975
• Density	21/km2 (54/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Area code	051
Website	klana.hr

Klana (Template:Lang-it) is a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in northwestern Croatia.

Geography

The municipal area is situated in the densely forested Gorski kotar mountains, about 18 km (11 mi) north of Rijeka and the Kvarner Gulf, close to the border with Slovenia. At Klana is the source of the Reka river, running northwards across the border towards the Slovenian Snežnik karst plateau. Though officially part of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the area marks the northeastern rim of the Istrian historical region, bordering Croatia proper in the east as well as Slovene Istria and Inner Carniola in the north.

There are 1,975 inhabitants, in the following settlements:

• Breza, population 60
• Klana, population 1,203
• Lisac, population 114
• Studena, population 382
• Škalnica, population 216

As of 2011, the population is 94% Croats.

History

The name Klana was first mentioned in a 1235 deed (located in the Roman library) recording a visit of the Bishop of Pula. Due to its geographical position at a crossroads from north to south and from east to west, as well as its forests rich in wildlife and fresh water springs, the area was suitable for settlement even in ancient times. Indications of Histri settlements trace back to around the 6th or 5th century BC.

Klana castle and market, engraving by Johann Weikhard von Valvasor, 1679

Croatians settled in the eastern and central Istrian peninsula, as well as in the area around Klana, from the 7th century onwards and early on accepted Christianity. Mass was conducted in the Old Church Slavonic language and writing was done in Glagolitic, with evidence in the Vatican archives of mass in Old Slavonic taking place in the 13th century in the Holy Trinity Church of the castle overlooking the town. Additional evidence of Glagolitic writing is in the form of an inscription from 1439 AD placed over the door to the sacristy of the parish church of St. Jerome. The scholar Johann Weikhard von Valvasor (1641–1693) writes of the celebration of Holy Mass in Old Slavonic in the 17th century.

In 1040 Emperor Henry III had established the March of Istria; from the 12th century onwards Klana was a possession of the Counts of Castel Duino, officials of the Counts of Gorizia at nearby Kastav. In 1374 northeastern Istria finally passed to the Austrian House of Habsburg, while the western and southern parts of the peninsula were gradually conquered by the Republic of Venice. From about 1400 the Klana estates were held by the Lords of Walsee. Throughout the Middle Ages, Klana was an important trading center and incorporated turnpike with postal service coordinated between the Imperial Duchy of Carniola in the north and the Adriatic Port of Rijeka.

In Early Modern times, Klana and the whole Habsburg Monarchy were constantly threatened by the Ottoman Turks who repeatedly raided the region. However, on 2 February 1559, the Ottomans under the leadership of Malkoč-beg experienced a heavy defeat by Uskok forces under Ivan Lenković at the Battle of Klana. From the 15th century until 1918, with a short-lived discontinuation within the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy and the Illyrian Provinces from 1805 to 1815, power was stabilized under the Austrian Habsburgs, who gave rule over Klana as a gift to various Lords. In 1849 it was incorporated into the Austrian Littoral crown land.

In 1843, Klana began operating a public school and the first known teacher was Joseph Corsiga. After the abolition of serfdom upon the 1848 revolution, Klanans purchased from Baron Andrije Negovetić his portion of land in 1861, including the right (which expired at the beginning of the 20th century) to elect a mayor. 1852 saw the birth of Matko Laginja, a national revivalist of Istria and in 1920 Ban of Croatia, the most notable native of the region. Klana was hit by a devastating earthquake in 1870 that destroyed most of the houses, but fortunately there were no casualties. In that same year, a post office was established and in 1882 gas lamps were introduced.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Klana, despite the loss of importance gained in the past century, was still developing. Thus, in 1908, the post office received a telegraph station, 1911 saw the merchant Anton Medvedić establish a sawmill, and in 1913 Klana received its first aqueduct. Also at that time a reading room, library and tamburitza club were established.

During World War I, Klanans, like their neighbors, fought on battlefields across Europe. With the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, Klana became part of the unrecognized State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, but almost simultaneously it was occupied by Italian forces along with the surrounding villages. The Treaty of Rapallo two years later drew the border between Klana and Studena so that Studena remained a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia) while Klana, Škalnica, Lisac and Breza were annexed into the Julian March of Italy.

Klana soon became one of the largest border garrisons of the Italian kingdom, where there were stationed up to 10,000 Italian soldiers. Despite the high concentration of troops and attempt at Italianization, which almost immediately began and culminated in various fascist repressions and the introduction of the Italian language in school and other institutions, Klanans still preserved their Croatian identity. One of the most stalwart guardians of the Croatian language was Pastor Ivan Koruza, who was in Klana from 1896 to 1942. In the mid 30s, many Klanans were forcibly mobilized and sent to the battlefields of the Italo-Abyssinian War in Ethiopia. Following Italy's capitulation in World War II and the decision of ZAVNOH (State Anti-fascist Council for the National Liberation of Croatia) in 1943, Klana with Istria would join the Socialist Republic of Croatia, though two difficult years of war lay ahead. Nazi German forces occupied the region in 1944 and reinforced the Rapallo border such that in April and May 1945, fierce fighting took place. Klana was finally liberated on 5 May 1945.

After World War Two, Klana was an independent municipality from 1945 to 1953 and then a local community within the framework of the former Municipality of Rijeka. In Klana there is a sawmill and forestry service, a newly built school, firestation, community hall, restored churches and despite depopulation, is an area of urbanization. In the Croatian War of Independence, fought from 1991 to 1995, many people from the area participated in the defense of the country. In 1993 in the new democratic country of Croatia, Klana again became a municipality united with Studena, Škalnica, Lisac and Breza, thus establishing the conditions for community development through a localized government.

Castle Gradina

The archeological site of the Castle Gradina (Kaštel Gradina or "Gradina") is located on the top of a rocky hill just above the town center. The highest point of the building is located at 629 m above sea level. The strategic position was first used during late antiquity in the 3rd century AD during the time of the construction of a system of surveillance stations, fortifications, and ramparts known as the "Liburnian Limes". Since the limes pass by the town of Studena, this overlook is already located within ​​the Roman Empire, which means that the town was also under Roman rule. After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, oversight of the town changed quickly.

Glagolitic Relief of 1439 and Tablet of Sale from 1860 above Entrance to St. Jerolim Church Klana

In the 10th century, Klana belonged to the Croatian state as evidenced by the nearby town of Permani, named after the Croatian border guards. Around 1118, Croatia lost the area from the town of Mune to Klana, which was conquered by the Germans, so that now a new border ran along the river Rječina and the defense of Croatia is taken over by the people of Grobnica and their guards, the "Permani". In 1351, Rudolf Devinski (a Count of Devin, named after the Duino Castle near Trieste) recognized the Counts of Goričko as his seniors; however, as early as 1366, he was forced to recognize the Habsburgs as his masters. In 1399, the Devin family died out, and their estates were taken over by the Counts of Walsee of Habsburg lineage and were allowed to use the Devin coat of arms. The Walsee family began upgrading and enlarging the living space and the former guard space slowly grew into a less robust fort. Over time, the quality of housing gradually improves, as evidenced by the use of stoves of various qualities. In the immediate vicinity was built the chapel of the Holy Trinity, from which originated a fragment of the Glagolitic inscription dated to 1439, which is currently built into the facade of the parish church of St. Jerolim (alt. Jeronim).

The expansion of the premises and the construction of the chapel prove that a representative of the Gothic Captaincy was already staying in Klana at that time, which can already be considered the core of the future Klan lordship. The Walsee family held this area until 1466, when the last offspring of the Walsee lineage, Wolfgang, died, and the Klan lordship passed into the hands of the Habsburgs on the basis of his will. In 1468, Emperor Frederick III of the Habsburgs leased fortified barracks in Klana and Rijeka to a Mr. Barbo for two years for 1,400 crowns a year. How the Barbo family comes into possession of the entire estate and Klana is unknown. The Castle Gradina is expanded to include a larger open area for the reception of population and livestock within the walls.

In the sixteenth century, Europe was seriously threatened by Ottoman invasion. The army and local authorities organized a system of couriers for the urgent transmission of news along the border. An alert system was developed through a combination of bonfires, horn/bell signals, and courier services. Castle Gradina always had two horsemen ready to report danger to Ljubljana and Trieste on light, karst horses so that at the first observation of approaching enemy armies, the so-called "Turkish Letters" from Klana would be immediately sent by couriers, footmen, or horsemen depending on the urgency of the situation.In January 1559, the Ottoman army led by Malkoč-Beg (known as one of the most belligerent Turkish warlords) approached the fortified Castle Gradina where the well-known Turkish ferocity was broken and the army repelled. One month after that, on February 2, the Turks came back with greater ferocity and anger, imbued with a desire for revenge, but this time they were repulsed and left behind many fallen comrades on the battlefield. Residents then chopped up the bodies of the slain Turks and fed them to their dogs, according to a report by Martin Bautcher. The Turks instilled such anger and hatred that the inhabitants considered the slain bodies unworthy of burial. As the castle was damaged and became unsuitable for housing, the Barbo family built a new, smaller two-story classic castle that was below the original and closer to Klana itself (the current location of the Forestry Service Offices) and likely burned down in the early 18th century, so the other owners and everyone else stopped living in Klana, which had a negative impact on the development of the town and surrounding area.

Castle Gradina - Pieroni 17th Century

Information Placard at the Entrance to Castle Gradina

At the beginning of the 17th century, the threat of Turkish invasion ceased. In the first third of the 17th century, Baroness Elizabetta Barbo, the daughter of Ludovica Ambrosi Barbo married Baron Carlo Panizzoli with a dowry that included Klana and the castle. Due to the Austro-Venetian war and most likely at the request of the Imperial Chamber, new corner towers were built such that the old round towers were partly rebuilt and partly demolished, after which new ones were built with a much thicker trapezoidal floor plan. The castle now has the shape of an elongated irregular rectangle which follows the natural strata of the rocky elevation. The maximum length of the fortress is 75 m and the width varies from 20-25 m.

Their daughter Ana Maria marries the knight Oraz Scampicchi, who after her death sells Klana to Baron Wolfgang Oberburg. In the first half of the 18th century, the Barons Lazzarini came into possession of the lordship of Klana and ruled it for almost a century though their residence is in nearby Guteneg. After the Lazzarinis, the Barons Negovetić became owners of Klana. Andrija Negovetić, Josip's son whose name is inscribed on the plaque above the entrance to the parish church of St. Jerolim, on December, 29 1860, sold the lordship of Klana to the inhabitants along with all the remaining estate and forests. After the conclusion of the "Madrid" peace, the castle lost its significance and was gradually abandoned, so that in the 19th century almost completely disappeared in the catastrophic earthquake that struck the area of ​​ Klana on March 1, 1870, after which all the quality stone was removed from the castle due to the reconstruction of the settlement at the foot of the castle.

In the early 1990s, under the supervision of the Conservation Department of the State Institution for the Protection of Memorial Heritage, under the expert guidance of archaeologists, and at the initiative of the Historical Society of Klana, systematic archaeological conservation work began at Castle Gradina. With the help of the Municipality of Klana, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, and partly the Republic of Croatia at the beginning of the 21st century, all the necessary funds were provided for this long-term work, which has come to an end thanks to a significant amount of European funds that helped to create an access road to the castle allowing for use in tourism and other events.

Notable people

• Matko Laginja (1852-1930), lawyer, politician, Ban (governor) of Croatia (1920)
• Anton (Španjolac) Raspor (1899-1961), antifascist, partizan, Spanish volunteer
• Jerko (Jerolim) Gržinčić (1905-1985), Roman Catholic (Salesian) Priest, physicist, mathematician, musician, music director, composer
• Msr. Milan Simčić (b. 1925), Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Clergy 1986-1996 (Catholic Church)
• Romano Alquati (1929-1975), Italian sociologist, political theorist and activist, co-founder of Quaderni Rossi
• Slavko Gržinčić (1936-2014) professor, Principal - School of Economics in Rijeka, President of the Magistrate Court - Rijeka, author, journalist
• Jakov Delibegović (b. 2002), soccer player for the junior team of HNK Rijeka

Economy

There are a number of industries located in Klana including:

• Šumarija (forestry service)
• Drvna Industrija Klana ("Pilana") (furniture manufacturer)
• KlanaTRANS (trucking/transport)

Education

Education in Klana is offered through Osnovna Škola "Klana" and has kindergarten, elementary, and middle school through the 8th grade.

Sports

Sport has been a long-standing tradition first started with the introduction of soccer (football) by the Italian occupying army and the birth of the local soccer team in 1931. Since then, other sports were popularized amid the formation of formal team representation. Another long-standing sports tradition is bocce, which has been played in Klana on bocce courts adjacent to the various bars and restaurants in town. A team was formed in 1974 bocce club "Klana". The bowling club "Sveti Rok" currently plays out of Klana.

External links

• Municipal website (in Croatian)
• Unofficial website of the Klana municipality (in Croatian)
• Historical Society of Klana (in Croatian)