St. Kancijan's Church

Kranj stands on a rock terrace above the point where the Kokra river joins the Sava, and from the edge of its old town the land falls away into canyons and a broad plain, with mountains rising on every side. It is one of the places in Slovenia where you can see a great deal of the Alps at once, and St. Kancijan's Church, near the edge of the old centre, is a good place to take in the setting. The church is a Gothic building of the fifteenth century, one of the finest pieces of late medieval architecture in the town, and its tower is one of the most conspicuous features of the old skyline.

Gothic architecture in this part of Slovenia has a characteristic look. Pointed arches, ribbed vaults and tall, narrow windows draw the eye upward, and the walls are often plain, with the decoration reserved for the vaulting and for wall paintings. The church at Kranj follows this pattern, and its slender proportions give it a lightness that the plain exterior might not suggest. The bell tower, with its tall spire, stands apart from the nave in the Alpine manner, and it has long served as both a signal tower and a landmark. The church belongs to a group of related buildings that make up a quiet corner of the old town, including a burial area and a historic ossuary, and the whole ensemble tells a story of centuries of worship and burial on this hilltop. The saint to whom it is dedicated, Kancijan, is known in English as Cantius, one of a trio of early Christian martyrs.

The views are a major attraction. On a clear day, the sightlines from the old town reach across the Gorenjska plain to the Kamnik-Savinja Alps to the east, the Karavanke to the north and the Julian Alps and the Škofja Loka hills to the west, so that much of the Slovenian Alpine arc is in view. If the tower is open and you can climb it, the panorama is extended, but arrangements for access change, so ask locally rather than assuming that it is open. The church itself is a place of worship and is open at set times, usually around services, and you should dress modestly and be quiet when inside. There is no admission fee, but a donation is welcome.

The church sits close to the other sights of the old centre. The Gothic Church of Saint Kancijan and Ossuary is the same group of buildings, Khislstein Castle and the Prešeren Theatre Kranj are a short walk away, the Kokra River Canyon lies just beneath the old town, and the Underground Tunnels give a contrast.

It suits architecture lovers and photographers. Visit in the morning or evening for the best light. Kranj’s skyline owes much to this tower. Visitors should look up as well as out.