Crni Kal
Encyclopedia
Črni Kal is a village
in southwestern Slovenia
in the Municipality of Koper. It is best known today for the Črni Kal viaduct
, the highest bridge
in the Slovenia.
Andrej (Andrew) and Benko (Benjamin) as indicated by an inscription on the building: Andreas et Benco construxerunt. This makes it oldest surviving farmhouse
in the Koper area and is also the oldest signed and dated secular building in all of Slovenia. It stands on the lower edge of the village core and is made of chiseled limestone
and marl
stone blocks. It comprises two buildings with inscriptions in the Glagolitic alphabet
on the facade. The older building is the main house, with Romanesque
as well as late-Gothic
features.
The local church is dedicated to Saint Lawrence and belongs to the Parish of Predloka
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in southwestern Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
in the Municipality of Koper. It is best known today for the Črni Kal viaduct
Crni Kal Viaduct
The Črni Kal Viaduct is the longest and highest viaduct in Slovenia. It is located on the A1 motorway above the Osp Valley near the village of Gabrovica, about 20 km east of Koper. Its name means "Black Dale" in Slovene, after the depression it crosses....
, the highest bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
in the Slovenia.
Overview
The village has some good examples of traditional Karst architecture. One such monument is the Benko House, built in 1489 by stonemasonsStonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
Andrej (Andrew) and Benko (Benjamin) as indicated by an inscription on the building: Andreas et Benco construxerunt. This makes it oldest surviving farmhouse
Farmhouse
Farmhouse is a general term for the main house of a farm. It is a type of building or house which serves a residential purpose in a rural or agricultural setting. Most often, the surrounding environment will be a farm. Many farm houses are shaped like a T...
in the Koper area and is also the oldest signed and dated secular building in all of Slovenia. It stands on the lower edge of the village core and is made of chiseled limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and marl
Marl
Marl or marlstone is a calcium carbonate or lime-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and aragonite. Marl was originally an old term loosely applied to a variety of materials, most of which occur as loose, earthy deposits consisting chiefly of an intimate mixture of clay...
stone blocks. It comprises two buildings with inscriptions in the Glagolitic alphabet
Glagolitic alphabet
The Glagolitic alphabet , also known as Glagolitsa, is the oldest known Slavic alphabet. The name was not coined until many centuries after its creation, and comes from the Old Slavic glagolъ "utterance" . The verb glagoliti means "to speak"...
on the facade. The older building is the main house, with Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
as well as late-Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
features.
The local church is dedicated to Saint Lawrence and belongs to the Parish of Predloka
Predloka
Predloka is a small village in the Municipality of Koper in the Littoral region of Slovenia.The parish church in the settlement is dedicated to John the Baptist.-External links:*...
.