Gradac, Slovenia

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Coordinates: 45°37′N 15°15′E / 45.617, 15.25
Gradac
Castle Gradac
Gradac Location of the village of Gradac in Slovenia
Country	Slovenia
Region	Bela krajina
Village	Gradac
Highest elevation	459 ft (140 m)
Population (2008)
- Total	950

Gradac is a village in Slovenia in the municipality of Metlika. This is close to the border to Croatia on the river Lahinja .^[1] Gradac lies on the cross-roads to the other two communities of the Bela krajina region, Črnomelj and Semič. The village is famous because of its castle Gradac.

1 Community
2 History
3 Historical buildings
4 Gallery
5 References

[edit] Community

Gradac has a railway station (Gradac-Podzemelj), a post office, a small shop, two coffee shops, and a small industrial park. Traditionally many craftspeople (stone masons, locksmiths, wainwrights, potter, wheel wright etc.) and farmers have been located in the village.

Gradac has a small outdoor sports field for handball and basketball. It is located near the "new" fire station which was buitl in the 1980s. A little airport mainly for gliders and light aircraft is located nearby in Prilozje.^[2]

[edit] History

The Slovenian Red Cross was founded on June 18, 1944 in this village.^[3]

A military school for partisans officers was located in the castle during the years 1944/45 of the second world war when the Bela krajina region was liberated from occupation forces.

Gradac belongs to the muncipality of Metlika. Although small in size it had in former days a relatively rich cultural life. The theater as well as the carnival organisation "Gradaški mački" are remnants of this.

[edit] Historical buildings

Castle Gradac who belongs to the cultural heritage fond of the Slovenian republic was first mentioned in the year 1326.^[4] It has received it's clasicitical form later in the 19. century.

The historical fire station is located near the intersection to Semič. You can found there also a historical scale for trucks.

Quite a few farms have been declared as slovenia cultural heritage^[5]: These are

»The Baricin house« (floorplan is "U"-shaped)
»The Hanzel house« (a large painted picture of traditional Bela krajina costumes can be found in the staircase
»The Macerle house« (up to the 19080s the local post office was located in this building, The building itself has been errected in the year 1889 as it can be seen on the emblem
» The Grof farm« (The main building has a chimney of a still completely preserved stone pottery.^[6]

The community is planing to build a waste water facility in the near future.

The biggest project is the renovation of the castle. For this reason the Slovenian government (Ministry of culture)^[7] is currently looking for investors.