Jesenice is a Slovenian town and the seat of the Municipality of Jesenice on the southern side of the Karawanks, bordering Austria to the north. Jesenice is known as the Slovenian home of mining and iron making industries, its largest steel company Acroni, and its ice hockey club, HK Acroni Jesenice. Historically, Jesenice’s ironworks and metallurgy industries were the driving force of the town’s development.
| Country |  Slovenia |
|---|---|
| Statistical region | Upper Carniola |
| Municipality | Jesenice |
| Settled | 1538 |
| Incorporated | 1929 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Blaž Račič |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.5 km (3.3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 585 m (1,919 ft) |
| Population (2013) | |
| • Total | 13,255 |
| • Rank | 12th, Slovenia |
| • Density | 1,552/km2 (4,020/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 4270 |
| Area code(s) | 04 (+386 4 from abroad) |
Geography and climate
Jesenice lies in the Upper Carniolan region, in the Upper Sava Valley. The municipality is surrounded by the Karawanks and Austrian border to the north, and Mežakla plateau to the south. The hamlet of Planina pod Golico is 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) north of Jesenice, and is popular with tourists, especially in springtime when the wild pheasant’s eye daffodils are in bloom. The resort village of Kranjska Gora is 25 kilometers (16 mi) northwest of Jesenice, and the picturesque tourist destination of Bled lies 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) to the southeast. Other neighboring settlements include Hrušica, Slovenski Javornik, and Koroška Bela.
Jesenice’s climate is transitional between temperate and continental, with influences of alpine.
Government
Three political parties have been prominent throughout Jesenice’s history; they are currently known as the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS), the Slovenian People’s Party (SLS), and the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS). Another influential political party is the Social Democrats (SD).
Tomaž Tom Mencinger of the Social Democrats has been the mayor of the Municipality of Jesenice since 2006.
Economy
With Slovenia joining the European Union and its funding resources in 2004, Jesenice began a massive urban reconstruction. Current projects include rebuilding some old parts of Jesenice, building a second high school and improvements to existing sporting facilities.
Almost all of the 1950s steelmill buildings were demolished. The existing ironworks has undergone massive modernization, and it currently employs around 1,350 workers. New town-center with new seat of local government was built in the former industrial part of town. Two shopping centers were also constructed, one in the new town-center, and a larger one in Plavž.
Transportation
The regional R-201/R-452 road, near the town-center Jesenice has good road connections. The shortest route from Austria leads through the Karawanks Tunnel to Jesenice. Regional road R-201/R-452 leads from Italy via Kranjska Gora to Jesenice. The A2 motorway leads from Ljubljana via Jesenice to Austria, and further on to Germany.
Jesenice is an important railway junction, linking the town with neighboring Austria. There are daily trains going to Nova Gorica and further on to Italy, while international trains from Zagreb stop in Jesenice before continuing their way to Germany and Switzerland.
Bus and coach traffic is also well developed, with numerous stops and connections to other places in Slovenia. Tickets can be purchased in the local travel agency Alpetour,[18] or directly from the bus or coach driver. Jesenice is only 48 kilometers away from Ljubljana Airport.
Education
Jesenice has one college, two secondary schools, two primary schools, as well as music schools.
Jesenice College of Nursing (Slovene: Visoka šola za zdravstveno nego Jesenice) is a nursing college, established in 2006. It is the first such program in Slovenia, accredited by the state Council for Higher Education in line with European directives, and the Bologna declaration.
Jesenice Secondary School (Slovene: Srednja Šola Jesenice) offers 4-year vocational courses in technical and medicinal subjects. It was established in 1938, and is locally known by its former name of Ironworks Education Center (Slovene: Železarski Izobraževalni Center, ŽIC).
Jesenice High School (Slovene: Gimnazija Jesenice) is a preparatory school that was founded in 1945.
Tone Cufar Primary School (Slovene: Osnovna šola Toneta Čufarja Jesenice) is named after the local writer Tone Čufar.
Prezihov Voranc Primary School (Slovene: Osnovna šola Prežihovega Voranca Jesenice) is named after the writer and activist Prežihov Voranc.
Sports and tourism
A2 motorway, with Jesenice on the right. Places to visit in Jesenice include:
The Upper Sava Museum, consisting of the ironworks collection in Ruard Manor located in Old Sava neighborhood, the gallery and local-history exhibits focusing on the workers’ movement and World War II in Kos Manor located in Murova neighborhood, and an ethnographic collection in Worker Barracks located in Old Sava.
One of the towering smokestacks of the old steel mill has been preserved as a landmark; the illuminated red star that formerly decorated its side has been replaced by advertising billboards.
There is Tone Cufar Theatre and Cinema, ice hockey rink in Podmežakla Hall, as well as a few pubs and bars.
There are numerous scenic places in the nearby countryside: one can hike or cycle up to Planina pod Golico or Pristava, where swathes of white daffodils bloom in springtime. Planina pod Golico is also a good starting point for hikes further up into the mountains, to Golica, Rožca, Španov vrh, or the municipality’s highest mountain Vajnež (at 2,104 meters).
Contacts
Kabinet župana / Mayor office
Dr. Gregor Hudrič direktor občinske uprave
gregor.hudric@jesenice.si
Telefon: 04 5869 232
Alenka Justin koordinatorka, tajništvo kabineta župana, kadrovska služba
alenka.justin@jesenice.si
Telefon: 04 5869 231
Mojca Levstik občinski svet in delovna telesa, Nadzorni odbor
mojca.levstik@jesenice.si
Telefon: 04 5869 233
Ines Dvoršak odnosi z javnostmi, protokol, informacije javnega značaja, varstvo osebnih podatkov
ines.dvorsak@jesenice.si
Telefon: 04 5869 234
mag. Miha Potočnik informatik
miha.potocnik@jesenice.si
Telefon: 04 5869 200
Damjan Mladenović informatik
damjan.mladenovic@jesenice.si
