Murova - the oldest part of Jesenice

A village in the middle of town

How many feet have walked this path? How many heavy thoughts and unfulfilled dreams were lost among the first settlements of Jesenice... Today, this is the best part of the city for a nice walk.

It is the oldest settlement of Jesenice, located on the slope of Mirca. The first information about this settlement dates back to 1469 and attests to the fact that the first houses on Murova were made of wood; some of them have survived to this day, including Praček's house, which is considered the oldest, followed by Resman's, Pavlek's and Merkež's. The complex of the old Murova also includes the church of St. Leonard.

Kos Manor

Only the powerful masters and their friends were permitted to enter, live in, and boast about this place.

Now it is the pride of our town. It is the place for art exhibitions, displays of history and for the magical happy sighs of “I do, forever” ...

The Kos manor was built in 1521 by the tenant of the counts of Celje, Žiga Dietrichstein. The Bela Peč coat-of-arms is preserved above the balcony door and historical sources refer to it as the "Old Bela Peč Castle". In the 18th century, it was owned by the Khevenhüllers from Carinthia, the Princes of Eggenberg and the Counts of Trillegkh. In 1812 it was bought by merchant Frančišek Pavel Kos who renovated it in 1821. The Manor has been named after him. At the end of the 19th century, the Carniolan Industrial Company sold the building to the Jesenice community. It housed a public school until 1915 and offices, a court of justice, and prisons during both world wars.

Since 1985, a permanent exhibition of Jesenice's recent history has been housed on the first floor of the renovated manor. On the ground floor, there is a gallery for temporary exhibitions and a preserved prison cell with an exhibition about Carniola’s denationalisation policy. On the second floor are the municipal protocol office and the wedding hall.

Permanent exhibitions in the Kos manor cover the occupation terror from 1941 to 1945, the history of the labour movement in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the Jesenice National Liberation Movement. On the ground floor, there is a gallery where various art and museum exhibitions are exchanged.

The Church of St. Leonard in Jesenice

This is the sanctuary for those humbled by the power of a religious building. And for those who want to bow down before history ...

It was built at the beginning of Murova, the oldest part of Jesenice. It is first mentioned in 1460. It was consecrated to Saint Mary Magdalene and only later to Saint Leonard.

It was built in the Gothic style, and in the 18th century, the walls of the presbytery were covered with Baroque decorations. The Church of St. Leonard has been renovated and reconstructed several times. Today it is considered one of the most beautiful sacral buildings in Jesenice.