A church that everyone should visit! St. Cantianus delights the visitors of Kranj!

In the city center of the mysterious Kranj, as you stroll down the streets, you can hear nine beautiful and recognizable melodies playing daily from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., emanating from the  60-meter-high bell tower of St. Cantianus.

Situated right next to the Gorenjska Museum and the Kranj Ossuary, an ancient Slovenian burial ground, St. Cantianus is one of the city’s oldest and proudest monuments.

St. Cantianus, Kranj, Photo: Adria.fun

Originally constructed on the site of a much older sacral building (St. Mary Chapel) and cemetery, during the second half of the 6th century when Kranj functioned as a fortress for the Germanic army, the Church of St. Cantianus took its official present form in the 15th century.

Parts of St. Mary Chapel, Photo: Adria.fun

Spanning an area of 442 m³ and commissioned by influential individuals, the Church of St. Cantianus is divided by four slender octagonal supports, creating a layout reminiscent of three naves. The interior of the church is adorned with rich frescoes and colorful glass that, when illuminated by the sun, bathes the entire hall in a radiant glow.

Its specific Gothic architecture also influenced other churches located in Radovljica, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Šentrupert.

St. Cantianus, Kranj, Photo: Adria.fun

On the right side of the entrance, 167 steep stairs invite you to climb up and discover it even further. The bell tower, the main attraction of this church, is going to tell you an even more interesting story.

Ravaged by two fires, the bell tower’s appearance changed throughout the years.  While its current decoration emerged much later, as you approach the 170 centimeters wide and 600-year-old walls made out of conglomerate stone, it feels as if you are about to touch the sky.

Consisting of five main floors and one (sixth floor) observation deck, the spiral staircase takes you through different stages of building and discoveries until you finally reach the top. There are stops on each floor in case you need to take a break.

An interesting fact is that during the 2020 tower inspections, a 100-year-old beer bottle from the famous brewer Mavril Mayr and newspapers were discovered within the church tower.

Beer bottle and newspaper from 1933., Kranj, Photo: Adria.fun

Once you reach the top, and fortunately without any hearing damage, you’ll encounter a beautiful set of small bronze melodic bells, also known as a glockenspiel, and a stunning view of Triglav, Stol, and Grintavec.

You might wonder about the hearing damage. Well, as you ascend to the final floor, you pass right under the main bells, and if you happen to be there at the slightly wrong time, be prepared for a less-than-pleasant experience.

Wondering when it will happen? Let’s just say it occurs every 15 minutes between 6 am and 10 pm. Try to time your steps.

On the other hand, once you reach the top, and have a chance to enjoy the beautiful melody of 317 kilograms heavy bells, your view will look as stunning as this!  There are four doors, so make sure to view them all.

Kranj, Photo: Adria.fun

The entrance to the Church of St. Cantianus is free, and the tickets to visit the bell tower and the observation deck can be bought at the Tourist info desk for 4 euros per person.

We hope you will enjoy the visit as much as we did! Let us know about your experience in the comments below!