Šentjošt nad Horjulom


Šentjošt nad Horjulom is a settlement in the Municipality of Dobrova–Polhov Gradec in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia. In addition to the main settlement, it also includes the hamlets of Kogel, Krvinet, Kurja Vas, Paradiže, Pišek, Potok, and Stavnik, as well as part of the hamlet of Suhi Dol.

Name

The name Šentjošt nad Horjulom literally means 'Šentjošt above Horjul'. The name Šentjošt is a fused compound of šent 'saint, holy' and Jošt 'Judoc, Josse' and is derived from the local church dedicated to the same saint. The settlement was formerly known as Sveti Jošt nad Vrhniko, Šentjošt nad Vrhniko, or simply Šent Jošt. The name of the settlement was official changed to Šentjošt nad Horjulom in 1955.

History

Archaeological finds in Šentjošt nad Horjulom include two silver bracelets from the early Slavic period.
A part-time school was established in the rectory in 1810. A school building was built in 1900, and regular lessons started being held in 1923.
Šentjost nad Horjulom was the site where the first Village Guard was founded in Slovenia in July 1942. The settlement's anti-communist orientation resulted in a number of Partisan reprisals. On 24 July 1942 the village was attacked by Partisan forces numbering as many as 400. The Partisans, who were fought off by the local militia, then attacked surrounding villages as they retreated, killing 20 people and burning 16 farms. After the Second World War, there were almost no men left in the village, and the first postwar child was not born until 1955. There is a shrine next to the cemetery in Šentjost nad Horjulom dedicated to the non-communist dead of the Second World War, and in the cemetery itself there is a cross dedicated to the Slovene Home Guard.
During the war, the German–Italian border crossed through what is now the northern part of the village's territory. There was a major checkpoint along the road between the hamlets of Pišek and Paradiže, and the remains of the foundation of a border watchtower stand on the northwest slope of Kovček Hill.

Religious heritage

The religious heritage in Šentjošt nad Horjulom consists of two churches and several wayside shrines.

Churches

There are two churches in the settlement. The parish church is dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist. The date 1664 is carved into the church's door casing and its furnishings date from the first half of the 19th century. The main altar dates from the end of the 18th century. It stands in the center of the village, south of Saint Josse's Church, and was declared a cultural monument in 2005. A second church is dedicated to Saint Josse. It was first mentioned in written sources in 1401 and probably dates from the 13th century. One of the bells in the belfry was cast by the bell-maker Vivencius and is dated 1354. The frescoes inside the church were produced by the Gorizia workshop between 1410 and 1420. The church was registered as a cultural monument in 2005.

Shrines

In addition to the shrine at the cemetery dedicated to the non-communist dead of the Second World War, there are six wayside shrines in Šentjošt nad Horjulom registered as cultural heritage.
Notable people that were born or lived in Šentjošt nad Horjulom include: