Mirna (; or ) is a nucleated village and a minor economic centre in central Lower Carniola, Slovenia. It is the largest settlement of the Mirna Valley and the seat of the Municipality of Mirna. It is situated at the crossing of regional roads and a confluence of several creeks with the Mirna River, along the railway line linking Sevnica and Trebnje.
History
Mirna was first mentioned in 1180.
Geography
The village lies at the westernmost part of the Mirna–Mokronog basin in the Mirna Valley, mainly at raised terraces safe from flooding. To the southwest from Mirna stretches the Vejar Basin, connected with the Mirna–Mokronog basin by a narrow glen. It is included into the statistical region of Southeastern Slovenia.
The crossroad of the regional roads R1-215, connecting Trebnje and Mokronog, and R2-417, connecting Mirna, Tihaboj, and Moravče, and the confluence of the Lipoglavščica, the Zabrščica, and the Vejar Creeks with the Mirna are located in the settlement. The part of the R1-215 road traversing Mirna was until July 1996 named 3rd Battalion of the Army of the National Security Street () and is now named Main Street ().
The larger part of the older part of Mirna is situated on the left bank of the river, and a smaller part on the right bank. Both parts are connected with a stone bridge dating to the 18th century and a wooden footbridge next to it. The oldest part of the town with St. John's the Baptist church lies at the foot and the southwestern slope of the Trbinc Hill, whereas the younger part has grown at the ridge on the other side of the Mirna river, which turns 90° here. The lowest parts along the Mirna banks have been settled by industry, which employs people from the whole basin as well as the nearby hilly areas.
Due to its basin location and a temperature inversion, Mirna has a bit lower average temperatures (around ) and more hot (above ) and cold (below ) days than the villages on hills. There is also less wind, the predominant being the north and the southwestern wind. There is more fog, particularly from August to January. The average annual precipitation is , classifying the climate of the area as moist. It occurs all over the year, least in winter (January and February) and more in summer (June, July, and August) as well as in autumn (November).
Outside the village, near the western border of the settlement, stands Mirna Castle (). It is situated on a relief pier, at the extreme edge of the Upper Hill (). Mirna Pond (), used as a swimming pool in the past and now primarily by fishermen, is situated under the castle. It was created at the end of the 1960s by damming of the Vejar. A jogging path leads past it. There are also the confluence of the Mirna and the Vejar and a bridge across the Mirna. A plain with flood-meadows stretches from the castle to the village.
Mirna Cave (), also known as Roje Cave (), (), is a fossil (i.e. not forming anymore) and isolated karst spring cave situated in the northern part of the settlement. It is long and deep. It was discovered on 8 September 1939 by the Underground Cave Exploration Society () from Ljubljana. It serves as an illegal waste dump.
Economy and demographics
Until the middle of the 19th century, the inhabitants made their living by farming. Then, a spinning mill and a tannery appeared in the settlement. Since 1908, a railway has connected Mirna with the towns of Trebnje and Sevnica, with a station in the southern part of the settlement. The settlement was electrified after 1920. Due to the development of infrastructure, the existence of trades, the start of industry, and a vision, Mirna surpassed nearby Šentrupert and Mokronog as the centre of the Mirna Valley. Currently, Mirna is industrially the most developed settlement in the valley with the largest number of workplaces. Major companies in Mirna include Dana, Droga Kolinska, Tomplast, and JGZ Pohorje. Tourism has been gaining in importance.
Since 1961, the number of inhabitants in Mirna has tripled. It was 292 in 1869, 274 in 1900, 417 in 1931, 550 in 1961, 882 in 1971, 1183 in 1981, 1500 in 1991, 1465 in 2002, and 1374 in 2010. The local dialect is the Eastern Lower Carniolan subdialect.