Grad, Grad

Grad (pronounced [ˈɡɾaːt]; formerly Gornja Lendava, Hungarian: Felsőlendva[2]) is a village in the Municipality of Grad in the Prekmurje region of northeastern Slovenia.[3] It is the seat of the municipality and is the largest and oldest settlement in the Goričko region.

Grad Gornja Lendava (until 1952)
The settlement of Grad
Grad Location in Slovenia
Coordinates: 46°47′51.72″N 16°5′54.08″E
Country	Slovenia
Traditional region	Prekmurje
Statistical region	Mura
Municipality	Grad
Elevation	343.6 m (1,127.3 ft)
Population  (2002)
• Total	686
[1]

Name

Grad was first mentioned in written sources as Lyndwa, and later as Gornja Lendava (literally 'upper Lendava', contrasting with Dolnja Lendava, literally 'lower Lendava'). The name of the settlement was changed from Gornja Lendava to Grad in 1952.[4]

Grad Castle

Grad means 'castle' in Slovene and refers to the castle dating from the late 12th century strategically situated on a hill overlooking the settlement. It is one of the largest castle complexes in Slovenia, with 365 rooms. After World War II, the castle was divided into small residential apartments. With Slovenia joining the European Union, funds have been made available for the restoration of the castle. Certain parts of the castle are open to the public.

Church

A pilgrimage church dedicate to the Assumption of Mary stands in the center of the village. It is one of the highest-quality examples of Gothic architecture in the Mura Valley.

Notable people

Notable people that were born or lived in Grad include:

• István Szelmár (1820–1877), writer
• István Zsemlics (1840–1891), writer
• Dénes Szécsi (c. 1410–1465), cardinal

References

1. Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
2. Vengušt, Jernej. 1919. Seznamek prekmurskih občin (krajev) z označbo pošte in zemljevidom. Radgona, p. 9.
3. Grad municipal site Archived 2012-02-27 at the Wayback Machine
4. Spremembe naselij 1948–95. 1996. Database. Ljubljana: Geografski inštitut ZRC SAZU, DZS.

External links

• Grad on Geopedia