Gradac
Gradac in the Municipality of Metlika is one of the largest settlements in Bela krajina with about 400 inhabitants. It is named after the castle of the same name, which stands in the bend of the river Lahinja. The castle was first mentioned in 1326, and the current classicist image was given to it after the reconstruction in the 19th century. The main parts of Gradac are the settlements of Klošter and Okljuka. The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, which also contains an overview of maps of land cadastres of the 19th century, shows that among the maps of the then Franciscan Cadastre for Carniola, which was created in the period from 1823 to 1869, there is also a map of the cadastral municipality of Gradac. From 1858 to 1882, a relatively large iron foundry operated in Gradac, employing 50 workers. Through the extraction of ores and other works more than 300 workers and about 20 to 30 drivers earned a living. On 18 June 1944, the Slovenian Red Cross was established in the local hall in Gradac. In 1944/45 there was an officer's school in the castle. Gradac was once a square, after the Second World War until the end of June 1955 it was an independent municipality. Near the new fire station on the road to Črnomelj are playgrounds for basketball, handball, five-a-side football, bowling, and volleyball.
Where to discover
Gradac is located in the Municipality of Metlika. If you are traveling in the direction of Črnomelj from Metlika, Gradac is about 8 km away. It has a particularly good location, as it is approximately the same distance from all three largest settlements in Bela krajina. It is about 8 km away from Metlika, and about 7 km from Semič and Črnomelj.
