Ljubljanica
| Ljubljanica | |
|---|---|
The Ljubljanica in Ljubljana | |
| Location | |
| Country | Slovenia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Retovje45°57′5″N 14°17′41″E / 45.95139°N 14.29472°E, Ljubija45°57′11″N 14°18′0″E / 45.95306°N 14.30000°E, Bistra |
| • coordinates | 45°56′51″N 14°20′3″E / 45.94750°N 14.33417°E |
| • elevation | 300 m (980 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Podgrad |
• coordinates | 46°4′11″N 14°38′20″E / 46.06972°N 14.63889°E |
• elevation | 260 m (850 ft) |
| Length | 41 km (25 mi)(including Little Ljubljanica) |
| Basin size | 1,860 km2 (720 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 25 m3/s (880 cu ft/s) (at the source near Vrhnika), 55 m3/s (at the outflow in Moste) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Sava→ Danube→ Black Sea |
The Ljubljanica (pronounced [ljuˈbljáːnitsa]), known in the Middle Ages as the Leybach, is a river in the southern part of the Ljubljana Basin in Slovenia. The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, lies on the river. The Ljubljanica rises south of the town of Vrhnika and flows into the Sava River about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) downstream from Ljubljana. Its largest affluent is the Mali Graben Canal. Including its source affluent the Little Ljubljanica (Slovene: Mala Ljubljanica), the river is 41 km (25 mi) in length. The Little Ljubljanica joins the Big Ljubljanica (Slovene: Velika Ljubljanica) after 1,300 m (4,300 ft) and the river continues its course as the Ljubljanica.
The Ljubljanica is the continuation of several karst rivers that flow from the Prezid Karst Field (Slovene: Prezidsko polje) to Vrhnika on the surface and underground in caves, and so the river is poetically said to have seven names (six name changes): Trbuhovica, Obrh, Stržen, Rak, Pivka, Unica, and Ljubljanica.