| Official Name: | Dolenja Vas |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | Slovenia |
| Pushpin Label Position: | top |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Slovenia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Slovenia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Traditional region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Inner Carniola |
| Subdivision Type2: | Statistical region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Littoral–Inner Carniola |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Cerknica |
| Area Total Km2: | 5.9 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 499 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
| Coordinates: | 45.787°N 14.3479°W |
| Elevation M: | 554.6 |
| Footnotes: | [1] |
Dolenja Vas (in Slovenian pronounced as /dɔˈleːnja ˈʋaːs/; Slovenian: Dolenja vas, German: Niederdorf[2] [3]) is a village southwest of Cerknica in the Inner Carniola region of Slovenia.[4]
The name Dolenja vas literally means 'lower village'. Dolenja vas and names like it are quite common in Slovenia and other Slavic countries, and they indicate that the settlement lay at a lower elevation than nearby settlements.[5] It lies about 20m (70feet) lower than neighboring Cerknica. The village was known as Niederdorf in German in the past.[2]
Ancient settlement of the area is testified by the discovery of the remains of a Hallstatt- or Roman-era fortress on Tržišče Hill above the village. The site included a large cache of weapons. An Urnfield burial site was discovered on the southeast slope of the hill and was excavated in 1877. Southwest of this there was a second fortress, the embankments of which are well preserved.[6]
Dolenja Vas is the site of a mass grave associated with the Second World War. The Balant Valleys Shaft Mass Grave (Slovenian: Grobišče Brezno v Balantovih dolinah) is located southwest of the settlement. The narrow shaft has been explored to a depth of 25m (82feet) and contains unidentified remains.[7]
The local church, built southwest of the settlement, is dedicated to Saint Lawrence and belongs to the Parish of Cerknica.[8] The church dates from 1616 and contains a gilded altar dedicated to Saint Margaret.[6]
Notable people that were born or lived in Dolenja Vas include: