14 Facts About Valentin Vodnik

Valentin Vodnik was a Slovene priest, journalist and poet from Carniola.

Valentin Vodnik is well known for his contributions in writing materials that lifted the prestige of the Slovene language creating a standard meant to unify the people of Slovene Lands in a single intelligible tongue.

Valentin Vodnik was active in geological sciences, where he collaborated with Sigmund Zois in the research of the origin of the Julian Alps.

Valentin Vodnik spent significant time curating his mineral collection consisting of 338 specimens.

Valentin Vodnik was raised in a relatively well-to-do peasant-artisan family.

Valentin Vodnik became a Franciscan and studied in Ljubljana, Novo Mesto and Gorizia, finishing his studies in 1782.

Valentin Vodnik worked as a priest in Ljubljana, in the Upper Carniolan village of Sora, in Bled, and in Ribnica.

In 1797, Valentin Vodnik became a professor at the lyceum in Ljubljana.

Valentin Vodnik dedicated himself to writing poetry in Slovene, which he referred to as Carniolan.

Valentin Vodnik's poetry was relatively simple, with a generally patriotic and satirical character.

Valentin Vodnik was the editor of the first Slovenian newspaper Lublanske novice, which was issued twice a week from 1797 to 1800.

Valentin Vodnik is generally regarded as the first real poet in Slovene, as well as the first journalist.

Valentin Vodnik was selected as the main motif for a recent commemorative coin series: the 250th anniversary of the birth of Valentin Vodnik, minted in January 2008.

Valentin Vodnik's cookbook was popular, with a mixture of mainly German recipes and sections about Slovene.