Velike Lašče
Velike Lašče (; ) is a town in Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Velike Lašče. It is part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola and is now included in the Central Slovenia Statistical Region. Name. The name "Velike Lašče" literally means 'big Lašče', distinguishing the town from the neighboring village of "Male Lašče" (literally, 'little Lašče'). The name of the settlements was first attested in written sources in 1145 as "Lasis" (and as "Lasissa" in 1251, and "Lasitsch" in 1256). The medieval transcriptions indicate that the name was originally "*Lašiče", an accusative plural form of  the patronymic "Lašič", derived from the name "Lah"—thus meaning 'the place where Lah's people live'. The name "Lah" is derived from "Vlah" and originally referred to the Romanized Celtic population, and later to Romance speakers, including Italians and Uskoks. In the past the German name was "Großlaschitz". Mass graves. Velike Lašče is the site of two known mass graves associated with the Second World War. The Jamnik Woods Mass Grave () is located in the woods east of the train station. It contains the remains of civilians and local anti-communist militia members, who were allied with the Italian forces . The Train Station Mass Grave () is located in the woods northeast of the train station. It contains the remains of undetermined victims. Church. The parish church in the settlement is dedicated to the Nativity of Mary and belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana. It is a large Neo-Romanesque church built after the original building dating to the 13th century was destroyed by fire in 1856. Its double belfry is a dominant landmark on the local skyline. In front of the church is an obelisk monument to Fran Levstik, erected in 1889.