Cerkno (pronounced [ˈtsèːɾknɔ]; Italian: Circhina; German: Kirchheim) is a small town in the Littoral region of Slovenia.

Cerkno is a small but important local cultural center in the traditional Littoral region near Idrija.

After the end of World War I, the area was occupied by the Italian Army, and then officially annexed to Italy in 1920.

It contains the remains of 14 civilian victims (one escaped) that were suspected of anti-communist activity and were murdered on 6 February 1944 by the Partisans.

They were killed in revenge for an attack on a Communist Party training school in Cerkno on 27 January 1944 that left 47 dead.