Visit Ljubljana
Major sights in Ljubljana
In Ljubljana the old meets the new; and it seems that history has spent all of the settlement's five millennia preparing it to become the nation's capital.
Walk among Uniqueness
It has managed to retain traces from all periods of its rich history; from the legacy of Roman Emona; through to the Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau periods characterised in the house fronts and ornate doorways of the city centre, the romantic bridges adorning the Ljubljanica river, the lopsided rooftops and a park reaching deep into the city centre.
Here eastern and western cultures met; and the Italian concept of art combined with the sculptural aesthetics of Central European cathedrals. The city owes its present appearance partly to Italian baroque and partly to Art Nouveau, which is the style of the numerous buildings erected immediately after the earthquake of 1895.
Plečnik's Mark on Ljubljana
In the first half of the 20th century, modern Ljubljana was shaped by the strong personal style of Jože Plečnik, a great European architect and a local of Ljubljana. The cityscape was complemented by his modernist followers as well as by creations of the "New Wave" of acknowledged young architects. All the different facets of Ljubljana blend harmoniously into a single image.
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Ljubljanski grad (Ljubljana Castle)
The central point of interest of Ljubljana is the Castle Hill. Excavations testify that the hill was first fortified in the time of the Celts and Illyrians and that the Romans had a military post there. The beginnings of the medieval castle go back to the 9th century, although the castle building is first mentioned only in 1144. At that time it was the seat of the provincial ruler Spanheim, who even minted his own coinage here. It gained its present image after the earthquake of 1511 and with further renovations at the beginning of the 17th century. It was occupied by the provincial rulers until the first decades of the 17th century, later becoming simply a garrison and provincial prison.
The castle’s renovation is now nearly completed, so that the two wedding suites, the tower, chapel and cafeteria are open to visitors, while the rest of the reconstructed premises are used for occasional performances, exhibitions and social functions. Near the castle stands a monument to the Slovene peasant uprising (by Stojan Batič, 1974).
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Rotovž (Town Hall)
The first building erected here in 1484 was rebuilt in 1718 to the plans of the architect Gregor Maček. It has preserved a number of memorials of Ljubljana’s past, including the Hercules and Narcissus fountain (the work of Robba’s workshop) and the Gothic auditorium, in which Ljubljana residents attended theatrical performances by itinerant comedians in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Today it is the seat of the Ljubljana City Council. In front of the building stands one of the most representative monuments in Ljubljana, the fountain with allegorical sculptures of the three Carniolan Rivers the Sava, Krka and Ljubljanica. It was created in 1751 by Francesco Robba, the most important Ljubljana sculptor of the 18th century.
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Stolnica (Cathedral)
The Ljubljana church, which boatmen and fishermen dedicated to their patron St Nicholas, probably stood on the site of the present cathedral as early as the mid-13th century. The original Romanesque church was later rebuilt several times.
The construction of the present church, built to the plans of the Roman Jesuit architect Andrea Pozzo and decorated with Illusionist frescoes by Giulio Quaglio, started in 1701. The cupola was added in 1841 by the native architect Gregor Maček, and painted by Matevž Langus in 1843-44. Among the remains of the previous church are, on the exterior, a Gothic keystone with the head of Christ to the right of the main entrance, and a mid-15th century Gothic Pietà which stands in a niche on the southern facade.
Contemporary Slovene sculptor Mirsad Begić carved the history of the Ljubljana Diocese on the side door of the Cathedral in honour of the Pope’s visit to Ljubljana in 1996. The main door, made of bronze, created in the same year, is a masterpiece of the contemporary Slovene sculptor Tone Demšar. It represents 1250 years of Christianity in our country and was blessed by the Pope.
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Nadškofijski dvorec (Archiepiscopal Palace)
The present Archbishop’s palace, originally Renaissance, was later transformed in its first renovation into an early Baroque building and has the most beautiful preserved arcaded courtyard in Ljubljana. The construction of the palace started in 1512, and it was raised by one storey in the mid-17th century. At the end of the 18th century it acquired its present facade with wreathed ornamentation and was connected to the cathedral by a passage. Some time later, Emperor Napoleon slept in this building, and his governors of the Illyrian Province, L. Bernadotte, Marmont and others resided here. Today it is the seat of the Slovene Catholic Metropolity. -
Semenišče (Seminary)
The seminary palace behind the cathedral was built between 1708 and 1714 and gradually completed by 1772. Its portal is the work of the Ljubljana mason Luka Mislej, while the two giants were carved by Angelo Putti. The seminary library in this building was the first public library in Ljubljana and preserves a number of valuable manuscripts and printed works. It is also known for its beautiful furniture and vault frescos painted by Giulio Quaglio. -
Prešernov trg (Prešeren Square)
This square is named after the greatest Slovene poet, France Prešeren (1800-1849). His poetry is a symbol of longing for love and freedom, which is why one of his poems, “Zdravljica ⁄ A Toast” became the national anthem. The monument to Prešeren was unveiled in the autumn of 1905 and is the work of architect Maks Fabiani and sculptor Ivan Zajc.
The square, based on the Italian model, is dominated by the ornamented facade of the Franciscan Church, built between 1646 and 1660. Its great altar is the work of sculptor Francesco Robba, from the mid-18th century. The vaults were painted by Matevž Langus in the mid-19th century, and repainted in the 1930’s by Matej Sternen. The Art Nouveau facades of “Ura” and “Centromerkur” are also a characteristic of Prešeren Square.
Tromostovje (Triple Bridge), a special feature of Ljubljana’s architecture, is made up of an old stone bridge from 1842 and two side ones, which architect Jože Plečnik added in 1931 together, they provide an elegant entrance into the Old Town.
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Ljubljana Old Town - Mestni trg, Stari trg in Gornji trg (Town Square, Old Square and Upper Square)
The first two squares flow one into another and then into Gornji trg (Upper Square). All three, representing the Old Town, embrace the foot of Castle Hill. The houses are almost all Baroque only some, with their axes at right angles to the street, have retained their medieval layout. Just as the Cathedral dominates Mestni trg, so the Church of St Florian (1672) dominates Gornji trg. A footpath leads from it to the castle which, together with the surroundings, was laid out by architect Jože Plečnik. -
Zmajski most (Dragon Bridge)
The Dragon Bridge, designed in Art Nouveau style, stands by the market place and was built in 1901 on the site of the former wooden “Butcher’s Bridge”. It was named after the Emperor Franz Joseph, although only on paper, since the name was never adopted in practice. The bridge is a concrete and iron structure and was among the first of this type in Europe. Conceived by arch. Otto Wagner’s pupil, Jurij Zaninovich, it features 4 statues of dragons and is considered one of our city’s landmarks. -
Miklošičev park (Miklošič Park)
The park was created in 1902 and is the only Art Nouveau square in Ljubljana. The plan of the square and park was prepared by architect Maks Fabiani, who also conceived the turrets on the corner buildings. To the north, the square is bounded by the Palace of Justice, built in 1898-1902 to the plans of the Viennese architect Spindler.
In front stands a memorial to the linguist Fran Miklošič. Miklošič Street runs along the east side, with buildings constructed after the earthquake of 1895, including Grand Hotel Union (1905) where the staff headquarters for the Soča (Isonzo) front resided during the First World War. On the other side of the street is Vurnik’s ornamental facade (1922) of the former Co-operative Bank, an attempt to achieve a “national” architectural style.
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Tivolski grad (Tivoli Mansion)
The mansion, situated in the very heart of Tivoli Park, was erected at the beginning of the 17th century by the Jesuits, although its history stretches back to the 13th century. After the dissolution of their order it was the summer residence of the Bishop of Ljubljana, and in the mid-19th century it became the property of Austrian Field Marshal Radetzky, who gave it its present appearance. The mansion has recently been renovated and now houses the International Centre of Graphic Arts, organiser of the International Biennial of Graphic Arts.
