Ljubljana
After a delightful few days at
Lake Bled, I headed to Ljubljana for some culture and some shops! Legend says
Ljubljana was founded by the Greek mythological hero Jason, after stealing the
golden fleece from King Aetes, and fleeing with his fellow Argonauts across the
Black Sea. Then they disassembled their ship and carried it across land, to the
Adriatic Sea; then put it together again hoping to return to Greece. On their
way to the sea, they stopped at Ljubljana Marshes, the dwelling place of a
monster, known as Ljubljana Dragon - which Jason fought and killed. This symbol
is now on the Ljubljana coat of arms and dragons can be seen throughout the
city.
Around 3900 BC, Ljubljana Marshes were settled by lake dwellers, who lived in wooden dwellings built on stilts driven into the marsh ground. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of the world’s oldest wheel, made approximately 3000BC, in this vicinity. The city has had a turbulent history. In 14 AD the Roman city of Emona was built on the site of present-day Ljubljana - a strategic stronghold with 5000 inhabitants but was destroyed by the Huns; then the Slavics arrived and begun rebuilding the medieval city. In 1511 an earthquake destroyed the city and it was rebuilt surrounded by a town wall. After subsequently being occupied by the French, and then The Austrians; in 1895 it suffered another devastating earthquake. Between the two World Wars, its appearance was dramatically transformed by the architect Jože Plečnik. After the war, it became the capital of Slovenia, one of the 6 republics of Yugoslavia; and in 1991 Slovenia became an independent state with Ljubljana its capital.
When I arrived, the sun was shining and everywhere there were crowds of people just enjoying being outdoors. I was staying at a very central apartment and hadn’t realised how compact the city was – it didn’t take long to walk anywhere.
You can easily get your bearings along the Ljubljanica River, famous for its many bridges – and can always see Ljubljana Castle overlooking the city – you just can’t get lost. In the city centre you can use the slow environment-friendly electric vehicle called Kavalir – which you simply hail for it to stop, and rides are free of charge.
Crossing the Triple Bridge, I arrived at the Tourist information shop and picked up a free map. This side of the river is classed as the old town, and home to many ornate buildings (that are now shops), the Cathedral of St Nicholas and the market. The market runs alongside the colonnade by the river, with stalls underneath the columns, as well as in the open air.
Depending which day of the week it is, the market stalls vary; but there are always fruit and veg stalls, as well as clothing, gifts and different types of food.
There are such novel shops here; there are Honey shops that look like a honeycomb, there are Dragon shops, fabulous designer shops and – "Rolls of Ice cream" shops. Ice cream is rolled here, you can also see demonstrations of how it done, in the streets and buy rolls from vendors – and it is delicious.
Once night time fell, even more people headed out onto the streets; although it was really cold, everyone seemed happy to drink coffee and eat their meals with their hats and coats on. This was something I noticed in the early frosty mornings too – everyone just likes to be outside here. Next morning, I made my way to the Castle Funicular railway that connects the Old Town with the Ljubljana Castle; it is located in Krek’s square next to the market – very easy to find.
It runs from 10am every day until early evening, leaving every 10 minutes and it only takes 1 minute to reach the top. There wasn’t a queue and I was up at the Castle before the crowds. Ljubljana Castle, on Castle Hill, is the city’s most prominent landmark, a picturesque sight on the skyline, open every day. It has been a symbol of the city for 900 years, starting life as a fort, then a government seat, an army barracks and even a prison – before becoming the city’s main tourist attraction. After alighting the funicular, I was immediately inside the Castle, which is quite dark, and it takes a few minutes to get used to. The first exhibit showed the renovation of the castle, then you could go several ways – up a spiral staircase or further into the darkness. Much of the castle is built into the rock face, and although it adds to the atmosphere – you have to watch your step.
The next section called the Dragon of all Dragons Exhibition was like going inside a lair or dark cave, with a huge metal dragon in the centre. There are folk tales and dragon stories to read from all over the world, paintings to see and statues to marvel at – as well as child hood memories to be renewed – an absolutely fantastic place. I never knew that the tale of St George and the Dragon came from this part of the world.
There is a map of a Dragon Trail to follow around the city if you have the time. Up the spiral staircase of the Castle’s Outlook Tower, where you are rewarded with the most beautiful views of Ljubljana and its surrounding areas – it really is worth the climb.
There is a permanent exhibition of Slovenian History, a penitentiary, a chapel, a Comic Strip Art Gallery and the most fabulous Puppet Museum.
I have never seen a Puppet Museum before and had no idea what to expect; but this was put together so well. I watched a guide giving a theatrical puppet show to a group of children and saw more different types of puppets than you could ever imagine – many well-known ones such as Pinocchio as well as others that were special to this area.
The Castle was originally a medieval defensive fortress, probably constructed in the 11th century, and had almost a complete overhaul in the 15th century - when it was the seat of the lords of Carniola.
Since the early 19th century it has been used for various other purposes and today is a major cultural venue. The castle is depicted on the city's coat of arms, along with a dragon on top. I can highly recommend a trip here, it isn’t expensive, and you can spend at least half a day learning about Slovenian history and so much more, as well as using their café or Fine Dining restaurant.
In the afternoon, I opted for a boat trip, a brilliant relaxing way to view Ljubljana’s bridges and the colourful façades of many of the city’s famous buildings from a completely different angle.
The bank on the side of the Old City was built up much higher than the opposite side – remnants of its defensive past.
Very quickly we were out of the city centre and the boat turned around when it reached the area known as the marshes - the oldest inhabited part of Ljubljana. There are several places on the riverbank that specialise in water sports – such a popular pastime for a country that is almost land locked. The trip lasted almost an hour and cost 10 Euros and was a delightful experience.
There is plenty to admire in this beautiful city and I was happy spending a few days wandering around. No matter what the weather, there were musicians playing different instruments every day, and unusual street entertainers – I especially enjoyed watching the man blowing giant bubbles for the children.
Ljubljana Old Town’s five squares blend into each other to form one long shopping street selling unique handmade crystal ware, lace, culinary creations and unique gifts and clothing. The Old Town is dominated by the Town Hall, a 15th century building housing the government of Ljubljana. Beside the Market is the Baroque "Cathedral of St. Nicholas", which was built between 1707 – 1708.
It has unique entrance doors depicting the history of Christianity in Slovenia, and the Bishops of Ljubljana.
Next to the Cathedral is the Seminary Palace building which houses the unique Library, another gem of Baroque art. On the other side of the market stands the Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana’s first Art Nouveau creation. At the base of the funicular is the famous Puppet Theatre that gives daily shows and has an interesting roof turret and cuckoo type clock.
On every hour from 8am to 8pm, Martin Krpan, the most famous fictional character in Slovenian literature, steps out of the clock’s shuttered doors, apparently chasing his good old mare – but you have to be quick to see it.
Walking along the embankment away from the city centre, you come to Krakovo and Trnovo, Ljubljana’s oldest suburbs, built outside the city’s medieval town walls; their residents were mostly fishermen but today, are best known for their gardens. If you take a walk around the area, you may see the remains of the Roman city of Emona, the Roman Wall (which was renovated in 1930) and the Emona House Archaeological Park – there is another piece of the wall near the city centre too.
Further along the river you will come to the Botanic Garden, founded in 1810, in the time of the Napoleonic Empire; it is the oldest running cultural, scientific and educational institution in Slovenian lands, containing over 4,500 plant species. Ljubljana is home to many Museums, The National Museum of Slovenia, The City Museum of Ljubljana, The Museum of Architecture and Design, The National Gallery of Slovenia, The City Art Museum Ljubljana and many more. Most of these are free to get in on certain days – so check their websites if you fancy visiting any of these.
Walking through Tivoli, Ljubljana’s largest park, very close to city centre, I came across a fabulous open-air art gallery – with a huge variety of paintings either side of the promenade that leads to Tivoli Mansion, the home of Ljubljana’s International Centre of Graphic Arts. The gigantic paintings are absolutely brilliant.
The Tivoli Sports Centre is also located in this park and a children’s play area; and I was delighted to find a café overlooking the enormous fish pond next to the Tivoli Glasshouse.
When I visited, there were solar, and wind powered swans on the pond – very different! It is a huge open space with plants, flowerbeds, fountains, sculptures and statues – as well as a forest that blends into the nearby hill. From here it is only a 15-minute walk to the Ljubljana Zoo – an ideal place to take the family for a day. Cultural life in Ljubljana centres around the river - the city's most popular pedestrian area, its romantic embankments, tree lined promenades, balustrades and colonnades which are ideal for events, socialising and people-watching.
When the city walls were pulled down and the Gruber Canal was developed in 1783, the once-serious danger of floods was greatly reduced. As Ljubljana began to expand to the left bank of the Ljubljanica River, a number of new bridges were created to connect the two districts. The Dragon Bridge was built in 1901 and it is easy to see why the bridge gets the name - as dragons flank each side of the bridge, their mouths gaping wide open, looking like they’re ready to breathe fire.
It is described as a superb example of Art Nouveau architecture and one of the most recognisable images of Ljubljana. Triple Bridge is exactly as it sounds – 3 bridges; but its beauty is maximized by its close proximity to the Franciscan St Mary’s Annunciation Church, a glorious pink hued building. You can go inside this church, but you can’t take photos, it has several domed ceilings and is covered by frescoes.
The Triple Bridge was built between 1929 and 1932, when two side bridges, intended for pedestrians, were added to the original stone bridge.
The area between the bridges and the church is Presernov Square, named after Slovenia’s greatest poet - this area is known as the Heart of the City – where everyone meets, and special events are often carried out.
It is always a lively spot at any time of the day or night. Cobblers' Bridge is on the site where a wooden bridge known as the Butchers' Bridge once stood, before it became a popular gathering place for shoemakers and their workshops which used to occupy the bridge. The new Butcher's Bridge is known as Ljubljana’s Bridge of Love, as countless couples have padlocked their love onto it and thrown the keys into the Ljubljanica River – a trait that is becoming increasingly common nowadays.
The bridge can be found at the gap in the Central Market’s colonnade and when you cross it, look through the glass panels into the river flowing below. One of the most memorable things for me was choosing what street-food to have from the market – I have never seen so many different kinds of food in one place. The whole of the city was there, perhaps in their lunchbreak; as well as tourists going there - as it is the place to be.
Walking up and down the aisles, with smells from all over the world, watching food cooked whilst you waited – was mesmerising. There was plenty of places to sit and eat your meal and people on hand with bins for the different types of rubbish. Unlike other capital cities, Ljubljana has many public toilets that are free to use, and some have heated radiators in them! Ljubljana Tourist Card is one of the best ways to explore the city. You can choose from one, two- or three-day cards, starting at €23.00, available from tourist information centres, hotels and www.visitljubljana.com.
I loved Ljubljana, it is so full of character, history and charm; to sum it up in one word, I would use Quirky. It is a compact, safe city that I can highly recommend visiting. The only things that let it down are the number of bicycles that you have to constantly watch out for in the paved areas, and the amount of graffiti everywhere – although some of this is known as Art!
I didn’t see any poverty at all, which is a first in a capital city; and was surprised how ahead of its time Ljubljana is. There are electric points below drain covers, for when power is required for special events; the garbage bins in the streets are above huge bins below (you wouldn’t know they were there) that are emptied by lorries early in the mornings. There was no litter about, it is one of the cleanest cities there is. The bus and train stations are next to each other, offering many services to get to the airport or other places in the country or further afield; and both have baggage storage areas. Due to its central position, Ljubljana is a perfect base for exploring; within an hour you can reach the coast, high mountains or many other of Slovenia’s highlights and tourist attractions. Slovenia is a diverse country, hardly anywhere else in the world can you find so many natural and cultural attractions on such a small area of land – I will tell you about some of these in my other blogs, so look out for them. I hope I have inspired you to take a short break to this delightful place.
Around 3900 BC, Ljubljana Marshes were settled by lake dwellers, who lived in wooden dwellings built on stilts driven into the marsh ground. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of the world’s oldest wheel, made approximately 3000BC, in this vicinity. The city has had a turbulent history. In 14 AD the Roman city of Emona was built on the site of present-day Ljubljana - a strategic stronghold with 5000 inhabitants but was destroyed by the Huns; then the Slavics arrived and begun rebuilding the medieval city. In 1511 an earthquake destroyed the city and it was rebuilt surrounded by a town wall. After subsequently being occupied by the French, and then The Austrians; in 1895 it suffered another devastating earthquake. Between the two World Wars, its appearance was dramatically transformed by the architect Jože Plečnik. After the war, it became the capital of Slovenia, one of the 6 republics of Yugoslavia; and in 1991 Slovenia became an independent state with Ljubljana its capital.
When I arrived, the sun was shining and everywhere there were crowds of people just enjoying being outdoors. I was staying at a very central apartment and hadn’t realised how compact the city was – it didn’t take long to walk anywhere.
You can easily get your bearings along the Ljubljanica River, famous for its many bridges – and can always see Ljubljana Castle overlooking the city – you just can’t get lost. In the city centre you can use the slow environment-friendly electric vehicle called Kavalir – which you simply hail for it to stop, and rides are free of charge.
Crossing the Triple Bridge, I arrived at the Tourist information shop and picked up a free map. This side of the river is classed as the old town, and home to many ornate buildings (that are now shops), the Cathedral of St Nicholas and the market. The market runs alongside the colonnade by the river, with stalls underneath the columns, as well as in the open air.
Depending which day of the week it is, the market stalls vary; but there are always fruit and veg stalls, as well as clothing, gifts and different types of food.
There are such novel shops here; there are Honey shops that look like a honeycomb, there are Dragon shops, fabulous designer shops and – "Rolls of Ice cream" shops. Ice cream is rolled here, you can also see demonstrations of how it done, in the streets and buy rolls from vendors – and it is delicious.
Once night time fell, even more people headed out onto the streets; although it was really cold, everyone seemed happy to drink coffee and eat their meals with their hats and coats on. This was something I noticed in the early frosty mornings too – everyone just likes to be outside here. Next morning, I made my way to the Castle Funicular railway that connects the Old Town with the Ljubljana Castle; it is located in Krek’s square next to the market – very easy to find.
It runs from 10am every day until early evening, leaving every 10 minutes and it only takes 1 minute to reach the top. There wasn’t a queue and I was up at the Castle before the crowds. Ljubljana Castle, on Castle Hill, is the city’s most prominent landmark, a picturesque sight on the skyline, open every day. It has been a symbol of the city for 900 years, starting life as a fort, then a government seat, an army barracks and even a prison – before becoming the city’s main tourist attraction. After alighting the funicular, I was immediately inside the Castle, which is quite dark, and it takes a few minutes to get used to. The first exhibit showed the renovation of the castle, then you could go several ways – up a spiral staircase or further into the darkness. Much of the castle is built into the rock face, and although it adds to the atmosphere – you have to watch your step.
The next section called the Dragon of all Dragons Exhibition was like going inside a lair or dark cave, with a huge metal dragon in the centre. There are folk tales and dragon stories to read from all over the world, paintings to see and statues to marvel at – as well as child hood memories to be renewed – an absolutely fantastic place. I never knew that the tale of St George and the Dragon came from this part of the world.
There is a map of a Dragon Trail to follow around the city if you have the time. Up the spiral staircase of the Castle’s Outlook Tower, where you are rewarded with the most beautiful views of Ljubljana and its surrounding areas – it really is worth the climb.
There is a permanent exhibition of Slovenian History, a penitentiary, a chapel, a Comic Strip Art Gallery and the most fabulous Puppet Museum.
I have never seen a Puppet Museum before and had no idea what to expect; but this was put together so well. I watched a guide giving a theatrical puppet show to a group of children and saw more different types of puppets than you could ever imagine – many well-known ones such as Pinocchio as well as others that were special to this area.
The Castle was originally a medieval defensive fortress, probably constructed in the 11th century, and had almost a complete overhaul in the 15th century - when it was the seat of the lords of Carniola.
Since the early 19th century it has been used for various other purposes and today is a major cultural venue. The castle is depicted on the city's coat of arms, along with a dragon on top. I can highly recommend a trip here, it isn’t expensive, and you can spend at least half a day learning about Slovenian history and so much more, as well as using their café or Fine Dining restaurant.
In the afternoon, I opted for a boat trip, a brilliant relaxing way to view Ljubljana’s bridges and the colourful façades of many of the city’s famous buildings from a completely different angle.
The bank on the side of the Old City was built up much higher than the opposite side – remnants of its defensive past.
Very quickly we were out of the city centre and the boat turned around when it reached the area known as the marshes - the oldest inhabited part of Ljubljana. There are several places on the riverbank that specialise in water sports – such a popular pastime for a country that is almost land locked. The trip lasted almost an hour and cost 10 Euros and was a delightful experience.
There is plenty to admire in this beautiful city and I was happy spending a few days wandering around. No matter what the weather, there were musicians playing different instruments every day, and unusual street entertainers – I especially enjoyed watching the man blowing giant bubbles for the children.
Ljubljana Old Town’s five squares blend into each other to form one long shopping street selling unique handmade crystal ware, lace, culinary creations and unique gifts and clothing. The Old Town is dominated by the Town Hall, a 15th century building housing the government of Ljubljana. Beside the Market is the Baroque "Cathedral of St. Nicholas", which was built between 1707 – 1708.
It has unique entrance doors depicting the history of Christianity in Slovenia, and the Bishops of Ljubljana.
Next to the Cathedral is the Seminary Palace building which houses the unique Library, another gem of Baroque art. On the other side of the market stands the Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana’s first Art Nouveau creation. At the base of the funicular is the famous Puppet Theatre that gives daily shows and has an interesting roof turret and cuckoo type clock.
On every hour from 8am to 8pm, Martin Krpan, the most famous fictional character in Slovenian literature, steps out of the clock’s shuttered doors, apparently chasing his good old mare – but you have to be quick to see it.
Walking along the embankment away from the city centre, you come to Krakovo and Trnovo, Ljubljana’s oldest suburbs, built outside the city’s medieval town walls; their residents were mostly fishermen but today, are best known for their gardens. If you take a walk around the area, you may see the remains of the Roman city of Emona, the Roman Wall (which was renovated in 1930) and the Emona House Archaeological Park – there is another piece of the wall near the city centre too.
Further along the river you will come to the Botanic Garden, founded in 1810, in the time of the Napoleonic Empire; it is the oldest running cultural, scientific and educational institution in Slovenian lands, containing over 4,500 plant species. Ljubljana is home to many Museums, The National Museum of Slovenia, The City Museum of Ljubljana, The Museum of Architecture and Design, The National Gallery of Slovenia, The City Art Museum Ljubljana and many more. Most of these are free to get in on certain days – so check their websites if you fancy visiting any of these.
Walking through Tivoli, Ljubljana’s largest park, very close to city centre, I came across a fabulous open-air art gallery – with a huge variety of paintings either side of the promenade that leads to Tivoli Mansion, the home of Ljubljana’s International Centre of Graphic Arts. The gigantic paintings are absolutely brilliant.
The Tivoli Sports Centre is also located in this park and a children’s play area; and I was delighted to find a café overlooking the enormous fish pond next to the Tivoli Glasshouse.
When I visited, there were solar, and wind powered swans on the pond – very different! It is a huge open space with plants, flowerbeds, fountains, sculptures and statues – as well as a forest that blends into the nearby hill. From here it is only a 15-minute walk to the Ljubljana Zoo – an ideal place to take the family for a day. Cultural life in Ljubljana centres around the river - the city's most popular pedestrian area, its romantic embankments, tree lined promenades, balustrades and colonnades which are ideal for events, socialising and people-watching.
When the city walls were pulled down and the Gruber Canal was developed in 1783, the once-serious danger of floods was greatly reduced. As Ljubljana began to expand to the left bank of the Ljubljanica River, a number of new bridges were created to connect the two districts. The Dragon Bridge was built in 1901 and it is easy to see why the bridge gets the name - as dragons flank each side of the bridge, their mouths gaping wide open, looking like they’re ready to breathe fire.
It is described as a superb example of Art Nouveau architecture and one of the most recognisable images of Ljubljana. Triple Bridge is exactly as it sounds – 3 bridges; but its beauty is maximized by its close proximity to the Franciscan St Mary’s Annunciation Church, a glorious pink hued building. You can go inside this church, but you can’t take photos, it has several domed ceilings and is covered by frescoes.
The Triple Bridge was built between 1929 and 1932, when two side bridges, intended for pedestrians, were added to the original stone bridge.
The area between the bridges and the church is Presernov Square, named after Slovenia’s greatest poet - this area is known as the Heart of the City – where everyone meets, and special events are often carried out.
It is always a lively spot at any time of the day or night. Cobblers' Bridge is on the site where a wooden bridge known as the Butchers' Bridge once stood, before it became a popular gathering place for shoemakers and their workshops which used to occupy the bridge. The new Butcher's Bridge is known as Ljubljana’s Bridge of Love, as countless couples have padlocked their love onto it and thrown the keys into the Ljubljanica River – a trait that is becoming increasingly common nowadays.
The bridge can be found at the gap in the Central Market’s colonnade and when you cross it, look through the glass panels into the river flowing below. One of the most memorable things for me was choosing what street-food to have from the market – I have never seen so many different kinds of food in one place. The whole of the city was there, perhaps in their lunchbreak; as well as tourists going there - as it is the place to be.
Walking up and down the aisles, with smells from all over the world, watching food cooked whilst you waited – was mesmerising. There was plenty of places to sit and eat your meal and people on hand with bins for the different types of rubbish. Unlike other capital cities, Ljubljana has many public toilets that are free to use, and some have heated radiators in them! Ljubljana Tourist Card is one of the best ways to explore the city. You can choose from one, two- or three-day cards, starting at €23.00, available from tourist information centres, hotels and www.visitljubljana.com.
I loved Ljubljana, it is so full of character, history and charm; to sum it up in one word, I would use Quirky. It is a compact, safe city that I can highly recommend visiting. The only things that let it down are the number of bicycles that you have to constantly watch out for in the paved areas, and the amount of graffiti everywhere – although some of this is known as Art!
I didn’t see any poverty at all, which is a first in a capital city; and was surprised how ahead of its time Ljubljana is. There are electric points below drain covers, for when power is required for special events; the garbage bins in the streets are above huge bins below (you wouldn’t know they were there) that are emptied by lorries early in the mornings. There was no litter about, it is one of the cleanest cities there is. The bus and train stations are next to each other, offering many services to get to the airport or other places in the country or further afield; and both have baggage storage areas. Due to its central position, Ljubljana is a perfect base for exploring; within an hour you can reach the coast, high mountains or many other of Slovenia’s highlights and tourist attractions. Slovenia is a diverse country, hardly anywhere else in the world can you find so many natural and cultural attractions on such a small area of land – I will tell you about some of these in my other blogs, so look out for them. I hope I have inspired you to take a short break to this delightful place.
Lynne
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