Ljubljana Castle
Crowning a 375m-high hill west of the Old Town, this castle can be an architectural mishmash, with most of it dating from the 16th century as it had been largely rebuilt following a catastrophic earthquake. It is free to ramble around the castle grounds, but You’ll Have to pay to go into the Chapel of St George and the Watch Tower and to watch that the rewarding Slovenian History Exhibition and See the Puppet-theatre and take Enough Time Machine excursion.
There are lots of approaches to gain access to the castle, with the simplest being a 70m-long funicular which renders out of the previous Town not far out there on Vodnikov trg. There’s also an hourly tourist train which transports from the southeast of this Ljubljana TIC.
It’s possible to explore the castle’s various attractions in your own pace, or join one of the recommended 90-minute time-machine tours, led by costumed guides.
The castle’s 19th-century watch-tower can be found on the southwestern side of the castle courtyard. The climb into the surface, using a double-paned staircase (95 steps from the memorial amount ) and also a walk over the ramparts, will probably be worth the effort for the views into the Old Town and across the river to Center. Within the watchtower, there is just a 12-minute video tour of Ljubljana and its history in several languages.
National & University Library
This library is now architect Jože Plečnik’s masterpiece, finished in 1941. To appreciate this great man’s philosophy, enter through the primary door (note the horsehead doorknobs) onto Turjaška ulica — you’ll end up in close darkness, entombed in dark marble. You’ll emerge to a colonnade suffused with light — the light of comprehension, following the architect’s aims, Since you ascend the steps.
Triple Bridge
Running south off Prešernov trg to the oldtown may be the much-celebrated Exotic Bridge, originally called Špital (Hospital) Bridge. As it was assembled as a single period in 1842 it was nothing spectacular, but between 1929 and 1932 superstar architect Jože Plečnik included both pedestrian side bridges, furnished each together with stone balustrades and lamps, and forced a title change. Stairways the side bridges on each lead down to the terraces along the Ljubljanica River.
Prešernov Trg
Ljubljana’s lovely architectural aesthetic’s centerpiece is a public space of elegance which serves not merely as the preferred meeting point of the city but also whilst the link between the Old Town and your middle area, this square.
Immediately south of this statue is the city’s architectural poster-child, the small but substantially acclaimed Triple Bridge. On the east of this monument, at No 5 could be the Italianate Central Pharmacy, an erstwhile cafe frequented by intellectuals in the 19th century. On the north sits the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, also on the corner of Trubarjeva Cesta and Miklošičeva Cesta, the beautiful secessionist Palača Urbanc construction (1903), which now houses a fancy department store. Diagonally across the square at No 1 is another secessionist gem: the Hauptmann House. Down two doors in Wolfova Ulica 4, you’ll observe a terracotta figure peeking from a window. The figure is Julija Primič, a love interest of Prešeren’s, although the union was allegedly never consummated.
National Museum of Slovenia
Housed in a grand building from 1888 — precisely the same construction as the Slovenian Museum of Natural History — highlights include the tremendously embossed Vače situla — a Celtic pail from the 6th century BC that has been found at a town east of Ljubljana. There a stoneage bone flute discovered in 1995 near Cerkno in western Slovenia. You’ll find a Roman lapidarium out to the north, together with samples of Roman discovered in 6th-century Slavic graves.
Pay attention to the ceiling fresco from the foyer of the building, which features an image of the primeval state of Carniola surrounded by Slovenes that are essential from years past and the statues of the Muses and also Fates. Note the entrance to this museum and also the Dramatic Museum of Natural History is on the eastern aspect of the building, facing a playground.
Cathedral of St Nicholas
A church has stood here since the 13th century, however the present twin-towered construction dates from the beginning of the 18th century. Inside, it’s a fantasy of white stucco, pink marble and gilt and contains a panoply of frescoes. Have a peek at the organ the glorious choir stalls and also the angels on the altar.
Two magnificent bronze doors blackened, were inserted to commemorate a visit by Pope John Paul II. Even the (main) west doorway facing the Bishop’s Palace recounts the history of 1250 decades of Christianity from Slovenia. The six bishops on the doorway fronting Ciril Metodov trg depict the Ljubljana diocese’s history.
Žale Cemetery
A Few North East of Tabor, this cemetery, is the answer to Père Lachaise in Paris or London’s Highgate of Ljubljana. It is’house’ into some distinguished Slovenes, for example, Jože Plečnik, but is famous for the ornamental gates, chapels, and colonnades in the complex’s entry designed by Plečnik himself in 1940. Additionally, there are the graves of German, Italian and literary soldiers out of also a tiny section that is Jewish and the world wars.
Plečnik’s modest tomb markers are situated in the principal area of their Peninsula, place A, in section 6. Walk beyond the yellowish church in the front part of the cemetery to find it, then turn left towards the close of the first section.
Town Hall
The seat of the city government and some times are known as Rotovž or even the Magistrat, the town hall was erected in the late 15th century and reconstructed in 1718. The Gothic courtyard indoors is where performances took place; it contains some delightful graffiti. One-hour guided tours are provided in English at 1 pm on Saturdays. Tours must be reserved in advance throughout the Ljubljana TIC.
You’ll observe a relief map of Ljubljana because it looked in the next half of this century if you take a look over the portal resulting in a courtyard.
Central Market
Central Market is Ljubljana’s larder and worth a visit to stock up on provisions or simply have a fantastic snoop (and sniff) around. Proceed to the huge open-air market (Tržnica na Prostem) only across Triple Bridge to the southeast of Prešernov trg on Vodnikov trg. Here you’ll locate a daily (except Sunday) farmers market. From the next neighboring square — Pogačarjev trg — you can find always stalls selling all out of foraged wild mushrooms and forest berries to honey and homemade cheeses.
Pogačarjev trg additionally hosts an organic market on Wednesdays and Sundays, and on Fridays from March to October it’s the venue to get Odprta Kuhna, a weekly food fair with local and international specialties cooked on-site from restaurants across the city and outside.
Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia
This museum, housed from the 18th century Cekin Mansion (Grad Cekinov), traces the heritage of Slovenia from the 20th century through multimedia and artifacts. Note the contrast between the exuberant commercialism of those exhibits and those rooms’ earnestness. The departments focusing on Ljubljana under occupation are rather effective. The baroque Ceremonial Hall (Viteška Dvorana) to the 1 st floor is how a whole mansion once looked. Cutting edge special displays also.
Stari Trg
Lined with wooden shop fronts courtyards and cobblestone passageways, here may be the heart of the Old Town. From behind the medieval houses on the side, paths once led to Castle Hill, which was a supply of drinking water. The buildings had large passageways built allowing drainage in case of flooding.
Dragon Bridge
The much-loved Dragon Bridge, topped with four scary-looking dragons on each corner, stands northeast of the Old Town, just beyond Vodnikov trg. The bridge was built in Viennese Secession (art nouveau) style and dates from 1900–01.
Novi Trg
South of all Cobblers’ Bridge this had been a walled settlement of fisherfolk outside the town administration in the Middle Ages. Remnants include the very narrow street to the north known as Židovska Ulica and its offshoot Židovska steza (Jewish Lane), once the site of a medieval synagogue. The Breg, the town’s port as soon as the Ljubljanica River was still navigable commercially this far inland, runs south from the square and is wholly pedestrianized.
Slovenian School Museum
This museum that is rather esoteric explores how Slovenian kids learned the three Rs in centuries. The mockups of those classrooms are all exemplary and there is some real time stuff in English.
Museum of Modern Art
This gallery also houses the best in modern Slovenian art. Keep watch out for functions by painters Tone Kralj (Household ), the expressionist France Mihelič (The Quintet) along with the surrealist Stane Kregar (Hunter at Daybreak), as well as sculptors such as Jakob Savinšek (Protest). The memorial also possesses works by the powerful 1980s and 1990s multimedia group Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK; Suitcase for Spiritual Use: Baptism under Triglav) along with the artists’ cooperative Irwin (Capital).
City Museum of Ljubljana
Even the exceptional city tradition targets the history, politics, and culture via interactive exhibits and imaginative multimedia of Ljubljana. The rebuilt street that once linked the southern gates of the Roman colony of Emona (today’s Ljubljana) into the Ljubljanica River, and the collection of well preserved classical artifacts at the basement treasury, are worth a visit in themselves. So are the versions of buildings that the mythical architect Jože Plečnik never made to erecting.
Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
The 17thcentury salmon-pink Franciscan Church of the Annunciation stands on the northern aspect of Prešernov trg. The interior contains a choir-stall along with six side altars. The main altar was designed by the Italian sculptor Francesco Robba (1698–1757). To the left of the main altar is just a glass-fronted coffin with the remains of St Deodatus.
Plečnik House
This little home in Trnovo is at which neighborhood architect Jože Plečnik dwelt and worked for almost 40 years. There is an introduction to the ascetically individual’s inspiration life and also work by hourly guided excursion.
National Gallery of Slovenia
Slovenia’s foremost assembly of fine art is placed over two floors within an old construction (1896) and a modern wing. It displays duplicates of medieval frescoes and lovely Gothic statuary in addition to Slovenian landscapes by the 17th to 19th centuries (check out works with literary painters Pavel Künl along with Marko Pernhart). Other noteworthies: impressionists Jurij Šubic (Before the Hunt) and Richard Jakopič (Birches in Fall ), that the pointillist Ivan Grohar (Larch) and Slovenia’s most celebrated female lady, Ivana Kobilca (Summer).
Slovenian Museum of Natural History
This museum shares the identical building while the National Museum of Slovenia also comprises reassembled whale and colossal skeletons, stuffed birds, reptiles and mammals. The mineral collections gathered by the philanthropic bar-on Žiga Zois from the early 19th century and the display in Slovenia’s exceptional salamander Proteus anguinus are worth the trip. Note the entrance is located to the building’s eastern aspect, facing the playground.
Gornji Trg
The five medieval houses at Nos 7 to 15 of the square have narrow side rhythms (a few with doors) where garbage has been once deposited so that it might be washed down into the river. Search for your Church of St Florian, built-in 1672 and renovated from the 1930s by local architect Jože Plečnik. From here, Ulica na Grad is an effortless method to make it to the castle.
Robba Fountain
The three titans with their urns on this fountain represent the 3 shores of the historic state of Carniola: the Sava, Krka, and Ljubljanica — nevertheless are still modern duplicates. The fountain that was original, worn by time and eaten off by urban contamination, is now housed at the National Gallery.
Slovenian Ethnographic Museum
Housed in the 1886 Barracks on the edge of Metelkova, this museum includes a permanent collection on the 3rd and second floors. There are handicrafts and conventional trades — everything from blacksmithing and beekeeping into glass-painting and pottery making — and also some amazing exhibits.
International Centre of Graphic Arts
This gallery and museum dedicated to the arts regularly hosts displays and will be home to the International Biennial of Graphic Arts every year. The center is located in the 17th-century Tivoli Mansion (Grad Tivoli) and has a delightful terrace cafe with views across the park.
Ljubljana Zoo
The 20-hectare zoo, around the southern slope of Rožnik Hill (394m), contains a number 500 animals representing almost 120 species and is an upbeat and well-landscaped menagerie. There exist many tasks for kids and a zoo; consult the website for schedules.
Prešeren Monument
Taking pride of place near the middle of Prešernov trg will be the 1905 Prešeren monument designed by Maks Fabiani and Ivan Zajc, also erected in honour of Slovenia’s greatest poet, France Prešeren (1 800 –49). On the plinth are motifs from his poems.
Church of St Joseph
The Jesuit Church of St Joseph was constructed in neo-Romanesque design by the architect Anzelm Werner at 1913, then later extended and rebuilt by local architect Jože Plečnik, including the inclusion of the austere Theater in 1941. The church provides immediate Catholic services in English.
Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity
This church, which faces Kongresni trg from around Slovenska cesta and customs from 17-26, is the most beautiful baroque construction in the city. It comprises an altar by Italian sculptor Francesco Robba made of African American marble.
Botanical Garden
About 800m southeast of the oldtown along Karlovška Cesta and on the Ljubljanica River, this 2.5-hectare botanical garden was founded in 1810 as a refuge of flora. It contains 4500 species of trees and plants, of a third of which are all indigenous.
Museum of Architecture & Design
The museum, housed from the preserved 16th century Fužine Castle (worth the trip alone) roughly 5.5kilometers east of the center, keeps some 150,000 items out of architects, designers and hosts and photographers temporary themed exhibits.