Slovenia’s enchanting capital, Ljubljana, is a mixture of Habsburg-era architecture and pulse of modern metropol. It has appr. 277,000 residents, and it is located in the Ljubljana Basin in central part of the country.

Around 50 BC, the Romans built a military encampment on the site, later that became a permanent settlement called Iulia Aemona. Ljubljana was first mentioned in the written source in 1161, as ”Laibach”. Through the centuries city prospered under the Habsburg regime until it became part of Yugoslavia in 1918. It has been the capital of independent Slovenia since 1991.

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Ljubljana Castle

The building of the medieval Ljubljana Castle was started in the year 1485 by the order of the Habsburg Family. The former castle of the Spanheim Family was demolished before. The new castle was meant to defend the city against the attacks of Turks.

The castle served as a military hospital and armory during the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The Austrians used it later as a prison. In the year 1905 the castle went to the ownership of the municipality of Ljubljana, and it was used for cultural events. There was also built residences, because there was not enough housing elsewhere in the city. There was lot of reconstruction plans pending, and the most popular was designed by Jože Plecnick. Those original plans were not realized at all, but a thorough reconstruction was finally started after the year 1963. Then even the last residents of the building moved away.

Dragon Bridge

The bridge guarded by four dragons is the symbol of Ljubljana. According to the legend the dragons wag their tails when a virgin passes by. The bridge has a long history. Originally, it was made of wood and called a Butcher´s bridge. In the year 1901 the bridge was reconstructed in secession art style and dedicated to Austrian emperor, Franc Jozef I. On the side is written the time of his reign. The bridge is made from reinforced concrete, and it is one of the first bridges in Europe built with this technique. The Dragon Bridge stretching over the Ljubljanica river at the other side of the market place can be easily seen from the Triple Bridge.

Triple Bridge

The Triple Bridge consists of three different bridges near each other. Near them is also a statue of a famous Slovenian poet, France Prešere.               Most views of Ljubljana can be easily reached from the Triple Bridge.

Museum of Architecture and Design Ljubljana

The Museum of Architecture and Design is the most significant museum of this kind in Slovenia, so if you are interested in Central European buildings, this attraction is definitely worth to see. In periodical temporal exhibitions are displayed new and old Slovenian architecture. In addition, the museum familiarizes visitors with several Slovenian and foreign architects, and foreign exhibitions are also held there. Besides architecture, industrial design, photographing, urban planning and visual communication are also displayed. There is also a library in the building. Every other year the biennale of industrial design is held in the museum.

The museum is located in the suburb of Ljubljana, in an idyllic environment near the Renaissance Castle. It might be too far away to reach on foot from the city center, but a bicycle ride is a good alternative. It takes 15 minutes by bike to get there. The museum can also be reached by bus number 20 and taxi.

The entrance costs 3 euros for adults. Students and pensioners get in with half a price. Student discount is available with international European Youth Card. Groups of over 10 people get discount of 2 euros. Guided tours are available. More information can be found from the site of the museum: www.mao.si.  The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

National museum

In the national museum of Slovenia are displayed works of the most proficient impressionist artists of the country. In the area is also located the Robba Fountain, which is part of the Slovenian national cultural heritage.

Tivoli Park, Ljubljana Zoo and The House of Experiments

Tivoli Park. Tivoli Park is the biggest, most attractive and almost most popular public park of Ljubljana. There you can have fun, do sports, refresh yourself, relax and make romantic picnics.

Ljubljana Zoo (Živalski vrt Ljubljana) is according to public opinion one of the greatest in Europe. There are about 580 animals from 152 species. There are also workshops for children as well as for adults, too. More information is available at the home page of the zoo.

The House of Experiments (Hiša eksperimentov) is a place where you can learn something new with the help of interactive experiments. It is suitable for all ages. The house is open on Saturdays and Sundays. There you can participate in forty interactive experiments and lectures attached to them. More information is available the homepage of the House of Experiments.

St Nicholas Cathedral

This cathedral is the only one in Ljubljana, which is a very rare phenomenon in Europe. The cathedral is interesting also for the fact that its style has been changed for several times. Originally, it was built in Romanian style, but after the fire of 1361 it was reconstructed in Gothic style. In the year 1701, it was changed in Baroque. The cathedral with its green dome and Twin Towers can be seen from all over the city. It is located near the Triple Bridge in the Vodnik Square.

The University of Ljubljana

In the year 1902, the building of the University of Ljubljana replaced the old palace where the Austrian emperor, Russian tsar and the King of Naples ended the Napoleon wars in 1821. The University of Ljubljana was established in the year 1919 right after the collapse of Austro-Hungarian Empire. The balcony, from which the well-known historic persons, such as Josip Bros Tito, greeted the crowds, is located near the main entrance and Congress Square. Nowadays there are over 60,000 students in the university.

Shopping

• Smetumet in the address Celovska 53 is an ecological boutique, which sells goods made from recycled materials and designed properly, for example bags, notebooks, pencils, mirrors, buttons, belts and clothes. It is also possible to stop for a while and have a cup of tea, for example.
• 3Muhe in the address Stari trg 30 is a fair trade shop, which sells different products from all over the world, for example foodstuff, natural cosmetics, instruments, jewelries, toys and mode accessories.
• There are several music stores – something for everyone: Jazz and Blues in the address Trubarjeva 40, second-hand disc shop Spin Vinyl in the address Gallusovo nabrezje 13, which has, for example, collections of rock, alternative music, jazz, blues, electronic and classical music in LPs, CDs and DVDs, Rockerija in the address Zidovska ulica 3 which is specialized in rock, hard rock and metal music, and Dallas Music Shop in the address Rimska 14 which has an excellent collection of dance- and techno music, also from Slovenian artists. Also some LPs are available there.
• Souvenirs can be found from several places: Krasevka located in Primorska countryside in the address Ciril Metodov trg 10 in the old center of Ljubljana sells home-made food from the regions of Kras and Brkin. Idriga Lace Gallery in the address Mestni trg 17 sells hand-made lace, which has been manufactured by Slovenian women in the region of Idria from the 19^th From there you can find, for example, napkins, tablecloths, drapes, bedclothes, or even a dress and jewelries. Piranske soline in the address Mestni trg 19 sells different salt products that have been manufactured with the traditional way in the Nothern Mediterranean. From there you can get even salt chocolate. Galerija Rustika in the Ljubljana Castle and in the address Stritarjeva Street 9 sell mainly different hand-made products. The assortment consists, for example, of honey liqueur, chest painted with the traditional way, books about the city, wines, local food and wooden and clay items. Dom in the address Ciril-Metodov trg 5 on Ljubljana Market Place sells different souvenirs associated with Slovenia and Ljubljana. These include, for example, Slovenian handicraft, different sculptures and ceramics. The prices are reasonable. Vonj narave in the address Precna ulica 2 sells different supplies for home and garden, for example lamps, mirrors, baskets and furniture. They are all made of natural materials, such as wood, clay and glass. Some pieces of furniture are made of solid wood. Essential part of the selection are different fragrances for home, especially candles (for example so-called Yankee Candles). Ruby & Sapphire Lanka in the address Mestni trg 8 sells quality jewelries. Antique shop Ferjan Antiques in the address Mestni trg 21 sells furniture and decorations, for example cabinets, drawers, chairs, jewelries, mirrors, paintings and ceramics.
• There are also several shopping malls and street markets. The biggest shopping center is BTC City, which is located 3 kilometers from the city center in the direction of Maribor. From there you can find everything you need, and there are also several restaurants, bars, gyms, multiplex cinema, bowling hall, casino and a lot more. The center can be reached by car or bus number 27. It is open from Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 8 pm. The biggest market place is Mestna trznica (= the Market of the City). There is sold, for example, fresh fruits, vegetables, handicrafts, freshly baked bread, fish, sauerkraut, horse pate and different kinds of cheese. The market is open from Monday to Saturday from the early morning until 4 pm. The best time to go for shopping is Saturday morning. The stalls on the main street are the most expensive ones. Generally, the prices are cheap, so it is good to have even money with you.

Kuvat: CC-lisenssillä / Andrew Nash,  Jorge Láscar,  Johann Jaritz, Arian Zwegers, Zairon