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| Ljubljana Castle |
Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljanski grad) (www.visitljubljana.com/LjubljanaCastle) is a medieval castle with Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural elements, located at the summit of Castle Hill, which overlooks the city. The castle was built in the 12th century and was a residence of the Margraves and later the Dukes of Carniola. The castle's Outlook Tower dates to 1848; it was inhabited by a guard whose duty it was to fire cannons warning the city in case of fire or announcing important visitors or events; a function the castle still holds today. Cultural events and weddings also take place here. Since 2006, a funicular has linked the city centre to the castle atop the hill.
The Town Hall (Mestna hiša, Magistrat), located on the Town Square, is the seat of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. The original building was built in Gothic style in 1484. Between 1717 and 1719, the building underwent a Baroque renovation with a Venetian inspiration by the architect Gregor Maček.
Near the Town Hall, on Town Square, is a replica of the Robba fountain, in Baroque style. The original was moved into the National Gallery in 2006. Robba's fountain is decorated with an obelisk at the foot, depicting three figures in white marble symbolising the three chief rivers of Carniola. It is the work of Francesco Robba, who designed numerous other Baroque statues in the city.
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| The Dragon: Symbol of Ljubljana |
Ljubljana Cathedral (Ljubljanska stolnica) (www.visitljubljana.com/Cathedral), or Saint Nicholas's Cathedral (Stolnica svetega Nikolaja), serves the Archdiocese of Ljubljana. Easily identifiable due to its green dome and twin towers, it is located on Cyril and Methodius Square (Ciril-Metodov trg) by the nearby Ljubljana Central Market and Town Hall.
The Diocese of Ljubljana was set up in 1461. Between 1701 and 1706, the Jesuit architect Andrea Pozzo designed the Baroque church with two side chapels shaped in the form of a Latin cross. The dome was built in the centre in 1841. The interior is decorated with Baroque frescos painted by Giulio Quaglio between 1703-1706 and 1721-1723.
The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation (Frančiškanska cerkev) (www.visitljubljana.com/ChurchoftheAnnunciation) is located on Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg). It is the parish church of Ljubljana - Annunciation Parish. Built between 1646 and 1660, it replaced an older Gothic church on the same site. The layout takes the form of an early-Baroque basilica with one nave and two rows of lateral chapels. The Baroque main altar was executed by the sculptor Francesco Robba. Much of the original frescos were ruined by the cracks in the ceiling caused by the Ljubljana earthquake in 1895. The new frescos were painted by the Slovene impressionist painter Matej Šterner.
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| Downtown Ljubljana |
Nebotičnik is a thirteen-storey building that raises to a height of 70.35 metres. It combines elements of the Neoclassical and the Art-Deco architecture. Predominantly a place of business, Nebotičnik is home to a variety of shops on the ground floor and first story, whist various offices are located on floors two to five. The sixth to ninth floors are private residences. Located on the top three floors are a café, bar and observation deck. It was designed by the Slovenian architect Vladimir Šubic. Construction began in July 1930 and the building opened on 21 February 1933. It was for some time the tallest residential building in Europe.
Tivoli Park is another main attraction of Ljubljana. It was designed in 1813 by the French engineer Jean Blanchard and now covers approximately five square kilometres. The park was laid out during the French imperial administration of Ljubljana in 1813 and named after the Parisian Jardins de Tivoli. Between 1921 and 1939, it was renovated by the Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, who designed a broad central promenade, called the Jakopič Promenade (Jakopičevo sprehajališče) after the leading Slovenian impressionist painter Rihard Jakopič. Within the park, there are different types of trees, flower gardens, several statues, and fountains. Several notable buildings stand in the Park, among them Tivoli Castle, the National Museum of Contemporary History and the Tivoli Sports Hall.
