Welcome to Ljubljana, the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It grew up along an old trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region, and people have lived here since prehistoric times. In antiquity a Roman city called Emona stood on this ground. Ljubljana was later the historical capital of Carniola and remained under Habsburg rule from the Middle Ages until 1918. When Slovenia became independent in 1991, it became the capital of the new state. Its castle and its river bridges shape the heart of the city. Let us climb up to the castle first.
Ljubljana Castle
Photo: LjGrad · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsOn Castle Hill, above the rooftops of downtown, stands Ljubljana Castle, the town's key landmark. It began as a medieval fortress, probably in the 11th century, and was almost completely rebuilt in the 15th century, while most of its buildings date from the 16th and 17th centuries. From the first half of the 14th century it was the seat of the lords of Carniola. Today it is a major cultural venue. You will see it again on the city's coat of arms, with a dragon perched on top.
Triple Bridge
Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHere the Ljubljanica River is crossed not by one bridge but three, side by side. A wooden bridge stood here as early as 1280, and this is the oldest bridge in Ljubljana. In the early 1930s the architect Jože Plečnik redesigned and expanded it into the trio you see today. Run your hand along the balustrades: there are 642 balusters in all. In 2021 the Triple Bridge joined the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Plečnik's lasting legacy.
Prešeren Square
Photo: DimiTalen · CC0 · Wikimedia CommonsStep off the Triple Bridge into Prešeren Square, the central square of Ljubljana and its favourite meeting point. It lies in front of the old entrance to the medieval town, and streets fan out from it in every direction. Festivals, concerts, sports events and protests all take place here, including the annual Ljubljana Dragon Carnival. In 1987 and 1988 the architect Edvard Ravnikar reshaped it from a funnel shape into a circle. To the north, Miklosich Street leads past a row of elegant Secession buildings.
Dragon Bridge
Photo: Thomas Ledl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsGuarded by dragons, this road bridge over the Ljubljanica was built at the beginning of the 20th century, when the city belonged to Austria-Hungary. It was first named the Jubilee Bridge of Emperor Franz Joseph the First, but in July 1919 it became the Dragon Bridge. It replaced an old oak bridge damaged by a severe earthquake in 1895. As one of the best examples of reinforced concrete bridges in the Vienna Secession style, it is protected as a technical monument.
Ljubljana Cathedral
Photo: Žiga · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsWith its green dome and twin towers, the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas is easy to spot beside the Central Market and the Town Hall. Its story goes back to a Romanesque church first mentioned in 1262. After a fire in 1361 it was rebuilt in Gothic style, and it became a cathedral when the Diocese of Ljubljana was founded in 1461. Only eight years later it burned down again, this time suspected to be arson. In the early 18th century the Gothic church gave way to the Baroque building you see today.
Tivoli Park
Photo: János Korom Dr. from Wien, Austria · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTake a breath of fresh air in Tivoli Park, the largest park in Ljubljana, which has been protected as part of a nature park since 1984 and is home to many bird species. At the end of the Jakopič Promenade stands Tivoli Castle, a 17th-century mansion first owned by the Jesuits and later remodelled in the Neoclassical style by Marshal Joseph Radetzky. Look for the four cast-iron dogs in front of it, made in 1864. They have no tongues, which has given rise to some colourful local rumours.
Lake Bled
Photo: Canadianhockey91 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAbout 55 kilometres from Ljubljana, in the Julian Alps, lies Lake Bled, surrounded by mountains and forests, with a small island in its waters. The lake was formed by both glaciers and tectonic forces and is about 2 kilometres long. Its calm surface is ideal for rowing, and the World Rowing Championships have been held here four times. A thermal spring feeds part of the lake, so in midsummer the water warms to between 22 and 26 degrees, perfect for a swim.
Lomakuume
