Ljubljana
Encyclopedia
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia
and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana
. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin
, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants. Throughout its history, it has been influenced by its geographic position at the crossroads of the Slavic
world with the Germanic and Latin
cultures.
For centuries, Ljubljana was the capital of the historical region of Carniola
, and in the 20th century it became the cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative centre of Slovenia, independent since 1991. Its transport connections, concentration of industry, scientific and research institutions and cultural tradition are contributing factors to its leading position.
that flows through it. The linguist Silvo Torkar supports the thesis that the name of Ljubljanica derives from the Old Slavic name Ljubovid. Robert Vrčon believes that the name of Ljubljanica developed from the Latin
alluviana, itself derived from the word eluvio, meaning an inundation.
In the Middle Ages, both the river and the city were named Laibach. This name, derived from Old German, almost certainly means "a standing water causing floods". It was in official use until 1918.
A common folk etymology has traditionally connected the name to the Slovene word "ljubljena" ("beloved"). While this explanation was accepted by early scholars, including the philologist Franc Metelko in his 1825 grammar, it is widely considered a coincidence by modern linguists.
The city's symbol is the Ljubljana Dragon. It symbolises power, courage and greatness. It is depicted on the top of the tower of the Ljubljana Castle
in the Ljubljana coat-of-arms and on the Ljubljanica-crossing Dragon Bridge
, often regarded as the most beautiful bridge produced by the Vienna Secession
.
There are several explanations on the origin of the Ljubljana Dragon. According to the celebrated Greek legend
, the Argonauts
on their return home after having taken the Golden Fleece
found a large lake surrounded by a marsh between the present-day cities of Vrhnika
and Ljubljana. It is there that Jason
struck down a monster. This monster has become the dragon
that today is present on the city's coat of arms and flag.
It is historically more believable that the dragon was adopted from Saint George
, the patron of the Ljubljana Castle chapel built in the 15th century. In the legend of Saint George, the dragon represents the old ancestral paganism
overcome by Christianity
.
According to another explanation, related to the second, the dragon was at first only a decoration above the city coat of arms. In Baroque
, it became part of the coat of arms and in the 19th and especially the 20th century, it outstripped the tower and other elements.
. These lake-dwelling people lived through hunting, fishing and primitive agriculture. To get around the marshes, they used dugout canoes made by cutting out the inside of tree trunks. Later, the area remained a transit point for numerous tribes and peoples, among them a mixed nation of Celts and Illyrians
called the Iapydes
and then in the 3rd century BC a Celtic tribe, the Taurisci
.
Around 50 BC, the Romans
built a military encampment that later became a permanent settlement called Iulia Aemona (Emona
). This entrenched fort was occupied by the Legio XV Apollinaris
. In 452, it was destroyed by the Huns
under Attila
's orders, and later by the Ostrogoths and the Lombards
. Emona housed 5,000–6,000 inhabitants and played an important role during numerous battles. Its plastered brick houses, painted in different colours, were already connected to a drainage system
. In the 6th century, the ancestors of the Slovenes moved in. In the 9th century, the Slovenes fell under Frankish
domination, while experiencing frequent Magyar raids.
It was long thought that the first mention of Ljubljana dated to 1144. In 2002, however, an even older mention was found on a parchment sheet named Nomina defunctorum (Names of the Dead), which has been kept by the Udine Cathedral
Archive. It dates from 1112 to 1125. It mentions the nobleman Rudolf of Tarcento, a laywer of the Patriarchate of Aquileia, who had bestowed a canon with 20 farmsteads beside the castle of Ljubljana (castrum Leibach) to the Patriarchate.
When exactly Ljubljana acquired its town rights is not known, but it was no later than 1220. In the 13th century, the town was composed of three districts: the Old Square , the New Square and "Town" (around the Romanesque
church of Saint Nicholas
). The first-mentioned is thought to have obtained the right to hold a market at around 1200, which does not necessarily mean that it is the oldest district among the three. The lords of Ljubljana Castle at the time were from the Spanheim family, whereas the surrounding agrarian estate belonged to different noblemen, even counts.
In 1270, Carniola
and in particular Ljubljana was conquered by King Ottokar II of Bohemia
. When he was in turn defeated by Rudolph of Habsburg
, the latter took the town in 1278. Due to Rudolf's pledge, Ljubljana was under the administration of the Counts of Gorizia from 1279 till 1335, when it came under Habsburg rule again. Renamed Laibach, it would belong to the House of Habsburg until 1797. The Diocese of Ljubljana
was established in 1461 and the Church of St. Nicholas became a cathedral.
In the 15th century, Ljubljana became recognised for its art. After an earthquake in 1511, it was rebuilt in Renaissance
style and a new wall was built around it. In the 16th century, the population numbered 5,000, 70% of whom spoke Slovene as their mother tongue
, with most of the rest using German. Soon after the first book written in Slovene was published in Germany (Primož Trubar
's Catechism
, Tübingen 1550) the pedagogue Adam Bohorič
had his three Slovene-language books, "Elementale Labacense oder Abecedarium
der lateinischen, deutschen und slowenischen Sprache", his "Nomenclatura trium linguarum" and his "Otroshia tabla", printed in the Carniolan capital by Hans Mannel (Slovene: Janž Mandelc). By that time, the Protestant Reformation
had gained ground in the town. Several important Lutheran
preachers lived and worked in Ljubljana, including Primož Trubar, Adam Bohorič and Jurij Dalmatin
, whose Slovene bible, however, was printed in German Wittenberg
. Around the same time, the first secondary school
, public library and printing house opened in Ljubljana. In 1597, the Jesuits
arrived in the city and established a new secondary school that later became a college. Baroque architecture
appeared at the end of the 17th century as foreign architects and sculptors came in.
The Napoleonic
interlude saw Ljubljana as "Laybach" become, from 1809 to 1813, the capital of the Illyrian Provinces
. In 1815, the city became Austrian again and from 1816 to 1849 was the administrative centre of the Kingdom of Illyria
in the Austrian Empire
. In 1821 it hosted the Congress of Laibach
, which fixed European political borders for years to come. The first train arrived in 1849 from Vienna and in 1857 the line was extended to Trieste
.
In 1895, Ljubljana, then a city of 31,000, suffered a serious earthquake
measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale
. Some 10% of its 1,400 buildings were destroyed, although casualties were light. During the reconstruction that followed, a number of quarters were rebuilt in Vienna Secession
style. Public electric lighting
appeared in the city in 1898. The rebuilding and subsequent quick modernization of the city were led by the mayor Ivan Hribar
.
In 1918, following the end of World War I
and the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, the region joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
. In 1929, Ljubljana became the capital of Drava Banovina
, a Yugoslav
province. In 1941, during World War II
, Fascist Italy
occupied the city, and on 3 May 1941 made "Lubiana" the capital of an Italian "Provincia di Lubiana" with the former Yugoslav general Leon Rupnik
as mayor. After the Italian capitulation, Nazi Germany
with SS-general Erwin Rösener
and Friedrich Rainer
took control in 1943 but formally the city remained the capital of an Italian province until 9 May 1945. In Ljubljana, the occupying forces established strongholds and command centres of Quisling
organisations, the Anti-Communist Volunteer Militia
under Italy and the Home Guard under German occupation. The city was surrounded by over 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) of barbed wire
to prevent co-operation between the underground resistance movement
(Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
) within the city and the Yugoslav Partisans (Partizani) who operated outside the fence. Since 1985, a commemorative path
has ringed the city where this iron fence once stood.
After World War II, Ljubljana became the capital of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
, part of Communist Yugoslavia
, a status it retained until 1991, when Slovenia became independent. Ljubljana remained the capital of Slovenia, which entered the European Union
in 2004.
Ljubljana has been struck through its history not only by earthquakes but also by floods, the latest
taking place in 2010. Southern and western parts of the city are more flood-endangered than northern parts.
The city, with an area of 163.8 square kilometres (63.2 sq mi), is situated in central Slovenia
in the Ljubljana Basin
between the Alps
and the Karst. Ljubljana is located some 140 kilometres (87 mi) west of Zagreb
, 520 kilometres (323.1 mi) northwest of Belgrade
, 250 kilometres (155.3 mi) east of Venice, 350 kilometres (217.5 mi) southwest of Vienna
and 400 kilometres (248.5 mi) southwest of Budapest
. The extent of Ljubljana has changed considerably in the past 30 years, mainly because some of the nearby settlements have merged with Ljubljana.
of Ljubljana is 295 metres (967.8 ft) The city centre is located along the river Ljubljanica
at the altitude of 298 metres (977.7 ft). The Ljubljana Castle
, which sits atop the Castle Hill (Grajski grič) south of the city centre, is at 366 metres (1,200.8 ft) altitude while the city's highest point, called the Janče Hill (Janški hrib), reaches 794 metres (2,605 ft). The main watercourses in Ljubljana are the Ljubljanica, the Sava, the Gradaščica
, the Mali graben
, the Iška
and the Iščica. Next to the eastern border of the city, the rivers Ljubljanica, Sava and Kamniška Bistrica
flow together. At the confluence is the lowest point of Ljubljana, with the altitude of 261 metres (856.3 ft).
plain dating to the Quaternary
era
. The nearby, older mountainous regions date back to the Mesozoic
(Triassic
) or Paleozoic
.
A number of earthquakes have devastated Ljubljana, including in 1511 and 1895. Slovenia is in a rather active seismic zone because of its position to the south of the Eurasian Plate
. Thus the country is at the junction of three important tectonic zones: the Alps
to the north, the Dinaric Alps
to the south and the Pannonian Basin
to the east. Scientists have been able to identify 60 destructive earthquakes in the past. Additionally, a network of seismic stations is active throughout the country.
"Cfb"), bordering on a Humid subtropical climate
zone (Köppen climate classification
Cfa), with continental
characteristics such as warm summers and moderately cold winters. July and August are the warmest months with daily highs generally between 25 and 30 °C (77 and 86 F), and January is the coldest month with the temperatures mostly oscillating around 0 °C (32 °F). The city experiences 90 days of frost per year, and 11 days with temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F). The precipitation is relatively evenly distributed throughout the seasons, although winter and spring tend to be somewhat drier than summer and autumn. Yearly precipitation is about 1400 mm (55.1 in), making Ljubljana one of the wettest European capitals. Thunderstorms are very common from May to September and can occasionally be quite heavy. Snow is common from December to February; on average, there are 48 days with snow cover recorded each winter season. The city is known for its fog, which is recorded on average on 64 days per year, mostly in autumn and winter, and can be particularly persistent in conditions of temperature inversion
. In summer the weather in the city is under the influence of Mediterranean air currents, so the summers are sunny and warm.
styles mix. The city is strongly influenced by the Austrian fashion, in particular in the style of Graz
and Salzburg
.
After the 1511 earthquake, Ljubljana was rebuilt in a Baroque style
following the model of a Renaissance town; after the quake in 1895, which severely damaged the city, it was once again rebuilt, this time in a Vienna Secession style. The city's architecture is thus a mix of styles. The large sectors built after the World War II often include a personal touch by the Slovene architect Jože Plečnik
.
Ljubljana Castle
dominates the hill over the river Ljubljanica. Built in the 12th century, the castle (like the castle at Kranj
) was a residence of the Margrave
s, later the Dukes of Carniola
. Aside from the castle, the city's main architectural works are St. Nicholas Cathedral, St. Peter's Church
, the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
, the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge
.
Near the Town Hall, on the Town Square
, is a replica of the Robba fountain, in Baroque style. The original has been moved into the National Gallery
in 2006. Resembling the fountain on Rome
's Piazza Navona
, Robba's fountain is decorated with an obelisk at the foot of which are 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. Ljubljana's churches are equally marked by this style that gained currency following the 1511 earthquake.
For its part, Vienna Secession features prominently on the Prešeren Square
and on the Dragon Bridge. Among the important influences on the city was the architect Jože Plečnik
, who designed several bridges, including the Triple Bridge, as well as the National Library
. Nebotičnik
is a notable high-rise.
Ljubljana Castle
(Ljubljanski grad) is a medieval castle located at the summit of the hill that dominates the city centre. The area surrounding today's castle has been continuously inhabited since 1200 BC. The hill summit probably became a Roman army
stronghold after fortifications were built in Illyrian and Celtic times.
A fortress was present at the place already in 12th century and was the seat of the Duchy of Carniola
. In 1335, it became property of the House of Habsburg. In 15th century, the fortress was almost completely demolished and the present castle was built and furnished with towers. Its purpose was to defend the empire against Ottoman
invasion as well as peasant revolt. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the castle became an arsenal and a military hospital. It was damaged during the Napoleonic period and, once back in the Austrian Empire
, became a prison, which it remained until 1905, resuming that function during World War II. The castle's Outlook Tower dates to 1848; this 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.
In 1905, the city of Ljubljana purchased the castle, which underwent a renovation in the 1960s. Today, it is a tourist attraction; cultural events also take place there. Since 2006, a funicular
has linked the city centre to the castle atop the hill.
Saint Nicholas Cathedral (Stolnica svetega Nikolaja) serves the Archdiocese of Ljubljana. Easily identifiable due to its green dome and twin towers, it is located on the Cyril Methodius Square by the nearby Ljubljana Central Market
and the Ljubljana Town Hall
.
Originally, the site was occupied by a three-nave Romanesque
church first mentioned in 1262. After a fire in 1361 it was re-vaulted in Gothic
style. The Diocese of Ljubljana was set up in 1461 and eight years later, a new fire presumably set by the Ottomans once again burnt down the building.
Between 1701 and 1706, the Jesuit architect Andrea Pozzo
designed a new 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.
(Zmajski most) was built between 1900 and 1901, when the city was part of Austria-Hungary. Designed by a Dalmatia
n architect who studied in Vienna and built by an Austrian engineer, the bridge is considered one of the finest works in the Vienna Secession
style. Some residents nicknamed the bridge "mother-in-law" in reference to the fearsome dragons on its four corners.
is one of the most important centres of the city. It was built in 1821 for ceremonial purposes such as Congress of Ljubljana
after which it was named. Since then it became an important centre for political ceremonies, demonstrations and protests, such as the ceremony at creation of Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, ceremony of liberation of Belgrade
, protests against Yugoslav authority in 1988 etc. The square also houses several important buildings, such as University of Ljubljana
, Slovenian Philharmonic, Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity
, Slovenska matica
. In 2010 and 2011 it has been heavily renovated and is now mostly closed to road traffic on ground area, however there are five floors for commercial purposes and a parking lot located underground.
ian Jardins de Tivoli
.
At the edge of Tivoli Park is a fish pond, dating back to 1880. On one side of the pond is a small botanic garden, on the other side is a children's playground. Between 1921 and 1939, it was renovated by the Slovene architect Jože Plečnik
, who designed a broad central promenade, called the Jakopič Promenade after the leading Slovene impressionist
painter Rihard Jakopič
. It has three main avenues, planted with chestnut-trees. Within the park, there are different types of trees, flower gardens, several statues, and fountains.
Several notable buildings stand in the Park, among them the Tivoli Castle
, the National Museum of Contemporary History
and the Tivoli Sports Hall.
is a footbridge crossing the river Ljubljanica
. It connects Ljubljana Central Market
and the Petkovšek embankment. It is decorated with the works by the Slovenian sculptor Jakov Brdar and completes the plans of the Slovene architect Jože Plečnik
from the 1930s. It was officially opened on July 10, 2010.
Shortly after the opening of the bridge padlocks of couples in love started appearing on its steel wires, symbolizing declarations of eternal love, a phenomenon similar to the one on the Parisian Pont des Arts
.
; and the remaining 0.7% were Protestant or belonged to other religions.
Around 84% of the population speak Slovene as their native language. The second most-spoken language is Bosnian
, with Serbian
holding third place.
(MOL). Municipal elections take place every four years. Between 2002 and 2006, Danica Simšič was mayor of the municipality. Since the municipal elections of 22 October 2006, Zoran Janković, an influential businessman in Slovenia, has been the mayor of Ljubljana. In 2006, he won 62.99% of the votes. On 10 October 2010, Janković was re-elected for another four-year term, receiving 64,79% of the popular vote. From 2006 till October 2010, the majority on the city council (the Zoran Janković List) held 23 of 45 seats. On 10 October 2010, Janković's list won 25 out of 45 seats in the City Council.
Among other roles, the city council drafts the municipal budget, and is assisted by various boards active in the fields of health, sports, finances, education, environmental protection
and tourism. The City Municipality of Ljubljana is subdivided into 17 quarter communities that work with the municipality council to make known residents' suggestions and prepare activities in their territories.
, the jurisdiction of the Police Directorate Ljubljana covers the area of 3807 square kilometres (1,469.9 sq mi), which represents 18.8% of the national territory. There are 17 police stations employing 1,380 individuals, of whom 1,191 are police officer
s and 189 are civilians. With around 45,000 criminal acts in 2007, the Police Directorate Ljubljana alone accounts for over 50% of the country's crimes. Slovenia and in particular Ljubljana have a quiet and secure reputation.
The public order and municipal traffic regulations are also supervised by the city traffic wardens .
s and food processing
. Other fields include banking, finance, transport, construction, skilled trades and services and tourism. The public sector provides jobs in education, culture, health care
and local administration.
The Ljubljana Stock Exchange
, purchased in 2008 by the Vienna Stock Exchange
, deals with large Slovenian companies. Some of these have their headquarters in the capital: for example, the retail chain
Mercator
, the oil company
Petrol d.d.
and the telecommunications concern Telekom Slovenije. Over 15,000 enterprises operate in the city, most of them in the tertiary sector.
Numerous companies and over 450 shops are located in the BTC City
, the largest business, shopping, recreational, entertainment and cultural centre in Europe. It is visited each year by 21 million people. It occupies an area of 475000 square metres (568,095.3 sq yd) in the Moste Quarter Community in the eastern part of Ljubljana.
Ljubljana has numerous art galleries and museums. In 2004, there were 15 museums, 41 art galleries, 11 theatres and four professional orchestras. There is for example an architecture museum, a railway museum, a sports museum, a museum of modern art, a museum of contemporary art, a brewery museum, the Slovenian Museum of Natural History
and the Slovene Ethnographic Museum. The Ljubljana Zoo
covers 19.6 hectares (48.4 acre) and has 152 animal species. An antique flea market
takes place every Sunday in the old city. In 2006, the museums received 264,470 visitors, the galleries 403,890 and the theatres 396,440.
Each year over 10,000 cultural events take place in the city; among these are ten international festivals of theatre, music and art generally. Numerous music festivals are held there, chiefly in European classical music
and jazz, for instance the Ljubljana Summer Festival
(Ljubljanski poletni festival). In the centre of the various Slovenian wine
regions, Ljubljana is known for being a "city of wine and vine". Grapevines were already being planted on the slopes leading up to the Castle Hill by the Roman inhabitants of Emona.
In 1701, present-day Slovenia's first philharmonic academy
opened in Ljubljana, which spurred the development of musical production in the region. Some of its honorary members would include Joseph Haydn
, Ludwig van Beethoven
and Johannes Brahms
, as well as the violinist Niccolò Paganini
. Early in his career, Gustav Mahler
served as conductor at the opera house, giving eighty-four complete performances between September 1881 and April 1882.
The National Gallery
(Narodna galerija), founded in 1918, and the Museum of Modern Art
(Moderna galerija), both in Ljubljana, exhibit the most influential Slovenian artists. On Metelkova Street there is a social centre
dedicated to alternative culture
, set up in a renovated former Austro-Hungarian barracks. This lively street has numerous clubs and concert halls that play various types of music, mainly alternative rock
. The Museum of Contemporary Art, a part of the Museum of Modern Art, has been opened to the public on Metelkova Street since 26 November 2011. Another alternative culture centre is located in the former Rog factory. In the 1980s, Ljubljana became the centre of the Neue Slowenische Kunst
, which among others included the music group Laibach
and the painters of the IRWIN
collective; the philosopher Slavoj Žižek
was also associated with it.
, Slovenia's most important and Ljubljana's only university, was founded in 1919. On foundation, the University comprised five faculties: law, philosophy, technology, theology and medicine. The seat of the university was in the central Congress Square
of Ljubljana in a building that had served as the State Mansion of Carniola from 1902 to 1918. The building was first designed in 1902 by Jan Vladimír Hráský
, and was later remodelled by a Czech
architect from Vienna
, Josip Hudetz. As of 2010, it has 23 faculties and three academies. These offer Slovene-language courses in (among other subjects) medicine, applied science
s, arts, law and administration. The university has close to 64,000 students and some 3,500 teaching faculty.
In 2004, the National and University Library of Slovenia
, located in Ljubljana, had 1,169,090 books in all. In 2006, the 55 primary schools
had 20,802 pupils and the 32 secondary schools had 25,797.
, established only in 1938.
Ljubljana's ice hockey
clubs are HD HS Olimpija
, ŠD Alfa, HK Slavija
and HDD Olimpija Ljubljana
. They all compete in the Slovenian Hockey League; HDD Olimpija Ljubljana
also takes part in the Austrian Hockey League
. The basketball teams are KD Slovan
, ŽKD Ježica Ljubljana and KK Union Olimpija
. The latter, which has a green dragon as its mascot, hosts its matches in the 10,000-seat Arena Stožice since 2010.
The city's football teams which play in the Slovenian PrvaLiga are Interblock Ljubljana and NK Olimpija Ljubljana. There are two stadium
s in the city. Bežigrad Stadium, which was built according to the plans of Jože Plečnik
and is closed since 2008, was the home of the NK Olimpija Ljubljana
dissolved in 2004. The much larger Stadium Stožice, opened since August 2010 and located in Stožice Sports Park, is the home of the NK Olimpija Ljubljana established in 2005, and the main stadium of the Slovenia national football team
.
Each year since 1957, on 8–10 May, the traditional recreational March along the Path of Remembrance and Comradeship
has taken place to mark the liberation of Ljubljana on 9 May 1945. The last Sunday in October, the Ljubljana Marathon
is run on the city's streets. It attracts several thousand runners each year.
The Tacen Whitewater Course
, located on a polygon next to the Sava, eight kilometers northwest of the city centre, hosts a major international canoe/kayak slalom competition almost every year, examples being the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
in 1955
, 1991
, and 2010
.
Ljubljana is at the centre of the Slovenian road network, which links the city to all parts of the country. Until July 2008, toll booths
were used, but were replaced by a vignette
system. The city, in central Slovenia, is linked to the southwest by A1-E70
to the Italian cities of Trieste
and Venice
and the Croatian port of Rijeka
. To the north, A1-E57
leads to Maribor
, Graz
and Vienna
. To the east, A2-E70
links it with the Croatian capital Zagreb
, from where one can go to Hungary
or important cities of the former Yugoslavia, such as Belgrade
. To the northwest, A2-E61
goes to the Austrian cities of Klagenfurt
and Salzburg
, making it an important entry point for northern Europe
an tourists.
Ljubljana railway station
is part of a railway network that links Germany to Croatia through the Munich
-Salzburg-Ljubljana-Zagreb line. A second network is the Vienna-Graz-Maribor-Ljubljana one, which links Austria to Slovenia. A third is the Genoa
-Venice-Ljubljana one, linking Ljubljana to Italy. Finally, a line goes to Budapest
The Slovenian Railways offers the possibility to buy Ljubljana daily or monthly city pass that can be used to travel in Ljubljana by train (15 stations). In the immediate vicinity to the Ljubljana railway station is located the Bus station Ljubljana , the Ljubljana central bus hub, operated by the company Avtobusna postaja Ljubljana.
Ljubljana Airport (IATA
code LJU), located 26 kilometres (16.2 mi) north of the city, has flights to numerous European destinations. Among the companies that fly from there are Adria Airways
, Air France
, Brussels Airlines
, EasyJet
and Finnair
. Among the destinations served are Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Belgrade, Brussels, Budapest, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul, Kijev, London, Manchester, Moscow, Munich, Ohrid, Paris, Podgorica, Prague, Pristhina, Stockholm, Skopje, Vienna, Warsaw, Tirana, Tel Aviv and Zurich. There are numerous taxi companies in the city.
The city bus network, run by the public company Ljubljanski potniški promet ("Ljubljana Passenger Transport", LPP), is Ljubljana's most used means of public transport
ation. The city bus rides may be paid with the Urbana payment card
(also used for the funicular) or with a mobile phone
. Sometimes, the buses are called trole ("trolleys"), harking back to the 1951–71 days when Ljubljana had trolleybus
(trolejbus) service. There were five trolleybus lines in Ljubljana, till 1958 alongside the tram.
The tram system in Ljubljana
is a small one. It was originally built in 1901. In the post World War II era, many Yugoslav towns and cities with tram systems took out their systems, as they took up a lot of space in an era when automobiles were more important. In Ljubljana the tram's end came in 1958. In its final years the system reached length of over 21 kilometers. Soon after the last day of operation the tracks were dismantled and the cars were transferred to Osijek and Subotica
. Almost fifty years later, at the end of 2006, a new tram line was opened. The tram is a funicular
, and goes from the Krek Square near the Ljubljana Central Market
to the Ljubljana Castle
. The tram is especially popular among tourists. It runs between the hours of 9:00 and 21:00, and the full trip lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. There are plans to build more lines in the future.
There is a considerable amount of bicycle
traffic in Ljubljana and it is also possible to rent a bike. Since May 2011, the Bicikelj, a self-service bicycle rental system offers the residents and visitors of Ljubljana 300 bicycles and 600 parking spots at 31 stations in the wider city centre area. The daily number of rentals is around 2,500. There was a possibility to rent a bike even before the establishment of Bicikelj. On some of the main streets cycling is forbidden, e.g. on a part of the Slovenska Road. Through years, the prohibitions have been partially abolished by marking cycle lanes on the road or on the pavement.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana
City Municipality of Ljubljana
The City Municipality of Ljubljana, also the City of Ljubljana is one of eleven city municipalities in Slovenia. Its center is Ljubljana, the largest and capital city of Slovenia.- Administrative division :...
. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin
Ljubljana basin
The Ljubljana Basin is a basin in the upper river basin of Sava. It is the most populated area in Slovenia and it is metropolitan area of Ljubljana.- Cities and towns :* Ljubljana** Brezovica** Škofljica** Ig** Vodice** Dobrova-Polhov Gradec...
, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants. Throughout its history, it has been influenced by its geographic position at the crossroads of the Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
world with the Germanic and Latin
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
cultures.
For centuries, Ljubljana was the capital of the historical region of Carniola
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
, and in the 20th century it became the cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative centre of Slovenia, independent since 1991. Its transport connections, concentration of industry, scientific and research institutions and cultural tradition are contributing factors to its leading position.
Etymology and symbol
The origin of the city's name is unclear. The most likely scenario is that the city was named after the river LjubljanicaLjubljanica
The Ljubljanica is a river in the southern part of Ljubljana Basin in Slovenia. The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, is situated on the river. The Ljubljanica rises to the south of the town Vrhnika and outflows in the Sava River about downstream from Ljubljana. Its largest affluent is Mali graben....
that flows through it. The linguist Silvo Torkar supports the thesis that the name of Ljubljanica derives from the Old Slavic name Ljubovid. Robert Vrčon believes that the name of Ljubljanica developed from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
alluviana, itself derived from the word eluvio, meaning an inundation.
In the Middle Ages, both the river and the city were named Laibach. This name, derived from Old German, almost certainly means "a standing water causing floods". It was in official use until 1918.
A common folk etymology has traditionally connected the name to the Slovene word "ljubljena" ("beloved"). While this explanation was accepted by early scholars, including the philologist Franc Metelko in his 1825 grammar, it is widely considered a coincidence by modern linguists.
The city's symbol is the Ljubljana Dragon. It symbolises power, courage and greatness. It is depicted on the top of the tower of the Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle is a medieval castle in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is located on the Castle Hill overlooking the old town.- History:According to archeological surveys, the area of the present castle has been settled continuously since 1200 BC, when the first settlements and later fortifications were...
in the Ljubljana coat-of-arms and on the Ljubljanica-crossing Dragon Bridge
Dragon Bridge
Dragon Bridge is a road bridge located in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is situatedin the northeast of Vodnik Square across the Ljubljanica river. Built in the beginning of the 20th century, the bridge is today protected as a technical monument....
, often regarded as the most beautiful bridge produced by the Vienna Secession
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
.
There are several explanations on the origin of the Ljubljana Dragon. According to the celebrated Greek legend
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, the Argonauts
Argonauts
The Argonauts ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology who, in the years before the Trojan War, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, the Argo, which was named after its builder, Argus. "Argonauts", therefore, literally means...
on their return home after having taken the Golden Fleece
Golden Fleece
In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece is the fleece of the gold-haired winged ram, which can be procured in Colchis. It figures in the tale of Jason and his band of Argonauts, who set out on a quest by order of King Pelias for the fleece in order to place Jason rightfully on the throne of Iolcus...
found a large lake surrounded by a marsh between the present-day cities of Vrhnika
Vrhnika
Vrhnika is a town and a municipality in Slovenia. It is situated on the Ljubljanica River, 21 km from Ljubljana along the A1 motorway.-History:...
and Ljubljana. It is there that Jason
Jason
Jason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
struck down a monster. This monster has become the dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
that today is present on the city's coat of arms and flag.
It is historically more believable that the dragon was adopted from Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
, the patron of the Ljubljana Castle chapel built in the 15th century. In the legend of Saint George, the dragon represents the old ancestral paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
overcome by Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
According to another explanation, related to the second, the dragon was at first only a decoration above the city coat of arms. In Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
, it became part of the coat of arms and in the 19th and especially the 20th century, it outstripped the tower and other elements.
History
Around 2000 BC, the Ljubljana Marshes were settled by people living in pile dwellingsStilt house
Stilt houses or pile dwellings or palafitte are houses raised on piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding, but also serve to keep out vermin...
. These lake-dwelling people lived through hunting, fishing and primitive agriculture. To get around the marshes, they used dugout canoes made by cutting out the inside of tree trunks. Later, the area remained a transit point for numerous tribes and peoples, among them a mixed nation of Celts and Illyrians
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
called the Iapydes
Iapydes
The Iapydes were an ancient people who dwelt north of and inland from the Liburnians, off the Adriatic coast and eastwards of the Istrian peninsula...
and then in the 3rd century BC a Celtic tribe, the Taurisci
Taurisci
The Taurisci were a federation of Celtic tribes who dwelt in today's northern Slovenia before the coming of the Romans According to Pliny the Elder, they are the same people known as the Norici...
.
Around 50 BC, the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
built a military encampment that later became a permanent settlement called Iulia Aemona (Emona
Emona
Emona or Aemona, short for Colonia Iulia emona, was a Roman castrum founded in 14-15 AD, possibly by the Legio XV Apollinaris , on a territory already populated by ancient settlers of uncertain origin...
). This entrenched fort was occupied by the Legio XV Apollinaris
Legio XV Apollinaris
Legio quinta decima Apollinaris was a Roman legion. It was recruited by Octavian in 41/40 BC. The emblem of this legion was probably a picture of Apollo, or of one of his holy animals....
. In 452, it was destroyed by the Huns
Huns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
under Attila
Attila the Hun
Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
's orders, and later by the Ostrogoths and the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
. Emona housed 5,000–6,000 inhabitants and played an important role during numerous battles. Its plastered brick houses, painted in different colours, were already connected to a drainage system
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
. In the 6th century, the ancestors of the Slovenes moved in. In the 9th century, the Slovenes fell under Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
domination, while experiencing frequent Magyar raids.
It was long thought that the first mention of Ljubljana dated to 1144. In 2002, however, an even older mention was found on a parchment sheet named Nomina defunctorum (Names of the Dead), which has been kept by the Udine Cathedral
Udine Cathedral
Udine Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Udine, Italy. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Udine.The cathedral's construction began in 1236, on a Latin cross-shaped plan with three aisles and side-chapels...
Archive. It dates from 1112 to 1125. It mentions the nobleman Rudolf of Tarcento, a laywer of the Patriarchate of Aquileia, who had bestowed a canon with 20 farmsteads beside the castle of Ljubljana (castrum Leibach) to the Patriarchate.
When exactly Ljubljana acquired its town rights is not known, but it was no later than 1220. In the 13th century, the town was composed of three districts: the Old Square , the New Square and "Town" (around the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church of Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
). The first-mentioned is thought to have obtained the right to hold a market at around 1200, which does not necessarily mean that it is the oldest district among the three. The lords of Ljubljana Castle at the time were from the Spanheim family, whereas the surrounding agrarian estate belonged to different noblemen, even counts.
In 1270, Carniola
Carniola
Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
and in particular Ljubljana was conquered by King Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....
. When he was in turn defeated by Rudolph of Habsburg
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
, the latter took the town in 1278. Due to Rudolf's pledge, Ljubljana was under the administration of the Counts of Gorizia from 1279 till 1335, when it came under Habsburg rule again. Renamed Laibach, it would belong to the House of Habsburg until 1797. The Diocese of Ljubljana
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ljubljana is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Slovenia. It was erected as the Diocese of Ljubljana by Pope Eugene IV on 6 December 1461 and was immediately subject to the Holy See from its creation until erected...
was established in 1461 and the Church of St. Nicholas became a cathedral.
In the 15th century, Ljubljana became recognised for its art. After an earthquake in 1511, it was rebuilt in Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
style and a new wall was built around it. In the 16th century, the population numbered 5,000, 70% of whom spoke Slovene as their mother tongue
First language
A first language is the language a person has learned from birth or within the critical period, or that a person speaks the best and so is often the basis for sociolinguistic identity...
, with most of the rest using German. Soon after the first book written in Slovene was published in Germany (Primož Trubar
Primož Trubar
Primož Trubar or Primož Truber was a Slovene Protestant reformer, the founder and the first superintendent of the Protestant Church of the Slovene Lands, a consolidator of the Slovene language and the author of the first Slovene-language printed book...
's Catechism
Katekizem
Catechismus in der windischenn Sprach or shortly Catechismus , is a book written by the Slovene Protestant preacher Primož Trubar in 1550. Along with Trubar's 1550 book, Abecedarium , Catechismus was the first book published in Slovene...
, Tübingen 1550) the pedagogue Adam Bohorič
Adam Bohoric
Adam Bohorič was a Slovene Protestant preacher, teacher and author of the first grammar of Slovene.Bohorič was born in the market town of Rajhenburg in the Duchy of Styria, on the border between Lower Carniola and Lower Styria...
had his three Slovene-language books, "Elementale Labacense oder Abecedarium
Abecedarium
An abecedarium is an inscription consisting of the letters of an alphabet, almost always listed in order. Typically, abecedaria are practice exercises....
der lateinischen, deutschen und slowenischen Sprache", his "Nomenclatura trium linguarum" and his "Otroshia tabla", printed in the Carniolan capital by Hans Mannel (Slovene: Janž Mandelc). By that time, the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
had gained ground in the town. Several important Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
preachers lived and worked in Ljubljana, including Primož Trubar, Adam Bohorič and Jurij Dalmatin
Jurij Dalmatin
Jurij Dalmatin was a Slovene Lutheran minister, writer and translator.Born in Krško in around 1546, Dalmatin became a preacher in Ljubljana in 1572. He was the author of several religious books, such as Karšanske lepe molitve , Ta kratki würtemberški katekizmus , and Agenda...
, whose Slovene bible, however, was printed in German Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
. Around the same time, the first secondary school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, public library and printing house opened in Ljubljana. In 1597, the Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
arrived in the city and established a new secondary school that later became a college. Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
appeared at the end of the 17th century as foreign architects and sculptors came in.
The Napoleonic
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
interlude saw Ljubljana as "Laybach" become, from 1809 to 1813, the capital of the Illyrian Provinces
Illyrian provinces
The Illyrian Provinces was an autonomous province of the Napoleonic French Empire on the north and east coasts of the Adriatic Sea between 1809 and 1816. Its capital was established at Laybach...
. In 1815, the city became Austrian again and from 1816 to 1849 was the administrative centre of the Kingdom of Illyria
Kingdom of Illyria
The Kingdom of Illyria was an administrative unit of the Austrian Empire from 1816 to 1849. Its administrative centre was Ljubljana and it included the western and central part of present-day Slovenia, the present Austrian state of Carinthia, as well as some territories in north-western Croatia ...
in the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
. In 1821 it hosted the Congress of Laibach
Congress of Laibach
The Congress of Laibach was a conference of the allied sovereigns or their representatives, held in 1821 as part of the so-called Concert of Europe, which was the decided attempt of the Great Powers to settle international problems after the Napoleonic Wars through discussion and collective weight...
, which fixed European political borders for years to come. The first train arrived in 1849 from Vienna and in 1857 the line was extended to Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
.
In 1895, Ljubljana, then a city of 31,000, suffered a serious earthquake
1895 Ljubljana earthquake
The 1895 Ljubljana earthquake refers to an earthquake that struck the Ljubljana, the capital and largest city in Slovenia, on 14 April. A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck at 11:17 pm and shocks were felt as far away as Florence, Vienna and Split....
measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
. Some 10% of its 1,400 buildings were destroyed, although casualties were light. During the reconstruction that followed, a number of quarters were rebuilt in Vienna Secession
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
style. Public electric lighting
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
appeared in the city in 1898. The rebuilding and subsequent quick modernization of the city were led by the mayor Ivan Hribar
Ivan Hribar
Ivan Hribar was a Slovene and Yugoslav banker, politician, diplomat and journalist. At the turn of the century, he was one of the leaders of the National Progressive Party, and one of the most important figures of Slovene liberal nationalism...
.
In 1918, following the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, the region joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
. In 1929, Ljubljana became the capital of Drava Banovina
Drava Banovina
The Drava Banovina or Drava Banate was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of most of present-day Slovenia and was named for the Drava River...
, a Yugoslav
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
province. In 1941, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Fascist Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
occupied the city, and on 3 May 1941 made "Lubiana" the capital of an Italian "Provincia di Lubiana" with the former Yugoslav general Leon Rupnik
Leon Rupnik
Leon Rupnik, also known as Lav Rupnik or Lev Rupnik was a Slovene general during the Kingdom of Yugoslavia who collaborated with the Fascist Italian and Nazi German occupation forces during World War II...
as mayor. After the Italian capitulation, Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
with SS-general Erwin Rösener
Erwin Rösener
Erwin Friedrich Karl Rösener was an SS-Obergruppenführer who was responsible for mass executions of civilians in Slovenia and was posthumously on the indictment at the Nuremberg Trials for war crimes....
and Friedrich Rainer
Friedrich Rainer
Friedrich W. Rainer was a leader in the Nazi Party, as well as an Austrian State governor of Salzburg and Carinthia. He is the only Austrian governor who has ever held the same office in two separate states...
took control in 1943 but formally the city remained the capital of an Italian province until 9 May 1945. In Ljubljana, the occupying forces established strongholds and command centres of Quisling
Quisling
Quisling is a term used in reference to fascist and collaborationist political parties and military and paramilitary forces in occupied Allied countries which collaborated with Axis occupiers in World War II, as well as for their members and other collaborators.- Etymology :The term was coined by...
organisations, the Anti-Communist Volunteer Militia
Anti-Communist Volunteer Militia
The White Guard was a name given colloquially and collectively by the Partisans to an ensemble of Slovene anti-communist political and paramilitary groups during World War II...
under Italy and the Home Guard under German occupation. The city was surrounded by over 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) of barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
to prevent co-operation between the underground resistance movement
Resistance during World War II
Resistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
(Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
On 26 April 1941 in Ljubljana the Anti-Imperialist Front was established. It was to promote "an international massive movement" to "liberate the Slovenian nation" whose "hope and example was the Soviet Union"...
) within the city and the Yugoslav Partisans (Partizani) who operated outside the fence. Since 1985, a commemorative path
Path of Remembrance and Comradeship
The Path of Remembrance and Comradeship , also referred to as the Path along the Wire , the Path around Ljubljana or the Green Ring , is an almost 33-kilometre long and 4-metre wide gravel-paved recreational walkway around the city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia...
has ringed the city where this iron fence once stood.
After World War II, Ljubljana became the capital of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
Socialist Republic of Slovenia
The Socialist Republic of Slovenia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1943 until 1990...
, part of Communist Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, a status it retained until 1991, when Slovenia became independent. Ljubljana remained the capital of Slovenia, which entered the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in 2004.
Ljubljana has been struck through its history not only by earthquakes but also by floods, the latest
2010 Slovenia floods
The 2010 Slovenia floods, on the weekend of 17–19 September 2010, were caused by heavy rains in Slovenia, resulting in one of the worst floods in the country's history. Among the regions affected were the capital Ljubljana, the Zasavje region, Laško, the Slovenian Littoral and the Lower Carniola...
taking place in 2010. Southern and western parts of the city are more flood-endangered than northern parts.
Geography and climate
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
in the Ljubljana Basin
Ljubljana basin
The Ljubljana Basin is a basin in the upper river basin of Sava. It is the most populated area in Slovenia and it is metropolitan area of Ljubljana.- Cities and towns :* Ljubljana** Brezovica** Škofljica** Ig** Vodice** Dobrova-Polhov Gradec...
between the Alps
Southern Limestone Alps
The Southern Limestone Alps are the ranges of the Eastern Alps south of the Central Eastern Alps mainly located in northern Italy and the adjacent lands of Austria and Slovenia. The distinction from the Central Alps, where the higher peaks are located, is based on differences in geological...
and the Karst. Ljubljana is located some 140 kilometres (87 mi) west of Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, 520 kilometres (323.1 mi) northwest of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, 250 kilometres (155.3 mi) east of Venice, 350 kilometres (217.5 mi) southwest of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and 400 kilometres (248.5 mi) southwest of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. The extent of Ljubljana has changed considerably in the past 30 years, mainly because some of the nearby settlements have merged with Ljubljana.
Topography and hydrography
The altitude of the centroidCentroid
In geometry, the centroid, geometric center, or barycenter of a plane figure or two-dimensional shape X is the intersection of all straight lines that divide X into two parts of equal moment about the line. Informally, it is the "average" of all points of X...
of Ljubljana is 295 metres (967.8 ft) The city centre is located along the river Ljubljanica
Ljubljanica
The Ljubljanica is a river in the southern part of Ljubljana Basin in Slovenia. The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, is situated on the river. The Ljubljanica rises to the south of the town Vrhnika and outflows in the Sava River about downstream from Ljubljana. Its largest affluent is Mali graben....
at the altitude of 298 metres (977.7 ft). The Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle is a medieval castle in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is located on the Castle Hill overlooking the old town.- History:According to archeological surveys, the area of the present castle has been settled continuously since 1200 BC, when the first settlements and later fortifications were...
, which sits atop the Castle Hill (Grajski grič) south of the city centre, is at 366 metres (1,200.8 ft) altitude while the city's highest point, called the Janče Hill (Janški hrib), reaches 794 metres (2,605 ft). The main watercourses in Ljubljana are the Ljubljanica, the Sava, the Gradaščica
Gradašcica
-References:...
, the Mali graben
Mali graben
Mali graben is an artificial mitigation canal of the Gradaščica river and the largest affluent of the Ljubljanica. It has been dug due to the frequent flooding of the Trnovo district of Ljubljana...
, the Iška
Iska
Iska is a village in Koonga Parish, Pärnu County in southwestern Estonia....
and the Iščica. Next to the eastern border of the city, the rivers Ljubljanica, Sava and Kamniška Bistrica
Kamniška Bistrica
Kamniška Bistrica is an Alpine river in northern Slovenia, left tributary of the river Sava. It springs from the Kamnik Alps , near the border with Austria. It is long. The Kamniška Bistrica flows through the town of Kamnik, where it is fed by the river Nevljica...
flow together. At the confluence is the lowest point of Ljubljana, with the altitude of 261 metres (856.3 ft).
Geology
The city stretches out on an alluvialAlluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
plain dating to the Quaternary
Quaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
era
Geologic time scale
The geologic time scale provides a system of chronologic measurement relating stratigraphy to time that is used by geologists, paleontologists and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred during the history of the Earth...
. The nearby, older mountainous regions date back to the Mesozoic
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...
(Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
) or Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
.
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
. Thus the country is at the junction of three important tectonic zones: the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
to the north, the Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in Southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro....
to the south and the Pannonian Basin
Pannonian Basin
The Pannonian Basin or Carpathian Basin is a large basin in East-Central Europe.The geomorphological term Pannonian Plain is more widely used for roughly the same region though with a somewhat different sense - meaning only the lowlands, the plain that remained when the Pliocene Pannonian Sea dried...
to the east. Scientists have been able to identify 60 destructive earthquakes in the past. Additionally, a network of seismic stations is active throughout the country.
Climate
Ljubljana's climate is Oceanic (Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
"Cfb"), bordering on a Humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
zone (Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa), with continental
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
characteristics such as warm summers and moderately cold winters. July and August are the warmest months with daily highs generally between 25 and 30 °C (77 and 86 F), and January is the coldest month with the temperatures mostly oscillating around 0 °C (32 °F). The city experiences 90 days of frost per year, and 11 days with temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F). The precipitation is relatively evenly distributed throughout the seasons, although winter and spring tend to be somewhat drier than summer and autumn. Yearly precipitation is about 1400 mm (55.1 in), making Ljubljana one of the wettest European capitals. Thunderstorms are very common from May to September and can occasionally be quite heavy. Snow is common from December to February; on average, there are 48 days with snow cover recorded each winter season. The city is known for its fog, which is recorded on average on 64 days per year, mostly in autumn and winter, and can be particularly persistent in conditions of temperature inversion
Inversion (meteorology)
In meteorology, an inversion is a deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude. It almost always refers to a temperature inversion, i.e...
. In summer the weather in the city is under the influence of Mediterranean air currents, so the summers are sunny and warm.
Architecture
Despite the appearance of large buildings, especially at the city's edge, Ljubljana's historic centre remains intact; there, Baroque and Vienna SecessionVienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
styles mix. The city is strongly influenced by the Austrian fashion, in particular in the style of Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
and Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
.
After the 1511 earthquake, Ljubljana was rebuilt in a Baroque style
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
following the model of a Renaissance town; after the quake in 1895, which severely damaged the city, it was once again rebuilt, this time in a Vienna Secession style. The city's architecture is thus a mix of styles. The large sectors built after the World War II often include a personal touch by the Slovene architect Jože Plečnik
Jože Plecnik
Jože Plečnik , was a Slovene architect who practised in Vienna, Belgrade, Prague and Ljubljana.-Biography:...
.
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle is a medieval castle in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is located on the Castle Hill overlooking the old town.- History:According to archeological surveys, the area of the present castle has been settled continuously since 1200 BC, when the first settlements and later fortifications were...
dominates the hill over the river Ljubljanica. Built in the 12th century, the castle (like the castle at Kranj
Kranj
' is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 . It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana...
) was a residence of the Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
s, later the Dukes of Carniola
Duchy of Carniola
The Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
. Aside from the castle, the city's main architectural works are St. Nicholas Cathedral, St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church, Ljubljana
St. Peter's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is one of the oldest churches in Ljubljana, having originally been built in the Middle Ages near the city walls. It was the former parish church of Ljubljana, and is the current of Ljubljana-St...
, the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation is a Franciscan church located on Prešeren Square in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is the parish church of Ljubljana - Annunciation Parish....
, the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge
Dragon Bridge
Dragon Bridge is a road bridge located in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is situatedin the northeast of Vodnik Square across the Ljubljanica river. Built in the beginning of the 20th century, the bridge is today protected as a technical monument....
.
Near the Town Hall, on the Town Square
Town Square, Ljubljana
Town Square is a major square in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.The Ljubljana Town Hall is located on the square. In front of the Town Hall stands a copy of the Robba fountain. At the end of the square stands St. Nicholas Cathedral. In front of the Town Hall is the house where Gustav Mahler...
, is a replica of the Robba fountain, in Baroque style. The original has been moved into the National Gallery
National Gallery of Slovenia
The National Gallery of Slovenia is the national art gallery of Slovenia. It is located in the capital Ljubljana.The Slovenian National Gallery was founded in 1918, after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and the establishment of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs...
in 2006. Resembling the fountain on Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
's Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is a city square in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The ancient Romans came there to watch the agones , and hence it was known as 'Circus Agonalis'...
, Robba's fountain is decorated with an obelisk at the foot of which are three figures in white marble symbolising the three chief rivers of Carniola. It is the work of Francesco Robba
Francesco Robba
Francesco Robba was an Italian sculptor of the Baroque period. Even while he is regarded as the leading Baroque sculptor of marble statues in the south-east Central Europe, he has remained practically unknown to the international scholarly public.-Life:Francesco Robba was born in Venice...
, who designed numerous other Baroque statues in the city. Ljubljana's churches are equally marked by this style that gained currency following the 1511 earthquake.
For its part, Vienna Secession features prominently on the Prešeren Square
Prešeren Square
Prešeren Square is the central square in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. The square and surroundings have been closed to traffic since 1 September 2007. A scale model of the square is exhibited at Mini-Europe in Brussels in a proportion of 1:25 to the original.-Description:Prešeren Square was...
and on the Dragon Bridge. Among the important influences on the city was the architect Jože Plečnik
Jože Plecnik
Jože Plečnik , was a Slovene architect who practised in Vienna, Belgrade, Prague and Ljubljana.-Biography:...
, who designed several bridges, including the Triple Bridge, as well as the National Library
National and University Library of Slovenia
The National and University Library is one of the most important national educational and cultural institutions of Slovenia. It was established in 1774 by a decree released by the Empress Maria Theresa. It is located in the centre of Ljubljana, in a building designed by the architect Jože Plečnik...
. Nebotičnik
Neboticnik
Nebotičnik is a prominent high-rise located in the centre of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and is one of the city's most recognisable landmarks. Its thirteen storeys rise to a height of . It was designed by the Slovenian architect Vladimir Šubic for the Pension Institute, the building's investor....
is a notable high-rise.
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle is a medieval castle in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is located on the Castle Hill overlooking the old town.- History:According to archeological surveys, the area of the present castle has been settled continuously since 1200 BC, when the first settlements and later fortifications were...
(Ljubljanski grad) is a medieval castle located at the summit of the hill that dominates the city centre. The area surrounding today's castle has been continuously inhabited since 1200 BC. The hill summit probably became a Roman army
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
stronghold after fortifications were built in Illyrian and Celtic times.
A fortress was present at the place already in 12th century and was the seat of the Duchy of Carniola
Duchy of Carniola
The Duchy of Carniola was an administrative unit of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from 1364 to 1918. Its capital was Ljubljana...
. In 1335, it became property of the House of Habsburg. In 15th century, the fortress was almost completely demolished and the present castle was built and furnished with towers. Its purpose was to defend the empire against Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
invasion as well as peasant revolt. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the castle became an arsenal and a military hospital. It was damaged during the Napoleonic period and, once back in the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, became a prison, which it remained until 1905, resuming that function during World War II. The castle's Outlook Tower dates to 1848; this 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.
In 1905, the city of Ljubljana purchased the castle, which underwent a renovation in the 1960s. Today, it is a tourist attraction; cultural events also take place there. Since 2006, a funicular
Ljubljana tram system
The tram system in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is a small one. It was originally built in 1901. In the post World War II era, many Yugoslav towns and cities with tram systems took out their systems, as they took up a lot of space in an era when automobiles were more important. In Ljubljana...
has linked the city centre to the castle atop the hill.
Saint Nicholas Cathedral
Ljubljana Central Market
Ljubljana Central Market in the capital of Slovenia was designed by Jože Plečnik in 1939-41. The market building stretches between the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge, following the curve of the Ljubljanica river.-History:...
and the Ljubljana Town Hall
Ljubljana town hall
Ljubljana Town Hall is the town hall in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is located on the Town Square in the city centre close to the St. Nicholas Cathedral.The original building was built by the Carniolan architect Peter Bezlaj in 1584...
.
Originally, the site was occupied by a three-nave Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church first mentioned in 1262. After a fire in 1361 it was re-vaulted in Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style. The Diocese of Ljubljana was set up in 1461 and eight years later, a new fire presumably set by the Ottomans once again burnt down the building.
Between 1701 and 1706, the Jesuit architect Andrea Pozzo
Andrea Pozzo
Andrea Pozzo was an Italian Jesuit Brother, Baroque painter and architect, decorator, stage designer, and art theoretician. He was best known for his grandiose frescoes using illusionistic technique called quadratura, in which architecture and fancy are intermixed...
designed a new Baroque church with two side chapels shaped in the form of a Latin cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
. The dome was built in the centre in 1841. The interior is decorated with Baroque frescos painted by Giulio Quaglio
Giulio Quaglio (painter)
Giulio Quaglio the elder was an Italian painter of frescoes.He was a follower of Tintoretto. He is known to have worked in Vienna, Salzburg, and Ljubljana. His son, Giulio the younger, was born in Como and established himself in the Friuli about the end of the 17th century. He is best known for...
between 1703–1706 and 1721-1723.
Dragon Bridge
The Dragon BridgeDragon Bridge
Dragon Bridge is a road bridge located in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is situatedin the northeast of Vodnik Square across the Ljubljanica river. Built in the beginning of the 20th century, the bridge is today protected as a technical monument....
(Zmajski most) was built between 1900 and 1901, when the city was part of Austria-Hungary. Designed by a Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n architect who studied in Vienna and built by an Austrian engineer, the bridge is considered one of the finest works in the Vienna Secession
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
style. Some residents nicknamed the bridge "mother-in-law" in reference to the fearsome dragons on its four corners.
Congress Square
Congress SquareCongress Square
Congress Square is one of the central squares in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.The square was built in 1821 at the site of the ruins of a medieval Capuchin monastery, which had been abolished during the reign of Habsburg Emperor Joseph II. The square was used for ceremonial purposes during...
is one of the most important centres of the city. It was built in 1821 for ceremonial purposes such as Congress of Ljubljana
Congress of Laibach
The Congress of Laibach was a conference of the allied sovereigns or their representatives, held in 1821 as part of the so-called Concert of Europe, which was the decided attempt of the Great Powers to settle international problems after the Napoleonic Wars through discussion and collective weight...
after which it was named. Since then it became an important centre for political ceremonies, demonstrations and protests, such as the ceremony at creation of Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, ceremony of liberation of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, protests against Yugoslav authority in 1988 etc. The square also houses several important buildings, such as University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
, Slovenian Philharmonic, Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity
Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity
Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity is a church in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It was built between 1718 and 1726 in the Baroque style ....
, Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica
Slovenska matica , also known as Matica slovenska, is the second-oldest publishing house in Slovenia, founded in the 19th century as an institution for the scholarly and cultural progress of Slovenes...
. In 2010 and 2011 it has been heavily renovated and is now mostly closed to road traffic on ground area, however there are five floors for commercial purposes and a parking lot located underground.
Tivoli Park
The Tivoli Park is the largest park in Ljubljana. The park was designed in 1813 by the French engineer Jean Blanchard and now covers approximately 5 km² (1.9 sq mi). The park was laid out during the French imperial administration of Ljubljana in 1813 and named after the ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian Jardins de Tivoli
Jardin de Tivoli, Paris
The Tivoli gardens of Paris were located at what is the current site of the Saint-Lazare station. These were several similarly named gardens, named after the gardens of the Villa d'Este in Tivoli near Rome. None of these remain today....
.
At the edge of Tivoli Park is a fish pond, dating back to 1880. On one side of the pond is a small botanic garden, on the other side is a children's playground. Between 1921 and 1939, it was renovated by the Slovene architect Jože Plečnik
Jože Plecnik
Jože Plečnik , was a Slovene architect who practised in Vienna, Belgrade, Prague and Ljubljana.-Biography:...
, who designed a broad central promenade, called the Jakopič Promenade after the leading Slovene impressionist
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
painter Rihard Jakopič
Rihard Jakopic
Rihard Jakopič was a Slovenian painter. He was the leading Slovenian Impressionist painter and theoretician. Together with Matej Sternen, Matija Jama and Ivan Grohar, he is considered the pioneer of Slovenian impressionist painting.- Life :Jakopič was born in Ljubljana, then part of the...
. It has three main avenues, planted with chestnut-trees. Within the park, there are different types of trees, flower gardens, several statues, and fountains.
Several notable buildings stand in the Park, among them the Tivoli Castle
Tivoli Castle
Tivoli Castle is a mansion in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.The mansion is located in the city's Tivoli Park , north-west of the city centre, at the foot of Rožnik hill...
, the National Museum of Contemporary History
National Museum of Contemporary History
National Museum of Contemporary History is in a museum in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is located in a mansion on the edge of Tivoli Park in the district of Šiška, traditionally known as the Cekin Mansion ....
and the Tivoli Sports Hall.
Butchers' Bridge
The Butchers' BridgeButchers' Bridge
Butchers' Bridge is a footbridge crossing the river Ljubljanica in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It connects Ljubljana Central Market and the Petkovšek embankment. It is decorated with the works by the Slovenian sculptor Jakov Brdar and completes the plans of the Slovene architect Jože...
is a footbridge crossing the river Ljubljanica
Ljubljanica
The Ljubljanica is a river in the southern part of Ljubljana Basin in Slovenia. The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, is situated on the river. The Ljubljanica rises to the south of the town Vrhnika and outflows in the Sava River about downstream from Ljubljana. Its largest affluent is Mali graben....
. It connects Ljubljana Central Market
Ljubljana Central Market
Ljubljana Central Market in the capital of Slovenia was designed by Jože Plečnik in 1939-41. The market building stretches between the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge, following the curve of the Ljubljanica river.-History:...
and the Petkovšek embankment. It is decorated with the works by the Slovenian sculptor Jakov Brdar and completes the plans of the Slovene architect Jože Plečnik
Jože Plecnik
Jože Plečnik , was a Slovene architect who practised in Vienna, Belgrade, Prague and Ljubljana.-Biography:...
from the 1930s. It was officially opened on July 10, 2010.
Shortly after the opening of the bridge padlocks of couples in love started appearing on its steel wires, symbolizing declarations of eternal love, a phenomenon similar to the one on the Parisian Pont des Arts
Pont des Arts
The Pont des Arts or Passerelle des Arts is a pedestrian bridge in Paris which crosses the Seine River. It links the Institut de France and the central square of the palais du Louvre, .-History:Between 1802 and 1804, a nine-arch metallic bridge for pedestrians was constructed at the location of...
.
Demographics
In 1869, Ljubljana had just under 27,000 inhabitants, a figure that grew to 80,000 by the mid-1930s. Demographic growth remained fairly stable between 1999 and 2007, with a population of about 270,000. Before 1996, the city's population surpassed 320,000 but the drop that year was mainly caused by a territorial reorganisation that saw certain peripheral areas attached to neighbouring municipalities. At the 2002 census, 39.2% of Ljubljana residents were Roman Catholic; 30.4% were believers who did not belong to a religion, unknown or did not reply; 19.2% were atheist; 5.5% were Eastern Orthodox; 5.0% were MuslimIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
; and the remaining 0.7% were Protestant or belonged to other religions.
Around 84% of the population speak Slovene as their native language. The second most-spoken language is Bosnian
Bosnian language
Bosnian is a South Slavic language, spoken by Bosniaks. As a standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect, it is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, with Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
holding third place.
Government and crime
The city of Ljubljana is governed by the City Municipality of LjubljanaCity Municipality of Ljubljana
The City Municipality of Ljubljana, also the City of Ljubljana is one of eleven city municipalities in Slovenia. Its center is Ljubljana, the largest and capital city of Slovenia.- Administrative division :...
(MOL). Municipal elections take place every four years. Between 2002 and 2006, Danica Simšič was mayor of the municipality. Since the municipal elections of 22 October 2006, Zoran Janković, an influential businessman in Slovenia, has been the mayor of Ljubljana. In 2006, he won 62.99% of the votes. On 10 October 2010, Janković was re-elected for another four-year term, receiving 64,79% of the popular vote. From 2006 till October 2010, the majority on the city council (the Zoran Janković List) held 23 of 45 seats. On 10 October 2010, Janković's list won 25 out of 45 seats in the City Council.
Among other roles, the city council drafts the municipal budget, and is assisted by various boards active in the fields of health, sports, finances, education, environmental protection
Environmental movement
The environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green politics, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
and tourism. The City Municipality of Ljubljana is subdivided into 17 quarter communities that work with the municipality council to make known residents' suggestions and prepare activities in their territories.
, the jurisdiction of the Police Directorate Ljubljana covers the area of 3807 square kilometres (1,469.9 sq mi), which represents 18.8% of the national territory. There are 17 police stations employing 1,380 individuals, of whom 1,191 are police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s and 189 are civilians. With around 45,000 criminal acts in 2007, the Police Directorate Ljubljana alone accounts for over 50% of the country's crimes. Slovenia and in particular Ljubljana have a quiet and secure reputation.
The public order and municipal traffic regulations are also supervised by the city traffic wardens .
Economy
Industry remains the city's most important employer, notably in the pharmaceuticals, petrochemicalPetrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
s and food processing
Food industry
The food production is a complex, global collective of diverse businesses that together supply much of the food energy consumed by the world population...
. Other fields include banking, finance, transport, construction, skilled trades and services and tourism. The public sector provides jobs in education, culture, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
and local administration.
The Ljubljana Stock Exchange
Ljubljana Stock Exchange
-About the Ljubljana Stock Exchange:The core business of the Ljubljana stock exchange is to ensure a secure, efficient and successful operation of the regulated segment of the Slovene capital market, in accordance with the law and other regulations.LJSE performs the following business activities:*...
, purchased in 2008 by the Vienna Stock Exchange
Wiener Börse
The Wiener Börse AG is the only stock exchange in Vienna, Austria, and one of the most established exchanges in Eastern- and Southeastern Europe.-History:...
, deals with large Slovenian companies. Some of these have their headquarters in the capital: for example, the retail chain
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
Mercator
Mercator (retail)
Mercator is a Slovenian retail chain based in Ljubljana. The company was founded in 1949 under the name Živila Ljubljana, but four years later it was renamed and given its current name...
, the oil company
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
Petrol d.d.
Petrol d.d.
Petrol Group is a Slovenian oil distributing company one of the largest in Slovenia and the former Yugoslavia which has 435 petrol stations of which:*312 in Slovenia;*36 in Bosnia and Herzegovina;*76 in Croatia;*5 in Serbia*3 in Montenegro;...
and the telecommunications concern Telekom Slovenije. Over 15,000 enterprises operate in the city, most of them in the tertiary sector.
Numerous companies and over 450 shops are located in the BTC City
BTC City
BTC City is a shopping mall, sports, entertainment and business area in Ljubljana, Slovenia.In 1954, a company named Centralna skladišča was founded with a founding contract. Central Warehouses expanded their operations by starting to carry out the warehousing activities also for other companies,...
, the largest business, shopping, recreational, entertainment and cultural centre in Europe. It is visited each year by 21 million people. It occupies an area of 475000 square metres (568,095.3 sq yd) in the Moste Quarter Community in the eastern part of Ljubljana.
Arts
Slovenian Museum of Natural History
The Slovenian Museum of Natural History is a Slovenian national museum with natural history, scientific, and educational contents. It is the oldest cultural and scientific Slovenian institution stemming from the Carniolian Museum founded in 1821...
and the Slovene Ethnographic Museum. The Ljubljana Zoo
Ljubljana Zoo
Ljubljana Zoo is a zoo in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It serves as the national zoo of Slovenia.The zoo, covering , is situated on the southern slope of the Rožnik hill, in a natural environment of woods and meadows is about a 20 minute walk from the city center...
covers 19.6 hectares (48.4 acre) and has 152 animal species. An antique flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
takes place every Sunday in the old city. In 2006, the museums received 264,470 visitors, the galleries 403,890 and the theatres 396,440.
Each year over 10,000 cultural events take place in the city; among these are ten international festivals of theatre, music and art generally. Numerous music festivals are held there, chiefly in European classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and jazz, for instance the Ljubljana Summer Festival
Ljubljana Summer Festival
The Ljubljana Summer Festival is a festival held between July and August in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.It attracts notable opera stars, ballet and theatre performers and also eminent rock and jazz musicians internationally who perform at the festival....
(Ljubljanski poletni festival). In the centre of the various Slovenian wine
Slovenian wine
Slovenian wine is wine from the Central European country of Slovenia. Viticulture and winemaking has existed in this region since the time of the Celts and Illyrians tribes, long before the Romans would introduce winemaking to the lands of France, Spain and Germany...
regions, Ljubljana is known for being a "city of wine and vine". Grapevines were already being planted on the slopes leading up to the Castle Hill by the Roman inhabitants of Emona.
In 1701, present-day Slovenia's first philharmonic academy
Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra
The Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra is the national philharmonic orchestra of Slovenia, based in the capital Ljubljana.On the Philharmonic Hall, a pastel yellow building on Kongresni trg., is a plaque stating that the Philharmonic was founded in 1701; though this refers to the founding of the...
opened in Ljubljana, which spurred the development of musical production in the region. Some of its honorary members would include Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
, Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
and Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, as well as the violinist Niccolò Paganini
Niccolò Paganini
Niccolò Paganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique...
. Early in his career, Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
served as conductor at the opera house, giving eighty-four complete performances between September 1881 and April 1882.
The National Gallery
National Gallery of Slovenia
The National Gallery of Slovenia is the national art gallery of Slovenia. It is located in the capital Ljubljana.The Slovenian National Gallery was founded in 1918, after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and the establishment of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs...
(Narodna galerija), founded in 1918, and the Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana
The Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana, Slovenia, is the central museum and gallery of the Slovenian art works from the 20th and 21st century. It was formally established by decree of the government of the People's Republic of Slovenia on 30 December 1947, and officially opened to the public on 3...
(Moderna galerija), both in Ljubljana, exhibit the most influential Slovenian artists. On Metelkova Street there is a social centre
Social center
Social centers are community spaces. They are buildings which are used for a range of disparate activities, which can be linked only by virtue of being not-for-profit. They might be organizing centers for local activities or they might provide support networks for minority groups such as prisoners...
dedicated to alternative culture
Alternative culture
Alternative culture is a type of culture that exists outside or on the fringes of mainstream or popular culture, usually under the domain of one or more subcultures...
, set up in a renovated former Austro-Hungarian barracks. This lively street has numerous clubs and concert halls that play various types of music, mainly alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
. The Museum of Contemporary Art, a part of the Museum of Modern Art, has been opened to the public on Metelkova Street since 26 November 2011. Another alternative culture centre is located in the former Rog factory. In the 1980s, Ljubljana became the centre of the Neue Slowenische Kunst
Neue Slowenische Kunst
Neue Slowenische Kunst , aka NSK, is a controversial political art collective that announced itself in Slovenia in 1984, when Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia. NSK's name, being German, is compatible with a theme in NSK works: the complicated relationship Slovenes have had with Germans...
, which among others included the music group Laibach
Laibach (band)
Laibach is a Slovenian avant-garde music group associated with industrial, martial, and neo-classical musical styles. Laibach formed June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia . Laibach represents the music wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective, of which it was a founding member in 1984...
and the painters of the IRWIN
IRWIN
IRWIN is a collective of Slovenian artists, primarily painters, and an original founding member of Neue Slowenische Kunst .- History :In 1983, the artists Dušan Mandič, Miran Mohar, Andrej Savski, Roman Uranjek, and Borut Vogelnik, coming from the punk and graffiti scene in Ljubljana, formed an...
collective; the philosopher Slavoj Žižek
Slavoj Žižek
Slavoj Žižek is a Slovenian philosopher, critical theorist working in the traditions of Hegelianism, Marxism and Lacanian psychoanalysis. He has made contributions to political theory, film theory, and theoretical psychoanalysis....
was also associated with it.
Education
Students make up one-seventh of Ljubljana's population, giving the city a youthful character. The University of LjubljanaUniversity of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
, Slovenia's most important and Ljubljana's only university, was founded in 1919. On foundation, the University comprised five faculties: law, philosophy, technology, theology and medicine. The seat of the university was in the central Congress Square
Congress Square
Congress Square is one of the central squares in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.The square was built in 1821 at the site of the ruins of a medieval Capuchin monastery, which had been abolished during the reign of Habsburg Emperor Joseph II. The square was used for ceremonial purposes during...
of Ljubljana in a building that had served as the State Mansion of Carniola from 1902 to 1918. The building was first designed in 1902 by Jan Vladimír Hráský
Jan Vladimir Hrásky
Jan Vladimir Hrásky was a Czech architect, builder, engineer, and hydrologist.Hrásky is known in Slovenia as an original author of building in Neo-Renaissance style of Carniolan Provincial Manor in Ljubljana , where from 1919 is a seat of the University of Ljubljana, and of the National Hall in...
, and was later remodelled by a Czech
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
architect from Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Josip Hudetz. As of 2010, it has 23 faculties and three academies. These offer Slovene-language courses in (among other subjects) medicine, applied science
Applied science
Applied science is the application of scientific knowledge transferred into a physical environment. Examples include testing a theoretical model through the use of formal science or solving a practical problem through the use of natural science....
s, arts, law and administration. The university has close to 64,000 students and some 3,500 teaching faculty.
In 2004, the National and University Library of Slovenia
National and University Library of Slovenia
The National and University Library is one of the most important national educational and cultural institutions of Slovenia. It was established in 1774 by a decree released by the Empress Maria Theresa. It is located in the centre of Ljubljana, in a building designed by the architect Jože Plečnik...
, located in Ljubljana, had 1,169,090 books in all. In 2006, the 55 primary schools
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
had 20,802 pupils and the 32 secondary schools had 25,797.
Science
The first society of the leading scientists and public workers in Carniola was the Dismas Fraternity (Latin:), formed in Ljubljana in 1688. In 1693, the Academia Operosorum Labacensium was founded and lasted with an interruption till the end of the 18th century. The next academy in Ljubljana has been the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and ArtsSlovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the national academy of Slovenia, which encompasses science and the arts and brings together the top Slovene researchers and artists as members of the academy....
, established only in 1938.
Sports
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
clubs are HD HS Olimpija
HS Olimpija Ljubljana
HS Olimpija Ljubljana is an ice hockey club from Ljubljana, Slovenia. The club was founded in 2004....
, ŠD Alfa, HK Slavija
HK Slavija Ljubljana
HK Slavija Ljubljana is an ice hockey club from Ljubljana, Slovenia. The club was founded in 1964. The club's best result was first place in the regular season, and second place in the playoffs....
and HDD Olimpija Ljubljana
HDD Olimpija Ljubljana
HDD Tilia Olimpija Ljubljana is a Slovenian professional ice hockey team that plays in the Erste Bank Hockey League. They play their home games at Dvorana Tivoli in Ljubljana. Olimpija has won 13 Yugoslav Championships and 11 Slovenian championships. They won 10 consecutive times from 1995 to 2004...
. They all compete in the Slovenian Hockey League; HDD Olimpija Ljubljana
HDD Olimpija Ljubljana
HDD Tilia Olimpija Ljubljana is a Slovenian professional ice hockey team that plays in the Erste Bank Hockey League. They play their home games at Dvorana Tivoli in Ljubljana. Olimpija has won 13 Yugoslav Championships and 11 Slovenian championships. They won 10 consecutive times from 1995 to 2004...
also takes part in the Austrian Hockey League
Austrian Hockey League
The Austrian Hockey League , called the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Austria.-History:...
. The basketball teams are KD Slovan
KD Slovan
KK Geoplin Slovan or KD Slovan is a professional basketball team from Slovenia.-History:A beginning of the club is dating back to 1951 when Stane Urek suggested a formation of a basketball club Poljane at one of Ljubljana high schools. The club got its official right to play in April same year...
, ŽKD Ježica Ljubljana and KK Union Olimpija
KK Union Olimpija
-Depth Chart:-In: Ben Woodside Deon Thompson Aleksandar Ćapin Jaka Blažič Danny Green Ratko Varda Robert Rothbart -Out: Giorgi Shermadini - return from a loan Kenny Gregory Samo Udrih Aloysius Anagonye Vladimir...
. The latter, which has a green dragon as its mascot, hosts its matches in the 10,000-seat Arena Stožice since 2010.
The city's football teams which play in the Slovenian PrvaLiga are Interblock Ljubljana and NK Olimpija Ljubljana. There are two stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
s in the city. Bežigrad Stadium, which was built according to the plans of Jože Plečnik
Jože Plecnik
Jože Plečnik , was a Slovene architect who practised in Vienna, Belgrade, Prague and Ljubljana.-Biography:...
and is closed since 2008, was the home of the NK Olimpija Ljubljana
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (1911)
NK Olimpija Ljubljana was a Slovenian association football club based in Ljubljana. The club had traced its origin back to 1911 when it was originally founded as SK Ilirija. It had gone through a series of mergers in the first half of the 20th century before adopting the name Olimpija in 1962...
dissolved in 2004. The much larger Stadium Stožice, opened since August 2010 and located in Stožice Sports Park, is the home of the NK Olimpija Ljubljana established in 2005, and the main stadium of the Slovenia national football team
Slovenia national football team
The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
.
Each year since 1957, on 8–10 May, the traditional recreational March along the Path of Remembrance and Comradeship
Path of Remembrance and Comradeship
The Path of Remembrance and Comradeship , also referred to as the Path along the Wire , the Path around Ljubljana or the Green Ring , is an almost 33-kilometre long and 4-metre wide gravel-paved recreational walkway around the city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia...
has taken place to mark the liberation of Ljubljana on 9 May 1945. The last Sunday in October, the Ljubljana Marathon
Ljubljana Marathon
Ljubljana Marathon is a marathon, organised in Ljubljana by the City Municipality of Ljubljana . It has been taking place since 1996 and attracts several thousand people each year...
is run on the city's streets. It attracts several thousand runners each year.
The Tacen Whitewater Course
Tacen Whitewater Course
The Tacen Whitewater Course is a venue for canoe and kayak slalom competition in Tacen, Slovenia, a suburb of Ljubljana. Located on the Sava River, eight kilometers northwest of the city center, it is known locally as KKK Tacen . The course played an important role in development of the sport...
, located on a polygon next to the Sava, eight kilometers northwest of the city centre, hosts a major international canoe/kayak slalom competition almost every year, examples being the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
The ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships are an international event in canoeing organized by the International Canoe Federation. The World Championships have taken place every year in non-Summer Olympic years since 2002. From 1949 to 1999, they had taken place in odd-numbered years...
in 1955
1955 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
The 1955 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Tacen, Yugoslavia under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. The Mixed C-2 event debutted at these championships.-Canoe:-Kayak:-Canoe:-Kayak:-Medals table:...
, 1991
1991 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
The 1991 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Tacen, Yugoslavia under the auspices of International Canoe Federation. This was one of the last events held in Yugoslavia prior to the Yugoslav wars and subsequent breakup...
, and 2010
2010 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships
The 2010 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships were held 8–12 September 2010 at Tacen Whitewater Course, Slovenia under the auspices of International Canoe Federation for the record-tying third time...
.
Transport
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
were used, but were replaced by a vignette
Vignette (road tax)
A road tax vignette is a form of tax on vehicles, used in several non-English speaking European countries. The term is of French origin, and is now used throughout Central Europe....
system. The city, in central Slovenia, is linked to the southwest by A1-E70
European route E70
European route E 70 is an A-Class West-East European route, extending from A Coruña in Spain in the west to the Georgian city of Poti in the east.-Itinerary:...
to the Italian cities of Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
and Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and the Croatian port of Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
. To the north, A1-E57
European route E57
European route E 57 is an intermediate E-road connecting Sattledt - Liezen - St. Michael - Graz in Austria and further Maribor - Ljubljanain Slovenia...
leads to Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
, Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. To the east, A2-E70
European route E70
European route E 70 is an A-Class West-East European route, extending from A Coruña in Spain in the west to the Georgian city of Poti in the east.-Itinerary:...
links it with the Croatian capital Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, from where one can go to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
or important cities of the former Yugoslavia, such as Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. To the northwest, A2-E61
European route E61
European route E 61 is a part of the inter-European road system. This Class A intermediate north-south route is long and it connects the central part of the continent with the Adriatic Sea.-Itinerary:...
goes to the Austrian cities of Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
and Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, making it an important entry point for northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
an tourists.
Ljubljana railway station
Ljubljana railway station
The Ljubljana Railway Station is the principal railway station in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It was built in 1849, when the South railway, connecting Vienna and Trieste, reached Ljubljana. The building was renovated in 1980 by the architect Marko Mušič.James Joyce spent a night at the...
is part of a railway network that links Germany to Croatia through the Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
-Salzburg-Ljubljana-Zagreb line. A second network is the Vienna-Graz-Maribor-Ljubljana one, which links Austria to Slovenia. A third is the Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
-Venice-Ljubljana one, linking Ljubljana to Italy. Finally, a line goes to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
The Slovenian Railways offers the possibility to buy Ljubljana daily or monthly city pass that can be used to travel in Ljubljana by train (15 stations). In the immediate vicinity to the Ljubljana railway station is located the Bus station Ljubljana , the Ljubljana central bus hub, operated by the company Avtobusna postaja Ljubljana.
Ljubljana Airport (IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
code LJU), located 26 kilometres (16.2 mi) north of the city, has flights to numerous European destinations. Among the companies that fly from there are Adria Airways
Adria Airways
Adria Airways d.d. is the Slovenian national airline. Today, the majority of Adria Airways business is in scheduled flights. Adria operates to 16 cities throughout Europe this winter and offers excellent connections to South East Europe. It is a Star Alliance member since 2004 and a Lufthansa...
, Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
, Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines is a flag carrier airline headquartered in the b.house on the grounds of Brussels Airport and in Diegem, Machelen, Belgium and a subsidiary of Lufthansa. It is the largest airline based in Belgium, operating to over 65 destinations in 20 European countries as well as long-haul...
, EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
and Finnair
Finnair
Finnair Plc is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, and its main hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both the domestic and international air travel markets in Finland. The largest...
. Among the destinations served are Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Belgrade, Brussels, Budapest, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul, Kijev, London, Manchester, Moscow, Munich, Ohrid, Paris, Podgorica, Prague, Pristhina, Stockholm, Skopje, Vienna, Warsaw, Tirana, Tel Aviv and Zurich. There are numerous taxi companies in the city.
The city bus network, run by the public company Ljubljanski potniški promet ("Ljubljana Passenger Transport", LPP), is Ljubljana's most used means of public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
ation. The city bus rides may be paid with the Urbana payment card
Urbana (payment card)
Urbana is a stored-value card used on public transport services in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is a credit-card sized plastic card on which the customer electronically loads fares...
(also used for the funicular) or with a mobile phone
Mobile Payment
Mobile financial services, also referred to as mobile money, mobile payment, mobile banking, mobile money transfer and mobile wallet generally refer to payment services operated under financial regulation and performed from or via a mobile device....
. Sometimes, the buses are called trole ("trolleys"), harking back to the 1951–71 days when Ljubljana had trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
(trolejbus) service. There were five trolleybus lines in Ljubljana, till 1958 alongside the tram.
The tram system in Ljubljana
Ljubljana tram system
The tram system in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is a small one. It was originally built in 1901. In the post World War II era, many Yugoslav towns and cities with tram systems took out their systems, as they took up a lot of space in an era when automobiles were more important. In Ljubljana...
is a small one. It was originally built in 1901. In the post World War II era, many Yugoslav towns and cities with tram systems took out their systems, as they took up a lot of space in an era when automobiles were more important. In Ljubljana the tram's end came in 1958. In its final years the system reached length of over 21 kilometers. Soon after the last day of operation the tracks were dismantled and the cars were transferred to Osijek and Subotica
Subotica
Subotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
. Almost fifty years later, at the end of 2006, a new tram line was opened. The tram is a funicular
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
, and goes from the Krek Square near the Ljubljana Central Market
Ljubljana Central Market
Ljubljana Central Market in the capital of Slovenia was designed by Jože Plečnik in 1939-41. The market building stretches between the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge, following the curve of the Ljubljanica river.-History:...
to the Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle is a medieval castle in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is located on the Castle Hill overlooking the old town.- History:According to archeological surveys, the area of the present castle has been settled continuously since 1200 BC, when the first settlements and later fortifications were...
. The tram is especially popular among tourists. It runs between the hours of 9:00 and 21:00, and the full trip lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. There are plans to build more lines in the future.
There is a considerable amount of bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
traffic in Ljubljana and it is also possible to rent a bike. Since May 2011, the Bicikelj, a self-service bicycle rental system offers the residents and visitors of Ljubljana 300 bicycles and 600 parking spots at 31 stations in the wider city centre area. The daily number of rentals is around 2,500. There was a possibility to rent a bike even before the establishment of Bicikelj. On some of the main streets cycling is forbidden, e.g. on a part of the Slovenska Road. Through years, the prohibitions have been partially abolished by marking cycle lanes on the road or on the pavement.
Twin towns — Sister cities
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Graz Graz The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students... , Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... (since 2001) Mardin Mardin Mardin is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province, it is known for its Arabic-like architecture, and for its strategic location on a rocky mountain overlooking the plains of northern Syria.-History:... , Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... (since 2003) Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... (since 2000) Moscow Region Moscow Oblast Moscow Oblast , or Podmoskovye , is a federal subject of Russia . Its area, at , is relatively small compared to other federal subjects, but it is one of the most densely populated regions in the country and, with the 2010 population of 7,092,941, is the second most populous federal subject... Russia, (since 2001) Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... (since 1963) Parma Parma Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world.... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... (since 1964) Pesaro Pesaro Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206.... , Italy (since 1964) Ploče Ploce Ploče is a town and a notable seaport in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia.The total population of Ploče is 10,102 , in the following settlements:* Baćina, population 564* Banja, population 176* Komin, population 1,222... , Croatia Croatia Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... (since 1982) Rijeka Rijeka Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants... , Croatia (since 1979) |
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External links
- City of Ljubljana official site
- Official Ljubljana tourism site
- Map of Ljubljana
- Ljubljana: locations with surround photography. Accessed 28 February 2011. Burger.si.