Culture of Ljubljana. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Ljubljana greets its guests with numerous unique landmarks and sights among which one will find magnificent architectural landmarks and monuments, theaters, museums and ancient castles. One of the permanent city symbols is for many years still Slovenian National Theatre which is set in the scenic building of the end of the 19th century. The theater regularly performs the stage productions in different world’s languages thus the performances will be of great interest for foreign visitors as well.

The museum of architecture, Fuzine Castle is the next point of touristic attraction. The museum performs permanent exhibition as well as hosts the exhibitions of current collections. All the showpieces presented in the museum are anyway considering architectural art. Despite the fact the museum may appear boring and rather dull at the first sight, it is still recommended for family visits as the collections of the museum are original and interesting.

Plecnik house is placed in the neighborhood. It is a private residence of majestic beauty built in the beginning of the 20th century. Today the interior of past age is totally restored within the walls of the building. Visitors of the residence may enjoy the ancient interior decoration and view the beautiful paintings. Those wishing to get to know the life of the average citizens better should visit the Budnar house. The atmosphere characteristic to the average city residents of the 17th – 18th centuries is reproduced there. The territory of the museum complex features a small dwelling as well as several maintenance buildings and the spreader designed for hey drying. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Budnar house has turned to an established place of holding of different ethnic crafts presentations. The city and its nearest suburbs have preserved several ancient castles and fortresses. The most attracting for tourists is considered to be the Bogensperk castle. The castle was built in the 14th century and survived through the course of the history till nowadays almost unharmed. Today a part of the ancient building is turned to a museum. One of its halls hosts the exhibition of geologic showpieces meanwhile other exposition is concentrated on local superstitious beliefs and proverbial signs. Dragon Bridge is one of the places of obligatory visit. It is among the most significant landmarks of Ljubljana.

In Ljubljana, you can find other, no less interesting bridges associated with interesting stories. For example, the Butcher’s Bridge (Mesarski Most), which can be recognized by locks hanging on railings (a popular Slovenian tradition has it that newlyweds will be together forever if they fix one). The most striking decorations of the structure are beautiful sculptures by Jakov Brdar. The bridge itself was designed by Jože Plečnik long before it was erected in 2010. No less remarkable creations of the great Slovenian architect are the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje), the Trnovski Bridge (Trnovski Most), as well as the Shoemaker's Bridge (Cevljarski Most).

When visiting the capital of Slovenia, it goes without saying that one must go explore its main attraction - Ljubljana Grad. Built in the 15th century on the site of an older fortress, the castle was used as a fortification for the following three centuries, although its watchtower was not attached to the building until 1848. At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, the castle served another purpose as a prison, and later, until the 60s of the last century, the poor lived in the castle. Today, the building houses a collection, thanks to which one can learn the history of the Slovenian capital, as well as a puppet theater staging stunning theater performances and a puppet museum (Lutkovni Muzej). The building can be reached by funicular.

The Town Hall building (Mestna Hiša) is also worth mentioning. It is noteworthy for its architecture harmoniously combining the Baroque, Renaissance and Secession styles. Although Galerija Emporium is currently occupied by a department store, the building is certainly worth a visit as an attraction. It's all about its wonderful Art Nouveau exterior. The building was built in 1903 and has always performed its original function of a branded clothing store. Hauptmannova Hiša built in 1873 is equally noteworthy, as it is one of the few buildings that survived the earthquake of 1895. However, in 1905, the house was redesigned in the secession style.

Vurnikova Hiša, another recognizable building in the Slovenian capital, should be included in your sightseeing tour too. Presently, it houses office premises, and Zadružna Gospodarska Banka was based here previously. Built in 1921 under the project of the architect Ivan Vurnik, the building is considered one of the most beautiful buildings reflecting the local flavor. Just a couple of pictures is enough to understand this and feel the need to see such beauty as soon as possible. Going a little further, you can find another masterpiece of national architecture - Zadružna Zveza Slovenije, another building that catches the eye immediately.

The capital of Slovenia can boast a unique place - The Land of Ice (Ledena Dežela). Amazing ice sculptures, an ice bar, an ice rink, an ice slide - all this can be seen in the square next to another picturesque landmark of the capital - Kongresni Trg Park. The Univerza v Ljubljani built in 1919 in the classicist style is interesting from an architectural point of view. While on the subject of higher education institutions, it is worth noting that the University of Ljubljana was the only one in the country until 1978. Besides parks, the city has several other interesting places to walk. One of them is Žale Centralno Pokopališče, a cemetery where you can find many interesting sculptures making any walk enjoyable.

Among the many religious attractions, St. Nicholas' Cathedral stands out. The latter was built and designed by Andrea del Pozzo in the 18th century. Having replaced an older Romanesque-style church first mentioned in 1262, the present building is a masterpiece of baroque architecture. As is characteristic of all buildings in this style, the cathedral is striking not only with its magnificent appearance but also with rich interior decoration. An equally interesting monument of sacred architecture is Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church built in 1936 upon the project of Momir Korunović. The most interesting part of the temple is its interior, especially the beautiful frescoes adorning the walls. One shouldn't pass by Župnijska Cerkev sv.Trojice. Don't miss the opportunity to see the beautiful church from the inside.

Museums in Ljubljana are also worth visiting, the more especially as they can hardly be criticized for uninteresting expositions or poor presentations. To get acquainted with the modern history of the state, head to the Muzej Novejše Zgodovine Slovenije, but if you want to know more about the city itself, be sure to visit the Mestni Muzej Ljubljana, which tells about the capital of Slovenia from Roman times to our days. Jewish culture occupies a special place in the local culture. Representatives of this nation have been lived in the state since the 13th century. And it is this culture that the Kulturni Zavod Judovski Kulturni Center is dedicated to. If you want to learn more about the history of Jews and all the troubles that have befallen them, this is the right place for that.