Jubilantly at Lyoo-blyah-nah ( that is how it is pronounced)
On our way from Opatija, Croatia, to Maribor, Slovenia, we stop by Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana. The route has been green and mountainous until we arrive at the gardens in the city. It is a Sunday. There's free parking.
Ljubljana: Where Dragons Guard a City of Stories
After checking several times that the parking really is free, we finally cross the grounds toward a quiet street where a museum and church stand side by side, the river glimmering just beyond them. What begins as a simple walk quickly turns into a journey through centuries.
A City Between Past and Present
The streets bordering the park feel like a conversation between eras. Sleek glass and steel buildings rise beside colourful facades that still carry traces of the city’s past. Ljubljana is modern and elegant.
And then, almost without warning, the city shifts. The banks of the river that runs through the city, leads us straight into another century. A quiet fascination engulfs us. We could have been in Austria!
Defined by Pedestrian only bridges
We are on the famous Triple Bridge – one of the links between Ljubljana’s modern heart and its medieval soul. This 20th century bridge connects the bustling modern city to the enchanting Old Town, where cobbled streets, Baroque churches, and riverside cafés automatically slow our wandering pace and draw our gaze. How thoughtful of the authorities to add oblique extensions to an existing stone arch bridge that would have otherwise turned into a bottleneck
Guarded by dragons
Dragons everywhere –a green one perching proudly on the iconic Nouveau style Dragon Bridge, guarding the city with wings outstretched and fierce expressions.
More dragons watch over the city from Ljubljana Castle, high on the hill above the old town. Not surprising that with so many legends woven into its streets the dragon appears on the city’s coat of arms.
Love and Legend
Beyond the Triple Bridge and Dragon Bridge is the whimsical Butcher’s Bridge, covered in countless love locks left behind by hopeful couples seeking eternal romance, not with the originally intended roof.
The Ljubljanica River winds beneath them all, threading through the city before eventually joining the Danube on its journey to the Black Sea.
Drinking song elevated
At the center of the old town is Prešeren Square, named after Slovenia’s national poet, whose poem,originally conceived as a drinking song, is now the country’s national anthem. True to the song the square hums with life: street musicians, cafés, markets, and the constant flow of people crossing the Triple Bridge.
Baroque and Austrian
Nearby stands the pink Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, while a short walk away sits Ljubljana Cathedral, also known as Saint Nicholas’ Church,standing beside the town hall, with its impressive Baroque interiors and bronze doors added during a papal visit in 1996. The courtyard in the town hall charms with its fountain and its old staircase reminiscent of the Titanic.
A City Best Explored Slowly
What makes Ljubljana unforgettable is not just its architecture or history, but its atmosphere. There is a softness to the city — relaxed riverside cafés, open-air markets, hidden courtyards, and streets that seem to invite wandering without destination.One moment we are admiring sleek modern design, the next we are standing beneath a medieval tower listening to church bells echo across the river.
Markets: old and new
Nearby the Square is Galerija Emporium, the first department store in Slovenia, built in the art du Mode French style. The old market and a modern farmer’s market do a thriving business especially of local handicrafts.
Hilltop castle dominates
The 12th century Ljubljana Castle rises above the city, offering sweeping views over the rooftops and the river below. The walk up takes us through Medieval buildings lining the cobblestoned windy path upward and a series of stairs.
The museum
A quick peek into the museum with its Art Nouveau masterpieces and we are ready to leave the city, to explore yet another.
From Medieval Bones to Baroque Beauty
The Ljubljana region has been inhabited for over 6000 years. The capital is also the largest city in Slovenia. In 1985 it faced a devastating earthquake. Much of the city was rebuilt in such a way as to retain its charm while becoming modern.
Ljubljana is not a city that overwhelms. Being compact and easily navigable it is easily explored on foot. It has a quiet charm.
