Lovely Ljubljana - Part 1

Lovely Ljubljana (loob-blee-YAH-nah) is the capital and largest city in Slovenia. The old town is full of Baroque and the Vienna Secession style architecture, as well as many innovative designs from well-known, hometown architect, Jože Plečnik. Plečnik has been said to have the same impact on Ljubljana as Gaudi had on Barcelona.

Prešernov Trg Square is the main square in Ljubljana. It is named for the poet and statute of France Prešeren (1800–1849), who is best known and admired for his Romantic sonnets. There is a small splash pad in the middle that is enjoyed by all ages.   

The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation is a centerpiece of the square. The bridge is one of the grouping of Three Bridges designed by Jože Plečnik.

We enjoyed having a guided tour of Jože Plečnik's home. A life-long bachelor, he stated that he was married to his work. His home was donated to the city by his heirs, who left everything intact after he died.

These Art Nouveau buildings are also part of Prešernov Trg Square.

The National Art Gallery is housed in a Neoclassical beauty.

The Ljubljanica River runs though Ljubljana. There are many boat companies offering rides on the river but we did not take one. We enjoyed many walks on both sides of the river as well as a meal or two.

The castle on the hill could be accessed by a funicular or an uphill walk. We chose the funicular. There wasn't much of a medieval atmosphere and the rooms one could view were minimal. There restaurants, a photo exhibit, and good views of the city below. But, otherwise, it was skippable. 

People (and food and pets) bring beautiful architecture and cities to life. 

We had learned about the Friday night "Open Kitchen," which is basically six rows of local restaurants selling delicious food from their stands. We perused the offerings with glasses of wine in hand and settled on African food.

I think that the majority of people were locals and their families, but there were plenty of tourists as well. There were many areas like this one that were packed with people.

 
This group of Slovenian cuties (who dress like any American child) was walking to a museum. The little boy at the left was distracted enough by us that he walked into a stone pediment. His classmates promptly razzed him. 

These 4-legged friends were spotted several times so they were getting their exercise. (Thankfully, eating dogs, cats and pets is not part of the culture in Slovenia nor in Springfield, OH. Seriously, what sane person says s**t like that??)