Ljubljana is capital city of Slovenia and center of City community. It is geograficaly, culturaly, scientific, economical, policital and administrative center of Slovenia. During the centuries, Ljubljana was effected by many cultures, as it was on crossing of germanic, romanic and slavic nations, their languages, customs and habits.

City community of Ljubljana

Flag of Ljubljana

Ljubljana’s traffic connections, concentration of industry, scientific and research institutions and industrial tradicion are factors which helped to it’s leading economical position. Ljubljana is a seat of central government, public administration in all government ministers of Slovenia. It is also a seat of state assembly and an, office of president of Slovenia.

Center of Ljubljana (46°03′″N 14°30′″E)

First dependency on place where, today, is Ljubljana was – as the legend tells us, founded by argonauts or greek hero Jazon, who stole gold fleece from king Aites and fleet with comrades from pursuers on ship called Argo. He was sailing across the Black sea, river Donava and Sava, until he came all the way to Ljubljanica. Is it told that Argonauts disassemble the ship and took it with them to Adriatic sea. On the way to the sea, at spring of river Ljubljanica they stopped at the big lake on Barje, where the monster was living. Jazon fought with her, beated and killed her. This monster was Ljubljana’s dragon, who today lives in castle tower on Ljubljana’s city crest.

Statue called Emonec

ETYMOLOGY
Historians are not joined about source of name Ljubljana. According to one interpretation the name comes from old god Laburus, on the other hand, some say the word came from latin term for river, which is flooding (aluviana), but some say that name comes from german Laubach (Luke brooks). Connection with word loved is folk etymological. The simbol of the city is Ljubljana’s dragon.

Ljubljana on Valvasor’s engraving

HISTORY
Roman dependency Emona (Colonia Emona (Aemona) Iulia tribu Claudia) arose in year 15. First medival references of Ljubljana goes in time around year 1020, with todays name in year 1144 with name Laybach and 1146 with Luwigana. According to new findings, the first mentioned of Ljubljana in written form was between 1112 adn 1125. After year 1220, when Ljubljana gets city rights, in time she takes primacy of Kranj and Kamnik and becomes capital city of Kranj land, in year 1335 comes under the Habsburgs and in year 1461 becomes seat of Škofije. Habsburgs rule was suspended in between year 1809 and 1813, when Ljubljana was capital city of french Illyrian provices. In year 1821 Ljubljana was a host of ljubljana congress.

Ljubljana in year 1911

In second half of 19. Century, Ljubljana has established itself as s policitical and crultural center of Slovenians. When Austo-Hungary collapsed in year 1918, Ljubljana became a seat of Drava banovina. The mayor of Ljubljana between second world war was Leon Rupnik, the leader of home guard units, which consisted of nazi and fascists. But the resistance in Ljubljana was to great. Most of her population was participating or at least supporting the fight of their army. With this, Ljubljana is one of the most resistant and home loving citys. It was the city, which resisted domestic traitors and attackers (okupator). After second world war it became capital city of socialist republic of Slovenia.

The recording of document in 1146 with a slavic-latin description Luwigana

Ljubljana was often affected by earthquakes. After the earthquake in 1511 she was rebuild in renesaince style, after catastrofical earthquake in 1895 in neoclassical and art nouveau style. Between both wars, all the important buildings, street regulations and arrangements were planned by famous arhitect from Ljubljana, Jože Plečnik.
In year 1693, the Academia operosorum Labacensis was up, followed by Academia philharmonicorum in 1701. Ljubljana got university in year 1919, Slovenian academy of science and art in year 1937.

Map of Ljubljana

ARHITECTURE OF THE CITY

Important arhitects, who designed Ljubljana:
=> 18. century: Andrea Pozzo, Domenico Rossi, Gregor Maček, Candido, Zulliani, Matija Persky, Lovrenc Prager, Gabriel Gruber
=> 19. century: Ignacij Prager, Jožef Schemerl, Vilijem Treo, Raimund Jeblinger, Vladimir Hrasky, Ciril Metod Koch
=> 20. century: Maks Fabiani, Jože Plečnik, Josip Costaperaria, Ivan Vurnik, Vladimir Šubic, Jože Sivec, France Tomažič, Stanko Rohrman, Ivo Spinčič, Edvard Ravnikar, Milan Mihelič.

Sculptors of monuments and statues of Ljubljana:
=> 15. century: Janez Lipec
=> 17. centrury: Janez Khumerstainer, Janez Vajkard Valvasor
=> 18. century: Luka Mislej, Jacopo Contieri, Francesco Robba
=> 19. century: Alojzij Gangl
=> 20. century: Ivan Zajec, Fran Berneker, Ivan Napotnik, Lojze Dolinar, Tine Kos, Franc Gorše, Boris Kalin, Frančišek Smerdu, Karel Putrih, Zdenko Kalin, Jakov Brdar, Mirsad Begić, Matjaž Počivavšek

Gallerys:
Arte gallery Ljubljana
National gallery of Slovenia
City gallery Ljubljana
Gallery ŠKUC
Gallery Hest
Gallery Furlan-Črnuče
Gallery Equrna
KUD France Prešeren
AKC Metelkova mesto
KUD Sestava

Theatre:
City theatre of Ljubljana
SNG-Drama and Slovenian national theatre
Slovenian youth theatre
Šentjakob theatre
KUD France Prešeren
Theatre for children and youth Ljubljana
Theatre comedy
Cankarjev dom

Museums:
Technical museum of Slovenia
Slovenian rail museum
Arhitecture museum of Ljubljana
Slovenian ethnographic museum
City museum Ljubljana
National museum of Slovenia
Museum of recent history of Slovenia
Natural museum of Slovenia
Slovenian school museum
Slovenian theatre museum
History archive Ljubljana
Tobacco museum
Slovenian cinematheque

SLOVENIAN PHILHARMONIC
Slovenian philharmonic is central musical institution in Ljubljana and Slovenia, throwing concerts of classical music of domestic and foreign artists, and devotes much time to young artists from several musical schools. It was made in year 1701 under Academia Operosorum and as such belongs to the oldest institutions in Slovenia and also inEurope.


PARKS AND GARDENS
In Ljubljana there is about 30 ha of parks, the biggest one is park Tivoli with area of 17.5 ha, other areas are covered with 28 other parks. After second world war there was no regulated and open parks for people, even more disappointing is the comparison with other major cities (for example: London has, regarding to city area and number of population, at least 20 times more parks)
In year 2007, they planted 30.500 seedlings of flowers, about 33.000 tulip bulbs, daffodils and some other flowers, on 10.000 m2 of area they planted shrubs, on 1526 m2 of area are flower beds. There is old plantation of rose for 400 m2, old planation of perennial for 500 m2 and 1650 old trees.

Park Star

Argentina park
Botanical garden
Zoo
park Star
Miklošičev park
park Ajdovščina
Toskaninijev park
sport park Kodeljevo
sport park Svoboda

CHURCHES IN LJUBLJANA
Church of Marija’s visitation
Church of Jesus Heart
Evangelical church
Franciscan church of annunciation
Chapel
Križevniška church
The orthodox church Cyril and Mathodius
Church of St. Bartholomew
St. Anton
St. Cyril and Mathodius
St. Virgin Mary in the Field
St. Family
St. Spirit
St. Florian
St. Francis
St. Jakob – Šentjakob church
St. Joseph
St. George and st. Cantianius
St. Martin
St. Nikolaj, Ljubljana cathedral
St. Saviour
St. Peter
St. Rok
St. Simon and Jude
St. Stephen
St. Theresa
St. Vid
Mary shrine helpers
Trnovska church
Ursuline church (also Nuns church)

LJUBLJANA WELLS
Robb well
Neptun well
Narcis well
Herkules well
Wells on Ljubljana castle
Well on Pogačarjev square
Well on Tabor
Well on New square
Well on Fish square
Well on Krekov square
Well in Jakopič park
Well Tivoli
Well under hall Tivoli – Boy with bowl
Kobetov well in park Star
Well – Trubar street
Well square Ajdovščina
Well »Boy with fish« (Tivoli castle)
Well on Gornji square (Šentflorjan church)
Well in Tivoli pond
Well Europe infront of University
Well – mirror on square of republic
Well in Argentina park
Well OF on eternal path
Well in Župančič cave
Well on Žale
Well on Vrazov square
Well under Plava Laguna
Well besides of school of constuction in Bežigrad
Well infron Atlantis

ELEVATIONS IN LJUBLJANA AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
Center of Ljubljana lies between two small elevations, Rožnik and Castle hill, on which stands Ljubljana castle. On the outskirt of the city, there are hills Šmarna gora, Rašica, Golovec, Toško čelo, little further are Krim and peaks of Polhov gradec hills, which offer beautiful short trips in nature.

Ljubljana at night

SOME FACTS

Crest of Ljubljana

State: Slovenia
Mayor: Zoran Jankovič
Patron saint of the city: St. Jurij (23. april)
Area of the city: 275 km2
Population of the city: 258.873