The capital of Slovenia is a political, cultural, scientific, educational,
business, and transportation centre that in its own way combines the characteristics
of Slovenia’s eastern and western, northern and southern regions. The
city nestling below the hill with Ljubljana Castle has a lively cultural life
created by numerous theatres, museums, and galleries, one of the oldest Philharmonics
in the world, cinemas, more than ten thousand cultural events each year, as
many as ten international festivals, including the Ljubljana Summer Festival,
the Ljubljana Graphics Biennial, the Ljubljana Jazz Festival, the LIFFE Film
Festival, and the Druga godba Festival of Alternative Music, and much more.
The central point of interest of Ljubljana is the Castle Hill. Excavations
testify that the hill was first fortified in the time of the Celts and Illyrians
and that the Romans had a military post there. The beginnings of the medieval
castle go back to the 9th century, although the castle building is first mentioned
only in 1144. At that time it was the seat of the provincial ruler Spanheim,
who even minted his own coinage here. It gained its present image after the
earthquake of 1511 and with further renovations at the beginning of the 17th
century. It was occupied by the provincial rulers until the first decades of
the 17th century, later becoming simply a garrison and provincial prison. The
castle's renovation is now nearly completed, so that the two wedding suites,
the tower, chapel and cafeteria are open to visitors, while the rest of the
reconstructed premises are used for occasional performances, exhibitions and
social functions. Near the castle stands a monument to the Slovene peasant uprising
(by Stojan Batic, 1974).
Ljubljana is an important congress city. Still today, it is proud of the Congress
of the Holy Alliance, which brought the most prominent European statesmen of
the time to Ljubljana at the beginning of the 19th century, and can offer first-class
congress capabilities. In the centrally located Cankarjev dom Cultural and Congress
Center as well as in the city hotels and nearby protocol buildings, world meetings,
conferences, and congresses of the highest level are held every year.
As Slovenia’s business and commerce center, Ljubljana hosts numerous trade
fairs, and like any capital city it also offers numerous shopping temptations,
from smaller shops and boutiques in old city core to large shopping centers
on the outskirts. At every step, there are friendly cafes, pastry shops, and
restaurants, as many serving distinctly Slovene cuisine as those with the offer
of foreign horizons. During a visit to Ljubljana, which is linked to the world
by road, railway, and Brnik Airport, visitors can chose among accommodations
at a hotel, motel, or pension, in private apartments and rooms, at a campground,
and at a youth hostel.
Because of the University of Ljubljana, daily life in the city is marked by
a challenging and lively youthful character but also by the charm of enjoying
a tranquil and relaxing boat ride on the Ljubljanica River, a stroll in Tivoli
Park close to the very center of the city, a visit to the Botanical Garden with
more than 4,500 plant species, a walk in the Ljubljana Zoo, a guided tour of
Plecnik’s Ljubljana, or the trails to nearby Rožnik Hill, Šmarna
gora, or many of the other friendly peaks in the city surroundings.
Among the nearby places that invite visitors into the surroundings of the city
are Iški Vintgar, a gorge with picturesque river pools; the climatic health
resort on Rakitna, a plateau with a lake and an attractive walking circuit;
Pekel Gorge and its waterfalls near Borovnica; the karst springs of the Ljubljanica
River near Vrhnika, the former monastery in Bistra that now houses the Technical
Museum of Slovenia, Zbiljsko jezero, lake with its diverse recreation offer,
Sticna with its famous Cistercian monastery and Museum of Religion... Many places
in the surroundings of Ljubljana are particularly inviting because of the unique
nature found on the Ljubljansko Barje Moor.
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