Museum sights in Ljubljana
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Ljubljana Castle
Known as Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljanski Grad), there have been fortifications of one kind or another on Castle Hill (Grajska Planota) since at least Celtic times, but the existing Ljublijana Castle mostly dates from a 16th-century rebuilding following the 1511 earthquake. It was a royal residence in the 17th and 18th centuries and a prison and barracks in the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries.
About 80% of the castle has been renovated in recent years, and it is now frequently used as a venue for concerts and other cultural activities, and as a wedding hall on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
The castle was a royal residence in the 17th and 18th centuries and a…
reviewed
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B
Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia
The Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia, housed in the 18th-century Cekin Mansion (Grad Cekinov) just northeast of the Tivoli Recreation Centre, traces the history of Slovenia in the 20th century through multimedia and artefacts. Note the contrast between the sober earnestness of the communist-era Room G and the exuberant, logo-mad commercialism of the neighbouring industrial exhibit in Room H.
Its multimedia story begins on the eve of WWI, leading you through a surprisingly effective reconstruction of a typical trench into the quieter days of the postwar Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It gets pretty turbulent in Room E, which deals with WWII and the Italo-German…
reviewed
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C
National Gallery
Slovenia's foremost collection of fine art, the National Gallery offers works from the 17th to 19th centuries (check out works by 'national Romantics' Pavel Künl, Marko Pernhart and Anton Karinger), copies of medieval frescoes and a wonderful Gothic statuary (1896). Although the subjects of the earlier paintings are the usual foppish nobles and lemon-lipped clergymen, some of the later works are remarkable.
Take a close look at the works of the impressionists Jurij Šubic (Before the Hunt) and Rihard Jakopič (Birches in Autumn), the pointillist Ivan Grohar (Škofja Loka in the Snow) and Slovenia's most celebrated female painter Ivana Kobilca (Summer). The bronzes by…
reviewed
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D
Museum of Modern Art
Housed in an ugly modern building (Edvard Ravnikar; 1939-51), the inwardly vibrant and inspiring Museum of Modern Art exhibits a permanent collection of 20th-century Slovenian art on two floors that helps put some of the socialist-inspired work of sculptors such as Jakob Savinšek (Protest) into artistic perspective.
Watch out for works by Tone Kralj (Peasant Wedding), the expressionist France Mihelič (The Quintet) and the surrealist Štefan Planinc (Primeval World series). Some people might consider the works by multimedia group Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK; Suitcase for Spiritual Use: Baptism under Triglav) and the artists' cooperative IRWIN (Kapital) 'fun' rather than…
reviewed
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E
National Museum of Slovenia
On the western side of parklike Trg Narodnih Herojev, the National Museum of Slovenia occupies an elegant 1888 building. It has a large collection but at the time of writing only highlights from the rich archaeological and coin collections were on display.
The Roman glass and the jewellery found in 6th-century Slavic graves is pretty standard fare, but the chef d'oeuvre here is the highly embossed Vače situla, a Celtic pail from the late 6th century BC unearthed in a town east of Ljubljana. Make sure you check out the ceiling fresco in the foyer, which features an allegorical Carniola surrounded by important Slovenes from the past and the statues of the Muses and Fates…
reviewed
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F
Slovenian Ethnographic Museum
The new Slovenian Ethnographic Museum, housed in the 1886 Belgian Barracks on the southern edge of Metelkova, has a permanent collection on the 3rd floor. There's traditional Slovenian trades and handicrafts - everything from beekeeping and blacksmithing to glass-painting and pottery making - and some excellent exhibits directed at children. Temporary exhibits are on the 1st and 2nd floors. Allow extra time for this one; it's excellent.
reviewed
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G
Natural History Museum
Housed in 16 rooms and hallways of the same impressive building as the National Museum, the Natural History Museum contains the usual reassembled mammoth and whale skeletons, stuffed birds, reptiles and mammals. However, the mineral collections amassed by the philanthropic Baron Žiga Zois in the early 19th century and the display on Slovenia's unique salamander Proteus anguinus are worth a visit.
reviewed
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H
Ljubljana City Museum
At the eastern end of Trg Francoske Revolucije is the excellent Ljubljana City Museum, which has reopened after a four-year renovation and focuses on Ljubljana's history, culture and politics. The reconstructed Roman street that linked the eastern gates of Emona to the Ljubljanica, and the collection of well-preserved classical artefacts in the basement are worth a visit in themselves.
reviewed
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Technical Museum of Slovenia
A huge collection of antique motor vehicles and bicycles, water-driven and horse-powered mills, and implements used in agriculture, weaving, forestry, smithing, fishing and hunting. It's 22km southwest of Ljubljana.
reviewed
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Ljubljana Architectural Museum
The exhibits at Ljubljana Architectural Museum put much emphasis on Plečnik, focusing on his work at home and abroad, and some stunning unrealised projects.
reviewed
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I
National Gallery
Slovenia's foremost collection of fine art, the National Gallery offers works from the 17th to 19th centuries (check out works by 'national Romantics' Pavel Künl, Marko Pernhart and Anton Karinger), copies of medieval frescoes and a wonderful Gothic statuary (1896). Although the subjects of the earlier paintings are the usual foppish nobles and lemon-lipped clergymen, some of the later works are remarkable.
Take a close look at the works of the impressionists Jurij Šubic (Before the Hunt) and Rihard Jakopič (Birches in Autumn), the pointillist Ivan Grohar (Škofja Loka in the Snow) and Slovenia's most celebrated female painter Ivana Kobilca (Summer). The bronzes by…
reviewed
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J
National Gallery
Slovenia's foremost collection of fine art, the National Gallery offers works from the 17th to 19th centuries (check out works by 'national Romantics' Pavel Künl, Marko Pernhart and Anton Karinger), copies of medieval frescoes and a wonderful Gothic statuary (1896). Although the subjects of the earlier paintings are the usual foppish nobles and lemon-lipped clergymen, some of the later works are remarkable.
Take a close look at the works of the impressionists Jurij Šubic (Before the Hunt) and Rihard Jakopič (Birches in Autumn), the pointillist Ivan Grohar (Škofja Loka in the Snow) and Slovenia's most celebrated female painter Ivana Kobilca (Summer). The bronzes by…
reviewed
-
K
Ljubljana City Museum
At the eastern end of Trg Francoske Revolucije is the excellent Ljubljana City Museum, which has reopened after a four-year renovation and focuses on Ljubljana's history, culture and politics. The reconstructed Roman street that linked the eastern gates of Emona to the Ljubljanica, and the collection of well-preserved classical artefacts in the basement are worth a visit in themselves.
reviewed
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L
Natural History Museum
Housed in 16 rooms and hallways of the same impressive building as the National Museum, the Natural History Museum contains the usual reassembled mammoth and whale skeletons, stuffed birds, reptiles and mammals. However, the mineral collections amassed by the philanthropic Baron Žiga Zois in the early 19th century and the display on Slovenia's unique salamander Proteus anguinus are worth a visit.
reviewed
-
M
Museum of Modern Art
Housed in an ugly modern building (Edvard Ravnikar; 1939-51), the inwardly vibrant and inspiring Museum of Modern Art exhibits a permanent collection of 20th-century Slovenian art on two floors that helps put some of the socialist-inspired work of sculptors such as Jakob Savinšek (Protest) into artistic perspective.
Watch out for works by Tone Kralj (Peasant Wedding), the expressionist France Mihelič (The Quintet) and the surrealist Štefan Planinc (Primeval World series). Some people might consider the works by multimedia group Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK; Suitcase for Spiritual Use: Baptism under Triglav) and the artists' cooperative IRWIN (Kapital) 'fun' rather than…
reviewed