500px Photo ID: 144389887 - Romantic Ljubljana city center. River Ljubljanica, Triple Bridge - Tromostovje, Preseren square and Franciscan Church of the Annunciation. Ljubljana Slovenia Europe.

Matej Kastelic / 500px

Prešernov Trg

Ljubljana


The centrepiece of Ljubljana's wonderful architectural aesthetic is this marvellous square, a public space of understated elegance that serves not only as the link between the Center district and the Old Town but also as the city's favourite meeting point. Taking pride of place is the Prešeren monument (1905), erected in honour of Slovenia’s greatest poet, France Prešeren (1800–49).

Immediately south of the statue is the city's architectural poster-child, the small but much acclaimed Triple Bridge. To the east of the monument, at No 5 is the Italianate Central Pharmacy, an erstwhile cafe frequented by intellectuals in the 19th century. To the north sits the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, and on the corner of Trubarjeva cesta and Miklošičeva cesta, the delightful secessionist Palača Urbanc building (1903), which now houses a fancy department store. Diagonally across the square at No 1 is another secessionist gem: the Hauptmann House. Two doors down at Wolfova ulica 4 you’ll see a terracotta figure peeking out from a window. The figure is Julija Primič, a love interest of Prešeren's, though the union was apparently never consummated.


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1. Prešeren Monument

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Taking pride of place near the centre of Prešernov trg is the 1905 Prešeren monument designed by Maks Fabiani and Ivan Zajc, and erected in honour of…

2. Franciscan Church of the Annunciation

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The 17th-century salmon-pink Franciscan Church of the Annunciation stands on the northern side of Prešernov trg. The interior has six side altars and an…

3. Hauptmann House

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The Hauptmann House stands diagonally across the square from the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation and is a secessionist gem from the early 20th…

4. Triple Bridge

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Running south from Prešernov trg to the Old Town is the much celebrated Triple Bridge, originally called Špital (Hospital) Bridge. When it was built as a…

5. Urbanc Palace

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To the north of Prešernov Trg, on the corner of Trubarjeva cesta and Miklošičeva cesta, is this delightful secessionist palace building from 1903, which…

6. People’s Loan Bank

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The strange cone in Pogarčarjev trg was erected in honour of local architect Jože Plečnik in 1993. It represents the parliament building he designed but…

8. Cooperative Bank

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The one-time Cooperative Bank was designed by Ivan Vurnik, and the red, yellow and blue geometric patterns were painted by his wife Helena in 1922.