After exploring the Postojna cave, I was excited to reach Slovenia’s capital city of Ljubljana but I was also a little bit sad. The city was the last stop on my Crossroads of the Adriatic adventure, so being here meant that my trip would soon be coming to an end. I tried not to dwell on that realization during the three days I spent in this lovely city.
Ljubljana (pronounced L’yoob-l’yana) is located right in the center of the country. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Croatia to the south and east, and a little bit of Hungary to the northeast. It has a very short (47-kilometer, or 29-mile) coastline on the Adriatic Sea. Although it is a relatively small country, Slovenia has diverse geography and great natural beauty. Over half the land is covered with forests and there are numerous lakes. Snow-covered mountains stretch across the northern part of the country, making it resemble Austria and Switzerland. Actually, Slovenia as a country didn’t exist until fairly recently but the history of this area goes back to ancient times when it was occupied by Celtic tribes.
Of Slovenia’s current population of two million people, 300,000 live in the capital, Ljubljana. As we drove into Ljubljana, I noticed right away that it had a more affluent and more Western look than any of the cities we’d recently visited. There were parks, green spaces, and bike lanes. The buildings didn’t show the war-related scars that were so evident in other parts of the former Yugoslavia. In fact, Kruno told us that Serbia had little interest in retaining Slovenia when it declared its independence in 1991. After ten days of fighting, the conflict ended.
The style of the buildings, which seemed to be in good condition, was a blend of the old and the new. Many were built or remodeled in the late 19th century or early 20th century, following an earthquake that struck the city in 1895. Our hotel was on the edge of the historic center of the city, which is a large pedestrian-only zone. Certain details reminded me of the Art Nouveau style popular around the turn of the 20th century. My room was quite spacious and it had a large balcony with a view of Ljubljana’s hilltop castle.
Right across the street was a building with a most unusual looking façade. The brightly colored building dates back to 1921. Originally the headquarters of a large bank, it was designed by the architect Ivan Vurnik and is known today as the Vurnik House. The Art Nouveau-influenced design an example of Slovenian “national style” architecture. The red, white, and blue of the geometric design elements are a reference to the colors of the Slovenian flag.
It was a very short walk from our hotel to the main plaza of the historic center. It’s called Prešeren Square in English but it’s actually a circular plaza.
We met our local guide, Tatiana, in the plaza, at the foot of the towering (11 feet high) bronze statue of France Prešeren, Slovenia’s 19th century national poet. The figure above the poet is a muse holding a laurel branch.
Kruno had given us some background information about Slovenia while we were on the bus and Tatiana added to that before we set out on a walk around the heart of the Ljubljana’s historic center. Around 2000 years ago, the Romans established a military outpost where the city is located. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE, the region was somewhat isolated. Slavs settled in the area around the 6thcentury CE. Around 800 CE, Ljubljana and the surrounding area, which was known as Carniola, became part of the Holy Roman Empire. The Duchy of Carniola came under the control of the Hapsburg monarchs in the 15th century. Although the native language of the people in the region was a Slavic language, the official language of the Hapsburg Empire was German.
In 1918, after World War 1, the territory occupied by Carniola became part of the newly formed State (later, Kingdom) of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs, also known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. In 1946, Yugoslavia became the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. From 1946 to 1991, when Slovenia declared its independence, the country was the wealthiest member of the federation. Tatiana reiterated Kruno’s comment that Slovenia did not have to fight a protracted and costly war for its independence.
Located on the Ljubljanica River, Ljubljana is a city of bridges. From Prešeren Square, we walked directly over the three-part pedestrian bridge called Triple Bridge.
We continued our leisurely walk along the riverbank, passing by Plečnik’s Market Colonnade, a long, low riverside building of market halls that was built in the early 1940s. It’s now occupied by restaurants, cafés, and bars. It was designed by Jože Plečnik, Slovenia’s most famous architect. In the area where butchers formerly had their stalls there’s a footbridge called the Butchers’ Bridge. It’s popularly known as the Lovers’ Bridge because couples have attached padlocks and dropped the keys into the river to symbolize their eternal love.
We soon came to the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Nicholas. The first church on this site was built in the 13thcentury. The current building dates back to the early 1700s. We stopped to look at one of the cathedral’s bronze sculpted doors. The doors were created in 1996 in commemorate 1250 years of Christianity in Slovenia and the visit of Pope John Paul II. This particular door portrays important events from Slovenia’s history.
As we walked along, Tatiana told us about the special features of her hometown. From what she told us, Ljubljana sounds almost too good to be true. In addition to its charming Art Nouveau architecture, Ljubljana is just the right size, neither too big nor too small. It’s clean, it’s green, and it’s safe. Everyone obeys the traffic laws, including pedestrians, i.e. they don’t jaywalk. She raved about the quality of life, calling it the perfect balance between the work ethic of the north and the leisure ethic of the south. Everyone is into healthy exercise. Outdoor sports, such as cycling, rock climbing, and hiking, are all very popular. From Ljubljana, it’s only an hour to the beaches on the Adriatic coast and half an hour to the Julian Alps (named for Julius Caesar) for skiing.
Slovenia has been a member of the European Union and NATO for over twenty years. In addition, eco-consciousness has been a part of Slovenian culture for many years, long before it became trendy worldwide. While it’s true that income tax is high (around 40%), education and healthcare are free. Family friendly policies include generous time off when a woman has a baby (a full year off from her job at 80% pay). Fathers get two months off.
There are plenty of coffee shops in Ljubljana, but Starbucks isn’t allowed. Tatiana claimed that people here always have time (and money) for coffee. And I didn’t see a single McDonald’s, Burger King, or other fast food restaurant. Based on her description of the city, I was almost ready to move to Ljubljana.
When Tatiana paused outside a well-known restaurant specializing in Slovenian cuisine, the large sculpted eagle caught my attention. It’s a golden eagle, a huge bird of prey that lives in the remote mountainous areas of the country.
Ljubljana’s Town Hall is located near the cathedral. Inside the building, Tatiana pointed out decorative elements associated with Slovene history. The leaf of the linden tree is a national symbol. The eagle was part of the coat of arms of Carniola while the double headed eagle was a symbol of the Hapsburg monarchs. The dragon is a symbol of Ljubljana – more on that later. You can even see the dragon on the manhole covers set in the cobblestones.
I continued walking with fellow traveler Carol when our whirlwind tour ended. The city glowed in the late afternoon sunshine.
Eventually, we stopped with for a light dinner at a restaurant in the market colonnade that served traditional Slovene štruklji. These are rolled dumplings with various kinds of fillings which are steamed, baked, or boiled. The type I chose was filled with vegetables and cheese.
That left me with enough room for gelato from one of Ljubljana’s many gelato stands. Having to choose a flavor was difficult because there were so many delicious-sounding options, some familiar and others intriguingly different: walnut-fig, muffin, Sacher torte, coconut-mango. I finally settled on deep dark chocolate studded with fresh raspberries. It was a deliciously decadent way to end my first day in Ljubljana.
Right after breakfast the next morning, our group headed to nearby Lake Bled, located about 33 miles northwest of the city, towards the border with Austria. Along the way, I gazed out at the morning sun illuminating the snow-covered peaks of the Julian Alps (named after Julius Caesar).
Lake Bled is a popular day trip destination for residents of Ljubljana, especially on weekends. Since it was a Sunday and the weather was clear and sunny, we were prepared to encounter crowds once we left the city. Our bus dropped us off on the shore of the lake where we boarded a small boat for a tour of the lake. The flat-bottomed boat, called a pletna, is the traditional type of vessel made in the area. Only locals are allowed to row them.
Lake Bled is one of those picture-perfect places that almost doesn’t seem real.
Our boat pulled up to a tiny islet in the middle of the lake where we disembarked and climbed up a Baroque stairway with 99 stone steps to a small church called the Church of the Mother of God on the Lake.
The church was built in the late 17th century although there has been a church on this site since the 9thcentury. An interesting piece of information that I learned when I was doing some research is that prior to the arrival of Christianity, the island was home to a pagan temple honoring Ziva, the Slavic goddess of love and fertility.
The Rococo interior of the church features an altar with gold-plated carving. The face of the Virgin Mary is supposedly the face of the Hapsburg Empress Maria Teresa.
In the café on the island, I tried a traditional Slovenian pastry called potica. It’s baked in a fluted ceramic pan and is typically served during Christmas time. Potica, which is rather dry, is actually more like a rolled bread than a cake. It usually has a walnut and raisin filling although other types of nuts and/or dried fruit are sometimes used. In the interests of research, I tried all three versions that were available in the café. My favorite was the one with a fig and hazelnut filling.
When we left the island, clouds were starting to roll in. Our next stop was Bled Castle, perched high on a rocky cliff overlooking the lake. The history of the castle goes back over 1000 years, making it Slovenia’s oldest castle.
From the castle’s Upper Terrace, we had a panoramic view of the lake and the tiny island we had just visited. Isn’t the color of the water breathtaking?
At the castle’s café on the Upper Terrace, Kruno offered us a taste of another Slovenian specialty, the famous Blejska kremna rezina, a 4-layer cream cake that was created by the chef at the Bled’s Park Hotel in 1953. The cake is built from layers of buttery puff pastry, rich vanilla custard, whipped cream, more puff pastry, and then a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Yes, it’s high in calories, but don’t let that stop you if you ever have a chance to try it.
From an exhibit in the castle’s museum, I learned a lot about the history of the entire Carniola region, where Bled is located. For example, the Protestant Reformation came to Carniola in the mid-16th century. However, by the end of the 16th century, the Counter Reformation had gained power and the area became Catholic once again. Also in the museum, I enjoyed seeing the small collection of historical costumes, which included simple men’s attire from the 14th century and a highly embellished gown from 1598.
The Castle Printing Works featured a fully functional replica of Gutenberg’s printing press.
After visiting the castle, we drove a short distance to the town of Radovljica, where we had multi-course lunch and then wandered through the historic area. Radovljica was an important market town during the Middle Ages. Many of the buildings in the Old Town are well-preserved houses from the 16th to 18thcenturies.
From the Old Town, there were beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
Behind the simple façade of Radovljica’s Saint Peter’s Church, I discovered a lavishly decorated interior. A church has stood on this site for over 1000 years. The current church dates back to the year 1500. The exterior was restored to its original Gothic style in the late 19th century.
For many years, Radovljica has been known for bee-keeping and honey. For this reason, it’s been dubbed the Sweetest Town in Slovenia. Nowadays, it’s also known for its chocolate. Of course, I couldn’t leave town before sampling a few pieces.
Just as we were about to depart from Radovljica, Kruno saw a young accordion player and arranged for an impromptu performance of traditional Slovenian music.
It was dinnertime when we arrived back in Ljubljana. Fellow traveler Carol and I headed to Pop’s Pizza, which had been recommended by Kruno, and ordered a pizza topped with lots of fresh vegetables.
There was still an hour or so of daylight left after we finished eating. Rather than heading directly back to the hotel, we strolled through the pedestrian zone once again.
When we reached the cathedral, we stopped to examine the sculptures and painting on the façade. That’s when I noticed the sundial on the side of the building.
We walked along the river as far as the Dragon Bridge, a reinforced concrete bridge built in 1900. The dragon is the symbol of Ljubljana and it appeared on the city’s medieval coat of arms. I had seen dragon motifs on all kinds of souvenir items. The reason goes back to an ancient Greek legend. According to the story, after Greek hero Jason stole the golden fleece, he and the crew of his ship, the Argo, escaped by sailing across the Black Sea, then up the Danube and Sava Rivers until they reached the Ljubljanica River. They were on their way to the Adriatic coast when they came across a dragon guarding a lake in the marshes near the source of the Ljubljanica River. Jason fought, defeated, and killed the dragon. Originally, the dragon was portrayed as a monster, but it eventually came to be seen as a protector of the city, embodying the qualities of power, courage, and wisdom.
After a long and interesting day, I went to sleep that night realizing that I had only one more day to enjoy Ljubljana. The next morning, Anita joined me for an early morning walk to Prešeren Square to capture the special quality of light when the sun was still low in the sky.
From the plaza, we walked towards the site of the open-air market, where vendors were just setting up.
Around the perimeter of the market area, we discovered vending machines that stock basic groceries, such as milk and eggs.
When we finished our walk, it was time to meet up with the group for an hour-long boat ride on the Ljubljanica River. I loved seeing the city from this new perspective.
Afterwards, Kruno pointed me in the direction of Ljubljana’s former Jewish area. It encompasses just a few blocks, near the river and not far from Prešeren Square. There’s no reminder of the earlier Jewish presence here except for the name of one of the streets, Židovska ulica (Jewish Street). Today, many of the buildings are occupied by art galleries, high-end shops, and restaurants.
When I returned home, I did a little research about Slovenia’s Jewish history. As I suspected, Jews had lived in Slovenia as far back as ancient Roman times but the community was never large, despite the arrival in the 12th century of Jews from Italy and Central Europe who were fleeing poverty. This is when the Jewish community established itself on Židovska street in Ljubljana. Jews were expelled from most areas of Slovenia in the late 15th century. Although the Hapsburg emperor Charles VI allowed Jews to return to the empire in 1709, most Jews preferred to settle in the nearby city of Trieste, a major commercial port on the Adriatic. A census in 1910 reported that only 146 Jews lived in the territory of today’s Slovenia. Between the two World Wars, Jews fleeing Austria and Nazi Germany added to the Jewish population, but it remained quite small. In 1939, only 273 Jews lived in Ljubljana. Between 1941 and 1945, when the Nazis occupied the country, almost the entire Jewish community of Slovenia was sent to concentration camps where they were murdered. Today, there are only about 100 Jews in all of Slovenia.
I continued walking to get a second look at some of the city’s landmarks. First, in Kongresni Trg (how is “trg” a word?) or Congress Square, I admired one of the buildings of the University of Ljubljana.
Another noteworthy building facing the square is the Slovenian Philharmonic building, home of Ljubljana’s symphony orchestra.
When I got hungry, I stopped at the Sokol restaurant, which advertised itself as serving genuine Slovenian cuisine. Since I wasn’t in the mood for a meat-centric meal, I ordered a Caesar salad with chicken, which wasn’t especially Slovenian, but my dessert certainly was. I made sure to order the gibanica, a traditional layered pastry from the Prekmurje region in the northeastern part of the country. The layers contain poppy seeds, walnuts, apples, raisins, and quark (similar to cottage cheese). As you can probably guess from the “before” and “after” pictures, it was quite tasty.
Then, with next morning’s departure coming up, it was time to start packing and preparing myself mentally for my return home. I took one last look at the Vurnk House from inside the hotel.
Upon reflection, OAT did a wonderful job structuring the Crossroads of the Adriatic trip. Ljubljana turned out to be the perfect place to conclude an amazing three-week journey that started when I landed what seemed like ages earlier in Tirana, Albania. From Albania, I moved on to Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, learning so much along the way about the complex history of the Balkan region, the richness of its many cultures, and the extraordinary resilience of its people.
I’m so glad I was able to share this experience with a great group of fellow travelers from all around the U.S. and I’m so grateful to my wonderful tour leaders – Kruno, on the main trip (below), and Kledi, in Albania.
No comments:
Post a Comment