Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

423

Prešeren Square^4
Prešernov trg

Map E2 & 3.

Standing at the junction
between Ljubljana’s Old Town
and the 19th-century districts
on the west bank of the
Ljubljanica river, Prešeren
Square is the symbolic heart
of the city. It is named in
honour of France Prešeren,
the Roman tic poet whose
patriotic verses were central
to the develop ment of a
Slovene national conscious-
ness. Prešeren is commemo-
rated by a monu ment in the
centre of the square, portray-
ing the poet with a book in
hand, accom panied by a
muse. Opposite the statue is
the Franciscan Church, con-
tain ing a fine 18th-century
high altar by famous Italian
sculptor Francesco Robba.
Around the square are some
of the finest Art Nouveau struc -
tures in Ljubljana. On the

LJUBLJANA

Dragon sculpture,

Dragon’s Bridge, Market

from the Adriatic Sea. The
lower storey also has a
simple seafood snack bar
and an arcaded terrace
looking out on to the river.
Outside the colonnade
are stalls selling souvenirs,
herbs and speciality foods.
Just east of this area is the
main fruit and vegetable
section of the market, where
trestle tables fill the broad
expanse of Vodnikov Square.
Presiding over the south ern
end of the square is a statue
of Valentin Vodnik, the famous
priest and poet whose
works helped to shape the
modern Slovene language.
Marking the eastern end
of the market is the Dragon’s
Bridge (Zmajski
most), named after
the personable
bronze dragons – a
traditional symbol
of the city – adorn-
ing each of its four
corners. Built to mark
the 60th birth day of
Austrian Emperor
Franz Josef in
1901, the bridge
also features a
row of ornate Art
Nouveau lampposts.

northeastern corner, the

Centromerkur Building, top-

ped by a statue of Mercury,

the Roman god of commerce,

was built as a depart ment

store in 1903. On the

opposite side of the

square is the angu lar

Hauptman House,

deco rated with multi col-

oured tiles. Just behind

the house, the building

at Wolfova No. 4 fea-

tures a relief of

the 19th-cen tury

beauty Julija

Primic, peering

from a first-floor

win dow. Primic was the

object of France Prešeren’s

unre quited love and the

inspi ration behind many

of his poems.

A short walk north along

Miklošičeva cesta leads to the

most vivacious of Ljubljana’s

buildings, the Cooperative

Bank built by architect Ivan

Vurnik in 1922. Covered in

bright red, yellow and blue

chevrons, it is a unique

mix ture of Art Deco and

folk art influences.

Superb interior of Slovenia’s National Gallery

National Gallery^5

Narodna galerija

Prešernova 24. Map D2. Tel (01)

241 5418. # 10am–6pm Tue–Sun.

& 7 - = http://www.ng-slo.si

Slovenia’s national art

collection occupies an ele-

gant 19th-century building

with stucco ceilings and

ornate chandeliers. A modern

annexe was added in 2001.

At the junction of the two

build ings is a tall atrium

holding Francesco Robba’s

original Fountain of the Three

Rivers of Carniola, completed

in 1751, symbolizing the

meeting of the Sava, Krka

and Ljubljanica rivers. The

foun tain initially stood in the

Old Town, but was replaced

by a replica in 2006.

The gallery’s Slovene

collection is particularly rich

in Gothic statuary; high lights

include a 13th-century

Madonna on Solomon’s

Throne, carved by the little-

known Master of the Solčava

Maria. There is also an out-

standing collec tion of work

by Slovene Impressionists

such as Rihard Jakopič, Matija

Jama and Matej Sternen,

whose canvases exalt the

Slovene land scape and its

peasantry in the years before

World War I.

The European galleries

contain an impres sive cross-

section of Flemish still life

and genre paintings, a rich

collection of Baroque altar

pieces, and Max Reichlich’s

early 16th-century carving

Killenberg Triptych, in which

the Virgin Mary and St Anne

nurse the infant Jesus.

Statue of Romantic poet France

Prešeren, Prešeren Square