LJUBLJANA 425

National and

University

Library 9
Narodna in univerzitetna
knjižnica

Turjaška 1. Map E4. Tel (01) 200

1188. 
      

      8am–8pm Mon–Fri,

      
      

      9am–2pm Sat. 8 =

      
      

Set back from the west bank
of the Ljubljanica river on
the site of a former palace,
the National and University
Library is considered
to be the masterpiece
of Jože Plečnik,
the architect
responsible for
the appear ance of
modern Ljubljana.
Completed in 1940,
the landmark build ing
is typical of Plečnik’s
work, com bining the
straight lines popular in the
archi tecture of the period
with inspired decorative
details. The exterior is a

Plečnik House 0

Plečnikova hiša

Karunova 4. Map D5. Tel (01)

280 1600. # 10am–6pm

Tue–Thu, 9am–3pm Sat. & 8

http://www.aml.si

Present-day Ljubljana would

be unimaginable without the

work of Jože Plečnik, the

archi tect and town planner

responsible for the Triple

Bridge, Market Colonnade

(see pp420) and the

Ljubljanica riverbank area,

as well as the National and

University Library. Plečnik’s

work was in many ways a

precursor of Post- Modernism,

combining pure forms of

modern archi tectural style

with ornamental details

drawn from Egypt, Classical

Greece and Central

European folk art.

The house where Plečnik

lived from 1921 until his

death in 1957 exemplifies

his extra ordinary commitment

to the world of architecture.

With each room having its

own design scheme, the house

now serves as an intimate

and absorbing museum of

his work. Visitors can view

the sunny, cylindrical annexe

he built to serve as a work

space, filled with furniture

he designed him self. Most

of his original plans, photo-

graphs and models of his

major works are pre served

here. Most famous among

his unfinished projects is

the Slovene Acropolis, a

monu mental parliament

building originally intended

for Ljubljana’s Castle Hill.

is the Vače Situla, a 30-cm
(12-inch) high bronze bucket
from the 6th century BC that
once served as a ritual drink-
ing vessel. Its outer surface
has stunning frieze-like reliefs
depicting a parade of horse-
men, a drinking party and a
line of antelope-like animals
being stalked by a big cat.
The natural history collect ion
features an ancient mammoth
skeleton found near Kamnik
and a 200-million-year-old
fossilized fish skeleton discov-
ered near Triglav National Park
(see pp436–9) as well as a
large collection of minerals.

patchwork of different

hues, mixing grey hunks of

Slovene granite with terracotta-

coloured brickwork. Inside,

a dark stair way of polished

black limestone leads to the

brightly lit first floor reading

rooms, symbolizing the trans-

ition from ignorance to

knowledge. The exquisite

doorknobs, table lamps and

chandeliers were all designed

by Plečnik himself, fusing

Art Deco with folk-influenced

motifs to create a highly per-

sonalized style.

Immediately south of

the library is Križanke, a

medieval monastery

com plex reno vated by

Plečnik and turned into

an out door concert venue.

A major venue

for rock concerts

in summer, Križanke

also hosts several

classical music events

as part of the popular

Ljubljana Summer Festival

(see p444), held between July

and August every year.

Aerial view of the imposing National and University Library

Detail of library

door handle

Plečnik House, residence of Slovenia’s most influential architect