Ljubljana

Ljubljana(also known by otherhistorical names) is thecapitalandlargest cityofSlovenia,located along a trade route between the northernAdriatic Seaand theDanuberegion,north ofthe country's largest marsh, inhabited since prehistoric times. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center and the seat ofUrban Municipality of Ljubljana.
During antiquity, aRomancity calledEmonastood in the area.The city was first mentioned in the first half of the12th century. It was the historical capital ofCarniola,one of theSlovene-inhabited parts of theHabsburg monarchy.It was underHabsburgrule from the Middle Ages until the dissolution of theAustro-HungarianEmpire in 1918. AfterWorld War II, Ljubljana became the capital of theSocialist Republic of Slovenia, part of theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The city retained this status until Slovenia became independent in 1991 and Ljubljana became the capital of the newly formed state.
The exact origin of the nameLjubljanais unclear. Inmedieval times, both the river and the town were also calledLaibach(German:[ˈlaɪbax]) in German. This name was used within the region until 1918 and continues to be used in German. In Italian, the city is referred to asLubiana, and inLatin, it is known asLabacum.
The German name was first documented in 1144, and the Slovenian form appeared in records as early as 1146. The 10th-century work "Life of Gregentios" provides the Greek variant Λυπλιανές (Lyplianes) and situates it among theAvarsin the 6th century. This account is influenced by an earlier northern Italian source written shortly after theconquest of 774.
The connection between the Slovene and German names has posed a puzzle for scholars. In 2007, linguistTijmen Pronk, an authority in comparative Indo-European linguistics and Slovene dialectology from theUniversity of Leiden, provided strong support for the theory that the Slavicljub-'to love, like' was the most likely origin. He argued that the river's name likely stemmed from the settlement's name.Silvo Torkar, a linguist with expertise in Slovene names, put forth the idea that Ljubljana's name has its roots inLjubija, the original name of theLjubljanica River. This can be traced back to the Old Slavic male nameLjubovid, which translates to 'the one with a lovely appearance'. Torkar also asserted that the nameLaibachis a combination of German and Slovene, sharing its origins with the same personal name.
The city's symbol is theLjubljana Dragon. It is depicted on the top of the tower ofLjubljana Castlein the Ljubljana coat of arms and on the Ljubljanica-crossingDragon Bridge(Zmajski most).It represents power, courage, and greatness.
Several explanations describe the origin of the Ljubljana Dragon. According to aSlavicmyth, the slaying of a dragon releases the waters and ensures the fertility of the earth, and it is thought that the myth is tied to theLjubljana Marsh, the expansive marshy area that periodically threatens Ljubljana with flooding.According toGreek legend, theArgonautson their return home after having taken theGolden Fleecefound a large lake surrounded by a marsh between the present-day towns ofVrhnikaand Ljubljana. ThereJasonstruck down a monster. This monster evolved into thedragonthat today is present in the city coat of arms and flag.
It is historically more believable that the dragon was adopted fromSaint George, the patron of the Ljubljana Castle chapel built in the 15th century. In the legend of Saint George, the dragon represents the old ancestralpaganismovercome byChristianity. According to another explanation, related to the second, the dragon was at first only a decoration above the city coat of arms. In theBaroque, it became part of the coat of arms and, in the 19th and especially the 20th century, it outstripped the tower and other elements in importance.
Around 2000 BC, the Ljubljana Marsh was settled by people living inpile dwellings.Prehistoric pile dwellingsandthe oldest wooden wheel in the worldare among the most notable archeological findings from the marshland. These lake-dwelling people survived through hunting, fishing and primitive agriculture. To get around the marshes, they useddugout canoesmade by cutting out the inside of tree trunks. Their archaeological remains, nowadays in theMunicipality of Ig, have been designated aUNESCO World Heritage Sitesince June 2011, in thecommon nomination of six Alpine states.
Later, the area remained a transit point, for groups including theIllyrians, followed by a mixed nation of theCeltsand the Illyrians called theIapodes, and then in the 3rd century BC a Celtic tribe, theTaurisci.
Around 50 BC, theRomansbuilt a military encampment that later became a permanent settlement calledIulia Aemona.This entrenched fort was occupied by theLegio XV Apollinaris.In 452, it was destroyed by theHunsunderAttila's orders,and later by theOstrogothsand theLombards.Emona housed 5,000 to 6,000 inhabitants and played an important role during battles. Its plastered brick houses, painted in different colours, were connected to adrainage system.
In the 6th century, the ancestors of theSlovenesmoved in. In the 9th century, they fell underFrankishdomination, while experiencing frequentMagyarraids.Not much is known about the area during the settlement ofSlavsin the period between the downfall of Emona and the Early Middle Ages.
The parchment sheetNomina defunctorum("Names of the Dead"), most probably written in the second half of 1161, mentions the nobleman Rudolf of Tarcento, a lawyer of thePatriarchate of Aquileia, who had bestowed a canon with 20 farmsteads beside thecastle of Ljubljana(castrum Leibach) to the Patriarchate. According to the historianPeter Štih's deduction, this happened between 1112 and 1125, the earliest mention of Ljubljana.
The property changed hands repeatedly until the first half of the 12th century. The territory south of theSavawhere Ljubljana developed, gradually became property of the Carinthian Dukes of theHouse of Sponheim.Urban settlement started in the second half of the 12th century.At around 1200,market rightswere granted to Old Square (Stari trg),which at the time was one of Ljubljana's three original districts. The other two districts were an area called "Town" (Mesto), built around the predecessor of the present-dayLjubljana Cathedralat one side of theLjubljanicaRiver, and New Square (Novi trg) at the other side.TheFranciscan Bridge, a predecessor of the present-dayTriple Bridge, and theButchers' Bridgeconnected the walled areas with wooden buildings.Ljubljana acquired thetown privilegesat some time between 1220 and 1243.Seven fires erupted during the Middle Ages.Artisans organised themselves intoguilds. TheTeutonic Knights, theConventual Franciscans, and theFranciscanssettled there.In 1256, when the Carinthian dukeUlrich III of Spanheimbecame lord of Carniola, the provincial capital was moved fromKamnikto Ljubljana.
In the late 1270s, Ljubljana was conquered by KingOttokar II of Bohemia.In 1278, after Ottokar's defeat, it became—together with the rest ofCarniola—property ofRudolph of Habsburg.It was administered by theCounts of Goriziafrom 1279 until 1335,when it became the capital town of Carniola.RenamedLaibach, it was owned by theHouse of Habsburguntil 1797.In 1327, the Ljubljana's "Jewish Quarter"—now only "Jewish Street" (Židovska ulica) remains—was established with a synagogue, and lasted until EmperorMaximilian Iin 1515 and expelled the Jews from Ljubljana at the request of its citizens, for which he demanded a certain payment from the town.In 1382, in front ofSt. Bartholomew's ChurchinŠiška, at the time a nearby village, now part of Ljubljana, a peace treaty was signed between theRepublic of VeniceandLeopold IIIofHabsburg.
In the 15th century, Ljubljana became recognised for its art, particularly painting and sculpture. TheLatin CatholicArchdiocese of Ljubljanawas established in 1461 and theChurch of St. Nicholasbecame the diocesan cathedral.After the1511 Idrija earthquake,the city was rebuilt in theRenaissancestyle and a new wall was built around it.Wooden buildings were forbidden after a large fire at New Square in 1524.
In the 16th century, the population of Ljubljana numbered 5,000, 70% of whom spokeSloveneas theirfirst language, with most of the rest using German.The firstsecondary school, public library and printing house opened in Ljubljana. Ljubljana became an important educational centre.
From 1529, Ljubljana had an activeSlovene Protestant community. They were expelled in 1598, marking the beginning of theCounter-Reformation. Catholic BishopThomas Chrönordered the public burning of eight cartloads of Protestant books.
In 1597, theJesuitsarrived, followed in 1606 by theCapuchins, seeking toeradicate Protestantism. Only 5% of all the residents of Ljubljana at the time were Catholic, but eventually they re-Catholicized the town. The Jesuits staged the first theatre productions, fostered the development ofBaroque music, and established Catholic schools. In the middle and the second half of the 17th century, foreign architects built and renovated monasteries, churches, and palaces and introducedBaroque architecture. In 1702, theUrsulinessettled in the town, and the following year they opened the first public school for girls in theSlovene Lands. Some years later, the construction of theUrsuline Church of the Holy Trinitystarted.In 1779,St. Christopher's Cemeteryreplaced the cemetery atSt. Peter's Churchas Ljubljana's main cemetery.
From 1809 to 1813, during the "Napoleonicinterlude", Ljubljana (asLaybach) was the capital of theIllyrian Provinces.In 1813, the city returned to Austria and from 1815 to 1849 was the administrative centre of theKingdom of Illyriain the Austrian Empire.In 1821, it hosted theCongress of Laibach, which fixed European political borders for that period.The first train arrived in 1849 from Vienna and in 1857 the line extended toTrieste.
In 1895, Ljubljana, then a city of 31,000, suffereda severe earthquakewith amoment magnitudeof 6.1 and a maximumEMS intensityof VIII–IX ("heavily damaging – destructive").21 people died due to the earthquake and some 10% of the city's 1,400 buildings were destroyed.During the subsequent reconstruction, some districts were rebuilt in theVienna Secessionstyle.Publicelectric lightingarrived in 1898. The rebuilding period between 1896 and 1910 is referred to as the "revival of Ljubljana" because of architectural changes that defined the city and for reform of urban administration, health, education and tourism. The rebuilding and quick modernisation of the city were led by the mayorIvan Hribar.
In 1918, following the dissolution ofAustria-Hungary, the region joined theKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.In 1929, Ljubljana became the capital of theDrava Banovina, aYugoslavprovince.
In 1941, duringWorld War II,Fascist Italyoccupied the city, and then on 3 May 1941 madeLubianathe capital of Italy'sProvince of Ljubljanawith former Yugoslav generalLeon Rupnikas mayor. After the Italian capitulation,Nazi Germanywith SS-generalErwin RösenerandFriedrich Rainertook control in 1943,but formally the city remained the capital of an Italian province until 9 May 1945. In Ljubljana, the Axis forces established strongholds and command centres ofQuislingorganisations, theAnti-Communist Volunteer Militiaunder Italy and theHome Guardunder German control. Starting in February 1942,the city was surrounded by barbed wire, later fortified bybunkers, to prevent co-operation between theresistance movementsthat operated inside and outside the fence.Since 1985, thecommemorative trailhas ringed the city where this iron fence once stood.Postwar reprisals filledmass graves.
After World War II, Ljubljana became the capital of theSocialist Republic of Slovenia, part of theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It retained this status until Slovene independence in 1991.
Ljubljana is the capital of independentSlovenia, which joined theEuropean Unionin 2004.
The city covers 163.8 km(63.2 sq mi).It is situated in theLjubljana BasininCentral Slovenia, between theAlpsand theKarst. Ljubljana is located some 320 km (200 mi) south ofMunich, 477 km (296 mi) east ofZürich, 250 km (160 mi) east of Venice, 350 km (220 mi) southwest ofVienna, 124 km (77 mi) west ofZagreband 400 km (250 mi) southwest ofBudapest.Ljubljana has grown considerably since the 1970s, mainly by merging with nearby settlements.
The city stretches out on analluvialplain dating to theQuaternaryera. The mountainous regions nearby are older, dating from theMesozoic(Triassic) orPaleozoic.Earthquakes have repeatedly devastated Ljubljana, notably in1511and1895.
Ljubljana has an elevation of 295 m (968 ft).Thecity centre, located along the river, sits at 298 m (978 ft).Ljubljana Castle, which sits atop Castle Hill (Grajski grič) south of the city centre, has an elevation of 366 m (1,201 ft). The highest point of the city, calledGrmada, reaches 676 m (2,218 ft), 3 m (9.8 ft) more than the nearbyMount Saint Mary(Šmarna gora) peak, a popular hiking destination.These are located in the northern part of the city.
The main watercourses in Ljubljana are theLjubljanica, theSava, theGradaščica, theMali Graben, theIškaand the Iščica rivers. From theTrnovo Districtto theMoste District, around Castle Hill, the Ljubljanica partly flows through theGruber Canal, built according to plans byGabriel Gruberfrom 1772 until 1780. Next to the eastern border, the rivers Ljubljanica, Sava, andKamnik Bistricaflow together.The confluence is the lowest point of Ljubljana, with an elevation of 261 m (856 ft).
Through its history, Ljubljana has been struck by floods.The latestwas in August 2023, when theSavaand Gradaščica rivers flooded in their upper reaches.Southern and western parts of the city are more flood-endangered than northern parts.The Gruber Canal has partly diminished the danger of floods in theLjubljana Marsh, the largest marsh in Slovenia, south of the city.
The two major ponds in Ljubljana areKoseze Pondin the Šiška District andTivoli Pondin the southern part ofTivoli City Park.Koseze Pond has rare plant and animal species and is a place of meeting and recreation.Tivoli Pond is a shallow pond with a small volume that was originally used for boating and ice skating, but is now used for fishing.
Ljubljana's climate isoceanic(Köppen climate classification: Cfb), bordering on ahumid subtropical climate(Köppen climate classification: Cfa), withcontinentalcharacteristics such as warm summers and moderately cold winters.July and August are the warmest months with daily high temperatures generally between 25 and 30 °C (77 and 86 °F), and January is the coldest month with temperatures mostly around 0 °C (32 °F). The city experiences up to 90 days of frost per year, and 11 days with temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) (often even more). Precipitation is relatively evenly distributed throughout the seasons, although winter and spring tend to be somewhat drier than summer and autumn. Yearly precipitation is about 1,400 mm (55 in), making Ljubljana one of the wettest European capitals. Thunderstorms are common from May to September and can occasionally be heavy. Snow is common from December to February; on average, snow cover is recorded for 48 days a year. The city is known for its fog, appearing on average on 64 days per year, mostly in autumn and winter, and can be particularly persistent in conditions oftemperature inversion.
The city's architecture is a mix of styles. Large buildings have appeared around the city's edges, while Ljubljana's historic centre remains intact. Some of the oldest architecture dates to the Roman period, while Ljubljana's downtown got its outline in the Middle Ages.After the1511 earthquake, it was rebuilt in theBaroque stylefollowing Italian, particularly Venetian, models.
After the earthquake in 1895, it was again rebuilt, this time in theVienna Secessionstyle, which is juxtaposed against the earlier Baroque style buildings that remain. Large sectors built in the inter-war period often include a personal touch by the architectsJože PlečnikandIvan Vurnik.In the second half of the 20th century, parts of Ljubljana were redesigned byEdvard Ravnikar.
The central square in Ljubljana isPrešeren Square(Prešernov trg) home to theFranciscan Church of the Annunciation(Frančiškanska cerkev). Built between 1646 and 1660 (the bell towers followed), it replaced an older Gothic church. It offers an early-Baroque basilica with one nave and two rows of lateral chapels. The Baroque main altar was executed by sculptor ItalianFrancesco Robba. Much of the original frescos were ruined by ceiling cracks caused by theLjubljana earthquake in 1895. The new frescos were painted by the SloveneimpressionistpainterMatej Sternen.
Ljubljana Castle(Ljubljanski grad) is a medieval castle withRomanesque,Gothic, andRenaissancearchitectural elements, located on the summit of Castle Hill, which dominates the city centre.The area surrounding the castle has been continuously inhabited since 1200 BC.The castle was built in the 12th century and was a residence of theMargraves, later theDukes of Carniola.Its Viewing Tower dates to 1848; it was manned by a guard whose duty it was to fire cannons announcing fire or important visitors or events, a function the castle still holds.Cultural events and weddings also take place there.In 2006, afunicularlinked the city centre to the castle.
Town Hall(Mestna hiša,Magistrat), located atTown Square, is the seat ofcity government. The original, Gothic building was completed in 1484.Between 1717 and 1719,the building underwent a Baroque renovation with a Venetian inspiration by architect Gregor Maček Sr.Near Town Hall, atTown Square, stands a replica of the BaroqueRobba Fountain. The original was moved into theNational Galleryin 2006. The fountain is decorated with an obelisk; at the foot are three figures in white marble symbolising the three chief rivers of Carniola. It is work of Francesco Robba, who designed other Baroque statues there.
Ljubljana Cathedral(ljubljanska stolnica), or St. Nicholas's Cathedral (stolnica sv. Nikolaja), serves theArchdiocese of Ljubljana. Easily identifiable due to its green dome and twin towers, it is located at Cyril and Methodius Square (Ciril-Metodov trg, named forSaints Cyril and Methodius).The Diocese was set up in 1461.Between 1701 and 1706, Jesuit architectAndrea Pozzodesigned the Baroque church with two side chapels shaped in the form of aLatin cross.The dome was built in the centre in 1841.The interior is decorated with Baroque frescos painted byGiulio Quagliobetween 1703–1706 and 1721–1723.
Nebotičnik(pronounced[nɛbɔtiːtʃniːk], "Skyscraper") is a thirteen-story building that rises to a height of 70.35 m (231 ft). It combines elements ofNeoclassicalandArt-Decoarchitecture. Predominantly a place of business, Nebotičnik is home to shops on the ground floor and first story, and offices are located on floors two to five. The sixth to ninth floors are private residences. The top three floors host a café, bar and observation deck.It was designed by Slovenian architectVladimir Šubic. The building opened on 21 February 1933.It was once the tallest residential building in Europe.
Tivoli City Park(Mestni park Tivoli) is the largest park.It was designed in 1813 by French engineer Jean Blanchard and now covers approximately 5 km(1.9 sq mi).The park was laid out during theFrench imperialadministration of Ljubljana in 1813 and named after theParisianJardins de Tivoli.Between 1921 and 1939, it was renovated bySlovenearchitectJože Plečnik, who unveiled his statue of Napoleon in 1929 in Republic Square and designed a broad central promenade, called theJakopič Promenade(Jakopičevo sprehajališče) after the leading SloveneimpressionistpainterRihard Jakopič.Within the park, there are trees, flower gardens, several statues, and fountains.Several notable buildings stand in the park, among themTivoli Castle, theNational Museum of Contemporary Historyand theTivoli Sports Hall.
Tivoli–Rožnik Hill–Šiška Hill Landscape Parkis located in the western part of the city.
TheLjubljana Botanical Garden(Ljubljanski botanični vrt) covers 2.40 ha (5.9 acres) next to the junction of theGruber Canaland the Ljubljanica, south of the Old Town. It is the central Slovenianbotanical gardenand the oldest cultural, scientific, and educational organisation in the country. It started operating under the leadership ofFranc Hladnikin 1810. Of over 4,500 plantspeciesandsubspecies, roughly a third isendemicto Slovenia, whereas the rest originate from other European places and other continents. The institution is a member of the international networkBotanic Gardens Conservation Internationaland cooperates with more than 270 botanical gardens all across the world.
In 2014, Ljubljana won theEuropean Green Capital Awardfor 2016 for their environmental achievements.
Ljubljana's best-known bridges, listed from northern to southern ones, include theDragon Bridge(Zmajski most), theButchers' Bridge(Mesarski most), theTriple Bridge(Tromostovje), theFish Footbridge(Slovene:Ribja brv), theCobblers' Bridge(Slovene:Šuštarski most), theHradecky Bridge(Slovene:Hradeckega most), and theTrnovo Bridge(Trnovski most). The last mentioned crosses theGradaščica, whereas all other bridges cross theLjubljanica River.
The 1901Dragon Bridge, decorated with dragon statueson pedestals at four corners of the bridgehas become a symbol of the cityand is regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of a bridge made inVienna Secessionstyle.It has a span of 33.34 m (109 ft 5 in)and its arch was at the time the third largest in Europe.It is protected as a technical monument.
Decorated with mythological bronze sculptures, created byJakov Brdar, from Ancient Greek mythology and Biblical stories,the Butchers' Bridge connects theLjubljana Open Marketarea and the restaurants-filledPetkovšek Embankment(Petkovškovo nabrežje). It is also known as thelove padlocks-decorated bridge in Ljubljana.
TheTriple Bridgeis decorated with stonebalustersand stone lamps on all of the three bridges and leads to the terraces looking on the river and poplar trees. It occupies a central point on the east–west axis, connecting theTivoli City ParkwithRožnik Hill, on one side, and theLjubljana Castleon the other,and the north–south axis through the city, represented by the river. It was enlarged in order to prevent the historically single bridge from being abottleneckby adding two sidepedestrianbridges to the middle one.
The Fish Footbridge offers a view of the neighbouring Triple Bridge to the north and the Cobbler's Bridge to the South. It is a transparent glass-made bridge, illuminated at night by in-built LEDs.From 1991 to 2014 the bridge was a wooden one and decorated with flowers, while since its reconstruction in 2014, it is made of glass. It was planned already in 1895 byMax Fabianito build a bridge on the location, in 1913Alfred Kellerplanned a staircase, laterJože Plečnikincorporated both into his own plans which, however, were not realised.
The 1930 'Cobblers' Bridge' (Šuštarski, from GermanSchuster– Shoemaker) is anotherPlečnik's creation, connecting two major areas of medieval Ljubljana. It is decorated by two kinds of pillars, theCorinthian pillarswhich delineate the shape of the bridge itself and theIonic pillarsas lamp-bearers.
The Trnovo Bridge is the most prominent object of Plečnik's renovation of the banks of the Gradaščica. It is located in the front of theTrnovo Churchto the south of the city centre. It connects the neighbourhoods ofKrakovoandTrnovo, the oldest Ljubljana suburbs, known for their market gardens and cultural events.It was built between 1929 and 1932. It is distinguished by its width and two rows ofbirchesthat it bears, because it was meant to serve as a public space in front of the church. Each corner of the bridge is capped with a small pyramid, a signature motif of Plečnik's, whereas the mid-span features a pair ofArt-Decomale sculptures. There is also a statue ofSaint John the Baptiston the bridge, the patron of the Trnovo Church. It was designed byNikolaj Pirnat.
TheHradecky Bridgeis one of the firsthinged bridgesin the world,the firstand the only preservedcast ironbridge in Slovenia,and one of its most highly valued technical achievements.It has been situated on an extension ofHren Street(Hrenova ulica), between theKrakovo Embankment(Krakovski nasip) and theGruden Embankment(Grudnovo nabrežje), connecting theTrnovo Districtand thePruleneighbourhood in theCenter District.The Hradecky Bridge was manufactured according to the plans of the senior engineerJohann Hermannfrom Vienna in theAuersperg iron foundryinDvor near Žužemberk,and installed in Ljubljana in 1867, at the location of today'sCobblers' Bridge.
Having already existed in the 18th century, Ljubljana's central square,Prešeren Square's modern appearance has developed since the end of the 19th century. After the 1895 earthquake,Max Fabianidesigned the square as the hub of four streets and four banks, and in the 1980sEdvard Ravnikarproposed the circular design and the granite block pavement.A statue of the Slovenenational poetFrance Prešerenwith amusestands in the middle of the square. ThePrešeren Monumentwas created byIvan Zajecin 1905, whereas the pedestal was designed by Max Fabiani. The square and surroundings have been closed to traffic since 1 September 2007.Only a tourist train leaves Prešeren Square every day, transporting tourists toLjubljana Castle.
Republic Square, originally named Revolution Square, is the largest square in Ljubljana.It was designed in the second half of the 20th century by Edvard Ravnikar.On 26 June 1991, the independence of Slovenia was declared here.TheNational Assembly Buildingstands at its northern side, andCankar Hall, the largest Slovenian cultural and congress centre, at the southern side.At its eastern side stands the two-storey building ofMaximarket, also the work of Ravnikar. It houses one of the oldest department stores in Ljubljana and a cafe, which is a popular meeting place and a place for political talks and negotiations.
Congress Square(Kongresni trg) is one of the important centres of the city. It was built in 1821 for ceremonial purposes such asCongress of Ljubljanaafter which it was named. Since then it has been a centre for political ceremonies, demonstrations, and protests, such as the ceremony for the creation of theKingdom of Yugoslavia, ceremony of the liberation ofBelgrade, and protests againstYugoslav authorityin 1988. The square also houses several important buildings, such as theUniversity of Ljubljana Palace,Philharmonic Hall,Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity, and theSlovene Society Building. Star Park (Park Zvezda) is located in the centre of the square. In 2010 and 2011, the square was renovated and is now mostly closed to road traffic on ground area, however, there are five floors for commercial purposes and a parking lot located underground.
Čop Street(Čopova ulica) is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Ljubljana. The street is named afterMatija Čop, an early 19th-century literary figure and close friend of the SloveneRomantic poetFrance Prešeren. It leads from theMain Post Office(Glavna pošta) atSlovene Street(Slovenska cesta) downward to Prešeren Square and is lined with bars and stores, including the oldestMcDonald's restaurantin Slovenia. It is a pedestrian zone and regarded as the capital's centralpromenade.
The Ljubljana accent and/or dialect (Slovene:ljubljanščina[luːblɑːŋʃnɑː]) is considered a border dialect, since Ljubljana is situated where theUpperdialect andLower Carniolan dialect groupmeet. Historically,the Ljubljana dialect in the past displayed features more similar with the Lower Carniolan dialect group, but it gradually grew closer to the Upper dialect group, as a direct consequence of mass migration from Upper Carniola into Ljubljana in the 19th and 20th century. Ljubljana as a city grew mostly to the north, and gradually incorporated many villages that were historically part ofUpper Carniolaand so its dialect shifted away and closer to theUpperdialects. The Ljubljana dialect has also been used as a literary means in novels, such as in the novelNekdo drugbyBranko Gradišnik,or in poems, such asPika Nogavička(Slovene forPippi Longstocking) byAndrej Rozman - Roza.
The central position of Ljubljana and its dialect had crucial impacton the development of the Slovenian language. It was the speech of 16th century Ljubljana thatPrimož Trubara SlovenianProtestant Reformertook as a foundation of what later became standardSlovenian language, with a small addition of his native speech, theLower Carniolan dialect.While in Ljubljana, he lived in a house, on today's Ribji trg, in the oldest part of the city. Living in Ljubljana had a profound impact on his work; he considered Ljubljana the capital of allSlovenes, not only because of its central position in the heart of theSlovene lands, but also because it always had an essentially Slovene character. Most of its inhabitants spoke Slovene as their mother tongue, unlike other cites in today'sSlovenia. It is estimated that in Trubar's time around 70% of Ljubljana's 4000 inhabitants attended mass in Slovene.Trubar considered Ljubljana's speech most suitable, since it sounded much more noble than his own simple dialect of his hometownRašica.Trubar's choice was later adopted also by other Protestant writers in the 16th century, and ultimately led to a formation of a more standard language.
Ljubljana appears in the 2005The Historian, written byElisabeth Kostova, and is called by its Roman name (Emona).
Ljubljana is also the setting ofPaulo Coelho's 1998 novelVeronika Decides to Die.
During 2010, Ljubljana was designated as theWorld Book CapitalbyUNESCO.
Each year, over 10,000 cultural events take place in the city, including ten international theatre, music, and art festivals.TheLjubljana Festivalis one of the two oldest festivals in former Yugoslavia (theDubrovnik Summer Festivalwas established in 1950, and the Ljubljana Festival one in 1953). Guests have includedDubravka Tomšič,Marjana Lipovšek,Tomaž Pandur,Katia Ricciarelli,Grace Bumbry,Yehudi Menuhin,Mstislav Rostropovich,José Carreras,Slide Hampton,Zubin Mehta,Vadim Repin,Valery Gergiev,Sir Andrew Davis,Danjulo Ishizaka,Midori (violinist),Yuri Bashmet,Ennio Morricone, andManhattan Transfer. Orchestras have included theNew York Philharmonic,Israel Philharmonic,Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestras of theBolshoi TheatrefromMoscow,La ScalafromMilan, andMariinsky TheatrefromSaint Petersburg. In recent years there have been 80 kinds of events and some 80,000 visitors from Slovenia and abroad.Other cultural venues includeKrižanke,Cankar Halland theExhibition and Convention Centre. During Book Week, starting each year onWorld Book Day, events and book sales take place atCongress Square. Aflea marketis held every Sunday in the old city.On the evening ofInternational Workers' Day, a celebration with abonfiretakes place onRožnik Hill.
Ljubljana has numerousart galleriesand museums. The first purpose-built art gallery in Ljubljana was theJakopič Pavilion, which was in the first half of the 20th century the central exhibition venue of Slovene artists. In the early 1960s, it was succeeded byLjubljana City Art Gallery, which has presented a number of modern Slovene and foreign artists. In 2010, there were 14 museums and 56 art galleries in Ljubljana.There is for example an architecture museum,a railway museum, a school museum, a sports museum, a museum of modern art, a museum of contemporary art, abrewery museum, theSlovenian Museum of Natural Historyand the Slovene Ethnographic Museum.TheNational Gallery(Narodna galerija), founded in 1918,and theMuseum of Modern Art(Moderna galerija) exhibit themost influential Slovenian artists. In 2006, the museums received 264,470 visitors, the galleries 403,890 and the theatres 396,440.TheMetelkova Museum of Contemporary Art(Muzej sodobne umetnosti Metelkova), opened in 2011,hosts simultaneous exhibitions, a research library, archives, and a bookshop. TheŠkuc Galleryis a contemporary art gallery that opened in 1978.
Cankar Hallis the largest Slovenian cultural and congress center with multiple halls and a large foyer in which art film festivals, artistic performances, book fairs, and other cultural events are held.
The cinema in Ljubljana appeared for the first time at the turn of the 20th century, and quickly gained popularity among the residents. After World War II, theCinema Company Ljubljana, later namedLjubljana Cinematographers, was established and managed a number of already functioning movie theatres in Ljubljana, including the only Yugoslav children's theatre. Cinema festivals took place in the 1960s, and acinemathequeopened its doors in 1963. With the advent of television, video, and recently the Internet, most cinema theatres in Ljubljana closed, and the cinema mainly moved toKolosej, amultiplexin theBTC City. It features twelve screens, including anIMAX 3Dscreen. The remaining theatres areKino Komuna,Kinodvor, where art movies are accompanied by events, and theSlovenian Cinematheque. TheSlovenian Cinemathequehosts the internationalLjubljana LGBT Film Festivalwhich showcasesLGBT-themed films. Founded in 1984, it is the oldest film festival of its sort in Europe (with oldest ex SFRY LGBT+ march inLjubljana Pride).
TheSlovenian Philharmonicsis the central music institution in Ljubljana and Slovenia. It holdsclassical musicconcerts of domestic and foreign performers as well as educates youth. It was established in 1701 as part ofAcademia operosorum Labacensisand is among the oldest such institutions in Europe. TheSlovene National Opera and Ballet Theatrealso resides in Ljubljana, presenting a wide variety of domestic and foreign, modern and classic, opera, ballet and concert works. It serves as the national opera and ballet house. Music festivals are held in Ljubljana, chiefly inEuropean classical musicand jazz, for instance theLjubljana Summer Festival(Ljubljanski poletni festival), andTrnfest.
In addition to the main houses, with theSNT Drama Ljubljanaas the most important among them, a number of small producers are active in Ljubljana, involved primarily inphysical theatre(e.g.Betontanc),street theatre(e.g.Ana Monró Theatre),theatresportschampionshipImpro League, andimprovisational theatre(e.g.IGLU Theatre). A popular form ispuppetry, mainly performed in theLjubljana Puppet Theatre. Theatre has a rich tradition in Ljubljana, starting with the 1867 first ever Slovene-language drama performance.
Themodern dancewas presented in Ljubljana for the first time at the end of the 19th century and developed rapidly since the end of the 1920s. Since the 1930s when in Ljubljana was founded aMary Wigmandance school, the first one for modern dance in Slovenia, the field has been intimately linked to the development in Europe and the United States.Ljubljana Dance Theatreis today the only venue in Ljubljana dedicated tocontemporary dance. Despite this, there's a vivid happening in the field.
Severalfolk dancegroups are active in Ljubljana.
In July 2015, the 56th Ljubljana Jazz Festival was held. A participant event in the European Jazz Network, the festival took place over four days and included 19 concerts with artists from 19 countries, including a celebration of the 75th birthday ofJames "Blood" Ulmer.
In the 1980s with the emergence ofsubculturesin Ljubljana, an alternative culture began to develop in Ljubljana organised around two student organisations.This caused an influx of young people to the city centre, caused political and social changes, and led to the establishment of alternative art centres.
A Ljubljana equivalent of Copenhagen'sFreetown Christiania, a self-proclaimed autonomousMetelkovaneighbourhood, was set up in a former Austro-Hungarian barracks that was built in 1882.
In 1993, the seven buildings and 12,500 square metres (135,000 sq ft) of space were turned into art galleries, artist studios, and seven nightclubs, including two LGBTQ+ venues, playing host to music from hardcore to jazz to dub to techno. Celica Hostel is adjacent to Metelkovawith rooms artistically decorated by Metelkova artists. A new part of the Museum of Modern Art is the nearby Museum of Contemporary Art.Another alternative culture centre is located in the formerRog factory. BothMetelkovaand theRog factorycomplex are near the city centre.
In 2023, the Rog factory underwent a complete renovation and rebranding, and it is now known as Center Rog. Center Rog has nineteen project studios and five residential apartments in addition to a new branch of the Ljubljana City Library (Rog Library), a large exhibition and event hall, a café, bistro, and restaurant, and several shops with local products.
Šiška Cultural Quarter hosts art groups and cultural organisations dedicated to contemporary and avant-garde arts.Kino Šiška Centre for Urban Cultureis there, a venue offering concerts of indie, punk, and rock bands as well as exhibitions take place. The Museum of Transitory Art (MoTA) is a museum without a permanent collection or a fixed space. Its programs are realised in temporary physical and virtual spaces dedicated to advancing the research, production and presentation of transitory, experimental, and live art forms. Yearly MoTA organises the Sonica Festival. Ljudmila (since 1994), which strives to connect research practices, technologies, science, and art.
Tension between German and Slovene residents dominated the development of sport in Ljubljana in the 19th century. The first sports club in Ljubljana was theSouth Sokol Gymnastic Club(Gimnastično društvo Južni Sokol), established in 1863 and succeeded in 1868 by theLjubljana Sokol(Ljubljanski Sokol). It was the parent club of allSlovene Sokol clubsas well as an encouragement for the establishment of theCroatian Sokol clubin Zagreb. Members were also active in culture and politics, striving for greater integration of the Slovenes from different Crown lands ofAustria-Hungaryand for their cultural, political, and economic independence.
In 1885, German residents established the first sports club in the territory of nowadays Slovenia,Der Laibacher Byciklistischer Club(Ljubljana Cycling Club). In 1887, Slovene cyclists established theSlovene Cyclists Club(Slovenski biciklistični klub). In 1893 followed the first SloveneAlpine club, namedSlovene Alpine Club(Slovensko planinsko društvo), later succeeded by theAlpine Association of Slovenia(Planinska zveza Slovenije). Several of its branches operate in Ljubljana, the largest of them being theLjubljana Matica Alpine Club(Planinsko društvo Ljubljana-Matica). In 1900, the sports clubLaibacher Sportverein(English:Ljubljana Sports Club) was established by the city's German residents and functioned until 1909. In 1906, Slovenes organised themselves in its Slovene counterpart, the Ljubljana Sports Club (Ljubljanski športni klub). Its members were primarily interested inrowing, but also swimming and football. In 1911, the first Slovenian football club,Ilirija, started operating in the city. Winter sports already started to develop in the area of the nowadays Ljubljana before World War II.In 1929, the firstice hockeyclub in Slovenia (then Yugoslavia),SK Ilirija, was established.
Nowadays, thecity's footballteams which play in theSlovenian PrvaLigaareNK Olimpija LjubljanaandNK Bravo.ND Ilirija 1911currently competes inSlovenian Second League. Ljubljana'sice hockeyclubs areHK SlavijaandHK Olimpija. They both compete in theSlovenian Hockey League. The basketball teams areKD Slovan,KD IlirijaandKK Cedevita Olimpija. The latter, which has a green dragon as its mascot, hosts its matches at the 12,480-seatArena Stožice.Ježicais women's basketball that competes inSlovenian League. TheLjubljana Silverhawksrepresented the city in American football. Handball is popular in the female section.RK Krimis one of the best women's handball teams in Europe. They won theEHF Champions Leaguetwice, in 2001 and 2003.RD Slovanis male handball club from Ljubljana that currently competes inSlovenian First League.AMTK Ljubljanais the most successfulspeedwayclub in Slovenia. The Ljubljana Sports Club has been succeeded by theLivada Canoe and Kayak Club.
Each year since 1957, on 8–10 May, the recreationalWalk Along the Wirehas taken place to mark the liberation of Ljubljana on 9 May 1945.At the same occasion, a triples competition is run on the trail, and a few days later, a student-run from Prešeren Square to Ljubljana Castle is held. The last Sunday in October, theLjubljana Marathonand a few minor competition runs take place on the city streets. The event attracts several thousand runners each year.
TheStožice Stadium, opened in August 2010 and located inStožice Sports Parkin theBežigrad District, is the biggest football stadium in the country and the home of the NK Olimpija Ljubljana. It is one of the two main venues of theSlovenia national football team. The park also has an indoor arena, used for indoor sports such as basketball,handballandvolleyballand is the home venue ofKK Olimpija,RK KrimandACH Volley Bledamong others. Besides football, the stadium is designed to host cultural events as well. Another stadium in the Bežigrad district,Bežigrad Stadium, is closed since 2008 and is deteriorating. It was built according to the plans ofJože Plečnikand was the home of theNK Olimpija Ljubljana, dissolved in 2004.Joc Pečečnik, a Slovenian multimillionaire, plans to renovate it.
Šiška Sports Parkis located inSpodnja Šiška, part of theŠiška District. It has a football stadium with five courts, an athletic hall, outdoor athletic areas, tennis courts, aBoulescourt, and asand volleyballcourt. The majority of competitions are inathletics. Another sports park in Spodnja Šiška isIlirija Sports Park, known primarily for its stadium with a speedway track. At the northern end of Tivoli Park stands theIlirija Swimming Pool Complex, which was built as part of a swimming and athletics venue following plans by Bloudek in the 1930s and has been nearly abandoned since then, but there are plans to renovate it.
A number of sport venues are located in Tivoli Park. An outdoor swimming pool in Tivoli, constructed by Bloudek in 1929, was the firstOlympic-size swimming poolin Yugoslavia. TheTivoli Recreational Centrein Tivoli is Ljubljana's largest recreational centre and has three swimming pools, saunas, a Boules court, a health club, and other facilities.There are two skating rinks, a basketball court, a winter ice rink, and ten tennis courts in its outdoor area.TheTivoli Hallconsists of two halls. The smaller one accepts 4,050 spectators and is used for basketball matches. The larger one can accommodate 6,000 spectators and is primarily used for hockey, but also for basketball matches. The halls are also used for concerts and other cultural events. TheSlovenian Olympic Committeehas its office in the building.
TheTacen Whitewater Course, located on a course on the Sava, 8 km (5 mi) northwest of the city centre, hosts a major international canoe/kayak slalom competition almost every year, examples being theICF Canoe Slalom World Championshipsin1955,1991, and2010.
Since the 1940s,aski slopehas been in use inGunclje,in the northwestern part of the city.It is 600 m (2,000 ft) long and has two ski lifts, its maximum incline is 60° and the difference in height from the top to the bottom is 155 m (509 ft).Fiveski jumping hillsstand near the ski slope.Several Slovenian Olympic and World Cup medalists trained and competed there.In addition, the Arena Triglav complex of six jumping hills is located in theŠiška District.A ski jumping hill, built in 1954 to plans byStanko Bloudek, was located in Šiška nearVodnik Street(Vodnikova cesta) until 1976. International competitions for theKongsberg Cupwere held there, attended by thousands of spectators.The ice rinks in Ljubljana includeKoseze Pondand Tivoli Hall. In addition, in the 19th century and the early 20th century,Tivoli Pondand a marshy meadow inTrnovo, named Kern, were used for ice skating.
Industry is the most important employer, notably in thepharmaceuticals,petrochemicalsandfood processing.Other fields include banking, finance, transport, construction, skilled trades and services and tourism. The public sector provides jobs in education, culture,health careand local administration.
TheLjubljana Stock Exchange(Ljubljanska borza), purchased in 2008 by theVienna Stock Exchangeand later by theZagreb Stock Exchange, deals with large Slovenian companies. Some of these have their headquarters in the capital: for example, theretail chainMercator, theoil companyPetrol d.d.and the telecommunications concernTelekom Slovenije.Over 15,000 enterprises operate in the city, most of them in thetertiary sector.
Numerous companies and over 450 shops are located in theBTC City, the largest business, shopping, recreational, entertainment and cultural centre in Slovenia. It is visited each year by 21 million people.It occupies an area of 475,000 m(5,110,000 sq ft) in theMoste Districtin the eastern part of Ljubljana.
About 74% of Ljubljana households usedistrict heatingfrom theLjubljana Power Station.
The city of Ljubljana is governed by theCity Municipality of Ljubljana(Slovene:Mestna občina Ljubljana; MOL), which is led by the city council. The president of the city council is called the mayor. Members of the city council and the mayor are elected in the local election, held every four years. Among other roles, the city council drafts the municipal budget, and is assisted by various boards active in the fields of health, sports, finances, education,environmental protectionand tourism.The municipality is subdivided into 17 districts represented by district councils. They work with the municipality council to make known residents' suggestions and prepare activities in their territories.
Between 2002 and 2006,Danica Simšičwas mayor of the municipality.Since the municipal elections of 22 October 2006 until his confirmation as a deputy in theNational Assembly of Slovenianin December 2011,Zoran Janković, previously the managing director of theMercator retail chain, was the mayor of Ljubljana. In 2006, he won 62.99% of the popular vote.On 10 October 2010, Janković was re-elected for another four-year term with 64.79% of the vote. From 2006 until October 2010, the majority on the city council (theZoran Janković List) held 23 of 45 seats.On 10 October 2010, Janković's list won 25 out of 45 seats in the city council. From December 2011 onwards, when Janković's list won theearly parliamentary election, the deputy mayorAleš Čerinwas decided by him to lead the municipality. Čerin did not hold the post of mayor.After Janković had failed to be elected as the Prime Minister in theNational Assembly, he participated at the mayoral by-election on 25 March 2012 and was elected for the third time with 61% of the vote. He retook the leadership of the city council on 11 April 2012.
Public order in Ljubljana is enforced by theLjubljana Police Directorate(Policijska uprava Ljubljana).There are five areal police stations and four sectoral police stations in Ljubljana.Public order and municipal traffic regulations are also supervised by thecity traffic wardens(Mestno redarstvo).Ljubljana has a quiet and secure reputation.
Ljubljana has about 300,000 inhabitants as of 2024.
In 1869, Ljubljana had about 22,600 inhabitants,a figure that grew to almost 60,000 by 1931.
As of the 2022 census, Ljubljana had a population of 293,218 in the city proper.
At the 2002 census, 39% of Ljubljana inhabitants wereCatholic; 30% had no religion, an unknown religion or did not reply; 19% atheist; 6%Eastern Orthodox; 5%Muslim; and the remaining 0.7% Protestant or another religion.
Approximately 91% of the population speaks Slovene as their primary native language. The second most-spoken language isBosnian, withSerbo-Croatianbeing the third most-spoken language.
In Ljubljana today there are over 50 public elementary schools with over 20,000 pupils.This also includes aninternationalelementary school for foreign pupils. There are two private elementary schools: aWaldorfelementary school and aCatholicelementary school. In addition, there are several elementary music schools.
Historically the first school in Ljubljana belonged toTeutonic Knightsand was established in the 13th century. It originally accepted only boys; girls were accepted from the beginning of the 16th century.Parochial schoolsare attested in the 13th century, atSt. Peter's Churchand at Saint Nicholas's Church, the later Ljubljana Cathedral. Since 1291, there were also trade-oriented private schools in Ljubljana. At the beginning of the 17th century, there were six schools in Ljubljana and later three. A girls' school was established byPoor Clares, followed in 1703 by theUrsulines. Their school was for about 170 years the only public girls' school inCarniola. These schools were mainly private or established by the city.
In 1775, the Austrian EmpressMaria Theresaproclaimedelementary educationobligatory and Ljubljana got itsnormal school, intended as a learning place for teachers. In 1805, the first statemusic schoolwas established in Ljubljana. In the time ofIllyrian Provinces, "école primaire", a unified four-year elementary school program with a greater emphasis on Slovene, was introduced. The first public schools, unrelated to religious education, appeared in 1868.
In Ljubljana, there are ten public and three privategrammar schools. The public schools are divided into generalgymnasiumsandclassicalgymnasiums, the latter offering Latin and Greek as foreign languages. Some general schools offer internationally oriented European departments, and some offer sports departments, allowing students to more easily adjust their sport and school obligations. All state schools are free, but the number of students they can accept is limited. The private secondary schools include a Catholic grammar school and a Waldorf grammar school. There are also professional grammar schools in Ljubljana, offering economical, technical, or artistic subjects (visual arts, music). All grammar schools last four years and conclude with thematuraexam.
Historically, upon a proposal byPrimož Trubar, theCarniolan Estates' School(1563–1598) was established in 1563 in the period ofSlovene Reformation. Its teaching languages were mainlyLatinandGreek, but alsoGermanandSlovene, and it was open for both sexes and all social strata. In 1597,Jesuitsestablished theJesuit College(1597–1773), intended to transmit general education. In 1773, secondary education came under the control of the state. A number of reforms were implemented in the 19th century; there was more emphasis on general knowledge and religious education was removed from state secondary schools. In 1910, there were 29 secondary schools in Ljubljana, among them classical and real gymnasiums andRealschules(technical secondary schools).
In 2011, the University had 23 faculties and three academies, located around Ljubljana. They offer Slovene-language courses in medicine,applied sciences, arts, law, administration, natural sciences, and other subjects.The university has more than 63,000 students and some 4,000 teaching faculty.Students make up one-seventh of Ljubljana's population, giving the city a youthful character.
Historically, higher schools offering the study of general medicine, surgery, architecture, law and theology, started to operate in Ljubljana under theFrench annexation of Slovene territory, in 1810–1811. The Austro-Hungarian Empire never allowed Slovenes to establish their own university in Ljubljana, and theUniversity of Ljubljana, Slovenia's most important university, was founded in 1919 after Slovenes joined the first Yugoslavia.When it was founded, the university comprised five faculties: law, philosophy, technology, theology and medicine. From the beginning, the seat of the university has been atCongress Squarein a building that served as the State Mansion of Carniola from 1902 to 1918.
TheNational and University Library of Sloveniais the Slovenenationalanduniversity library. In 2011, it held about 1,307,000 books, 8,700 manuscripts, and numerous other textual, visual and multimedia resources, altogether 2,657,000 volumes.
The second largest university library in Ljubljana is theCentral Technological Library, the national library and information hub for natural sciences and technology.
The MunicipalCity Library of Ljubljana, established in 2008, is the central regional library and the largest Slovenian general public library. In 2011, it held 1,657,000 volumes, among these 1,432,000 books and a multitude of other resources in 36 branches.Altogether, there are 5 general public libraries and over 140 specialised libraries in Ljubljana.
Besides the two largest university libraries there are libraries at individual faculties, departments and institutes of theUniversity of Ljubljana. The largest among them are theCentral Humanist Libraryin the field ofhumanities, theCentral Social Sciences Library, theCentral Economic Libraryin the field ofeconomics, theCentral Medical Libraryin the field ofmedical sciences, and theLibraries of the Biotechnical Facultyin the field ofbiologyandbiotechnology.
The first libraries in Ljubljana were located inmonasteries. The first public library was theCarniolan Estates' Library, established in 1569 by Primož Trubar. In the 17th century, theJesuit Librarycollected numerous works, particularly about mathematics. In 1707, theSeminary Librarywas established; it is the first and oldest public scientific library in Slovenia. Around 1774, after the dissolution of the Jesuits, theLyceum Librarywas formed from the remains of the Jesuit Library as well as several monastery libraries.
The first society of the leading scientists and public workers in Carniola was theDismas Fraternity(Latin:Societas Unitorum), formed in Ljubljana in 1688.In 1693, theAcademia Operosorum Labacensiumwas founded and lasted with an interruption until the end of the 18th century. The next academy in Ljubljana, theSlovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, was not established until 1938.
Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport(ICAOcode LJLJ; IATA code LJU), located 26 km (16 mi) northwest of the city, has flights to numerous European destinations. Among the companies that fly from there areAir France,Air Serbia,Brussels Airlines,easyJet,Finnair,Lufthansa,Swiss,Wizz Air,TransaviaandTurkish Airlines. The destinations are mainly European.This airport has superseded theoriginal Ljubljana airport, in operation from 1933 until 1963.It was located in the Municipality of Polje (nowadays theMoste District), on a plain between Ljubljanica and Sava next to the railroad in Moste.There was a military airport in Šiška from 1918 until 1929.
In theLjubljana Rail Hub, thePan-European railway corridorsV(the fastest link between the North Adriatic, and Central and Eastern Europe)andX(linking Central Europe with the Balkans)and themainEuropean lines (E 65, E 69, E 70) intersect.All international transit trains in Slovenia drive through the Ljubljana hub, and all international passenger trains stop there.The area of Ljubljana has six passengerstationsand nine stops.For passengers, theSlovenian Railwayscompany offers the possibility to buy a daily or monthly city pass that can be used to travel between them.TheLjubljana railway stationis the central station of the hub. TheLjubljana Moste Railway Stationis the largest Slovenian railway dispatch. TheLjubljana Zalog Railway Stationis the central Slovenianrail yard.There are a number ofindustrial railsin Ljubljana.At the end of 2006,theLjubljana Castle funicularstarted to operate. The rail goes fromKrek Square(Krekov trg) near theLjubljana Central MarkettoLjubljana Castle. It is especially popular among tourists. The full trip lasts 60 seconds.
Ljubljana is located where Slovenia's two main freeways intersect,connecting the freeway route from east to west, in line withPan-European Corridor V, and the freeway in the north–south direction, in line withPan-European Corridor X.The city is linked to the southwest byA1-E70to the Italian cities ofTriesteandVeniceand the Croatian port ofRijeka.To the north,A1-E57leads toMaribor,GrazandVienna. To the east,A2-E70links it with the Croatian capitalZagreb, from where one can go toHungaryor important cities of the former Yugoslavia, such asBelgrade.To the northwest,A2-E61goes to the Austrian towns ofKlagenfurtandSalzburg, making it an important entry point fornorthern Europeantourists.Atoll stickersystem has been in use on theLjubljana Ring Roadsince 1 July 2008.The centre of the city is more difficult to access especially in the peak hours due to long arteries with traffic lights and a large number of daily commuters.The core city centre has been closed for motor traffic since September 2007 (except for residents with permissions), creating apedestrian zonearoundPrešeren Square.
The historicalLjubljana tram systemwas completed in 1901 and was replaced by buses in 1928,which were in turn abolished and replaced by trams in 1931with its final length of 18.5 km (11.5 mi) in 1940.In 1959, it was abolished in favor of automobiles;the tracks were dismantled and tram cars were transferred toOsijekandSubotica.Reintroduction of an actual tram system to Ljubljana has been proposed repeatedly in the 2000s.
There are numerous taxi companies in the city.
TheLjubljana Bus Station, the Ljubljana central bus hub, is located next to the Ljubljana railway station. The city bus network, run by theLjubljana Passenger Transport(LPP) company, is Ljubljana's most widely used means ofpublic transport. The fleet is relatively modern. The number of dedicated bus lanes is limited, which can cause problems in peak hours when traffic becomes congested.Bus rides may be paid with theUrbana payment card(also used for the funicular) or with amobile phone. Sometimes the buses are calledtrole(referring totrolley poles), harking back to the 1951–1971 days when Ljubljana hadtrolleybus(trolejbus) service.There were fivetrolleybus lines in Ljubljana, until 1958 alongside the tram.
Another means of public road transport in the city centre is the Cavalier (Kavalir), an electricshuttle busvehicle operated by LPP since May 2009. There are three such vehicles in Ljubljana. The ride is free and there are no stations because it can be stopped anywhere. It can carry up to five passengers; most of them are elderly people and tourists.The Cavalier drives in thecar-free zonein the Ljubljana downtown. The first line linksČop Street,Wolf Streetand theHribar Embankment, whereas the second linksTown Square,Upper Square, andOld Square.There is also atrackless train(tractor with wagons decorated to look like a train) for tourists in Ljubljana, linkingCyril and Methodius Squarein the city centre with Ljubljana Castle.
There is a considerable amount ofbicycletraffic in Ljubljana, especially in the warmer months of the year. It is also possible to rent a bike. Since May 2011, theBicikeLJ, a self-servicebicycle rentalsystem offers the residents and visitors of Ljubljana 600 bicycles and more than 600 parking spots at 60 stations in the wider city centre area. The daily number of rentals is around 2,500.There was an option to rent a bike even before the establishment of BicikeLJ.
There are still some conditions for cyclists in Ljubljana that have been criticised, including cycle lanes in poor condition and constructed in a way that motorised traffic is privileged. There are also many one-way streets which therefore cannot be used as alternate routes so it is difficult to legally travel by bicycle through the city centre.Through years, some prohibitions have been partially abolished by markingcycle laneson the pavement.Nevertheless, the situation has been steadily improving; in 2015, Ljubljana placed 13th in a ranking of the world's most bicycle-friendly cities.In 2016, Ljubljana was 8th on the Copenhagenize list.
The river transport on the Ljubljanica and the Sava was the main means of cargo transport to and from the city until the mid-19th century, when railroads were built. Today, the Ljubljanica is used by a number of tourist boats, with wharves under theButchers' Bridge, atFish Square, atCourt Square, atBreg, at thePoljane Embankment, and elsewhere.
Ljubljana has a rich history of discoveries in medicine and innovations in medical technology. The majority ofsecondaryandtertiary carein Slovenia takes place in Ljubljana. TheLjubljana University Medical Centreis the largest hospital centre in Slovenia. TheFaculty of Medicine(University of Ljubljana) and theLjubljana Institute of Oncologyare the other two central medical institutions in Slovenia. TheLjubljana Community Health Centreis the largesthealth centrein Slovenia. It has seven units at 11 locations. Since 1986, Ljubljana is part of theWHO European Healthy Cities Network.
Ljubljana istwinnedwith: