Ljubljana of the past
...and today

by tatjana radovič. march 2002

If one is to believe the legend, then the founder of Ljubljana was the Greek prince Jason, together with his companions, the Argonauts. According to the legend, Jason and the Argonauts, while fleeing with the golden fleece stolen from King Aites, sailed from the Black Sea up the Danube, then into the Sava and from there into the Ljubljanica. Around about here Jason encountered a terrible monster, which he fought and slew. This monster was the Ljubljana Dragon, which now has its permanent abode on top of the castle tower on the Ljubljana coat of arms.

Ljubljana's geographical position has governed its colourful past, as it is situated along the natural passage from Central Europe to the Mediterranean and towards to the East. The first known people to inhabit this region, whose name still remains to be discovered, were followed in the Late Bronze Age by the Illyrians, and around the 3^rd century B.C. the area was settled by Celts.

Somewhat greater proof of their existence in this area was left by the Romans, who settled here around 50 B.C. and built the city of Emona, situated in the south-east part of modern-day Ljubljana. At that time, the city had 5,000-6,000 inhabitants. Most of them made their living as merchants or tradesmen, while some were officials and retired soldiers.

Slovenia's Slavic ancestors migrated to this region at the end of the 6^th century and began building their settlement against the safe flank of the castle hill. Gradually, the settlement grew into a medieval town, which sprawled out beneath the hillside. The first written mention of Ljubljana dates back to the year 1144, when the city was referred to under the German name of Laibach. A phonetic transcription of the Slovene name for the city (Luwigana) appeared in a later manuscript. Those to whom the city has endeared itself argue the theory that the name can only stem from the word ˝ljubljena˝, which means ˝beloved˝.

The town’s historical rise began in the 13^th century, soon after it became the capital of the Province of Carniola. At that time, Ljubljana was comprised of three distinct sections: the Old Square, the Town Square and the New Square. The Old Square was the town’s centre of trade and crafts, the Town Square the seat of secular and Church authority, while the New Square belonged to the nobility.

In 1335, Ljubljana, together with the entire Province of Carniola, came under Hapsburg rule. With the exception of the period of Napoleon’s Illyrian Provinces, Ljubljana was to remain under direct rule of the Hapsburg dynasty until the end of the First World War. The city became an important centre of trade and crafts, as well as being the focal point of a range of cultural activities, with its sculptors’ workshops, artists’ ateliers and school of music. After an earthquake in 1511, the city began to take on a decidedly Renaissance appearance. This was the beginning of the Reformation (i.e. the Protestant period), during which the town of 5,000 inhabitants experienced great spiritual growth. It was also the time of Primož Trubar, who published the first Slovene books: a catechism and an alphabet, and of Jurij Dalmatin, who rendered the first translation of the Bible into Slovene.

From the very beginning, Ljubljana has lived under a strong Mediterranean influence. The city further expressed its alignment with Italian culture in the 17^th century, with the founding of the Academia Operosorum, an association of Ljubljana scholars based on the Italian model. Numerous foreign masters began coming to the land, hiring Slovene artists and builders and teaching them in the course of their work. This brought the spirit of the Baroque period to Ljubljana, which soon began to cover the city's Renaissance visage. The height of Slovene Baroque expression was achieved with Francesco Robba, who erected the Fountain of the Three Carniolian Rivers in front of the imposing new Town Hall.

When the French, led by Napoleon, occupied Carniola, the Slovenes received them with open arms, as the French brought with them the principle of equality before the law. For four years (from 1809 to 1813), Ljubljana became the Capital of the Illyrian Provinces. During this time, the city also received its first high school. The most important event in the following years, during which Austria strengthened her renewed hold on the province after Napoleon's downfall, was the Ljubljana Congress of the Holy Alliance in 1821. In memory of this event, the town square where the delegates met is still called Congress Square today (Kongresni trg). In 1849, the first train from Vienna rolled into Ljubljana along the newly built railway track. Eight years later marked the completion of the link between Ljubljana and Trieste. The citizens of Ljubljana looked forward to the opening of the railway route, as it promised easy travel and brought them closer to Europe.

In 1895, a second big earthquake hit Ljubljana, razing most of the town to the ground. The renovation works were mostly carried out by the Austrians, who brought the Secessionist style to the city. The new style blended well with the old Baroque buildings, and this harmony underlines the fact that in its architecture as well, Ljubljana reflects the dialogue between North and South.

With the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Slovenia, together with its capital, became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which was later to be renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Ljubljana now formally became the administrative and political centre of Slovenia, as a result of which a number of vitally important national cultural institutions were founded: the National Gallery (1918), the University of Ljubljana (1919), and the Academy of Arts and Sciences (1938).

The Second World War was a harsh ordeal for Ljubljana and its inhabitants. In 1941 the city was occupied by the Italians, who surrounded it with barbed wire in 1942. After the capitulation of Italy, Ljubljana was occupied by the Germans. On May 9, 1945, Ljubljana was liberated by the Partisans, and a day later, representatives of the first Slovene government entered the city.

After WWII, Ljubljana became the capital city of Slovenia, one of the six republics of the Federative People's Republic of Yugoslavia, later called the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

At a national referendum held on December 23, 1990, the people of Slovenia voted for independence and sovereignty and on June 26, 1991, the Republic of Slovenia proclaimed its independence. With this, Ljubljana became the capital of a new nation.

Ljubljana today is a pleasant city in which to live. It is the political and cultural heart of the Slovene nation and an important centre of trade, business, congresses and commercial fairs, as well as the transportation, scientific and educational centre of Slovenia. The inhabitants themselves and numerous visitors agree that it is truly a city of human dimensions. Although it ranks among medium-sized European cities, Ljubljana has all that other capitals boast, such as museums, art galleries, a University with three academies of the arts (where approx. 35,000 students study), and an Academy of Arts and Sciences with many corresponding institutes.

The hustle and bustle of daily life in the city is interspersed with numerous parks and forested areas, which in places reach almost into the very centre of the city. Up on the green and forested hills surrounding the city, the air is fresher and one breathes easier. Here, there are plenty of quiet spots where all who want to get away from the stress of the working day can rediscover themselves and gather strength and sunlight for the foggy days to come.