2024 Sept 22 Sunday

Ljubljana

Our first full day in Ljubljana greeted us with beautiful weather so we were determined to be out to see the city. We wanted to walk along the river and then see the castle. This is new territory for us and the city history and art and architecture hint at much to learn.

5.23 miles, 13,178 steps.

No Relive today.

Our apartment is in a very old building near the river, which has its own unique challenges, but is a wonderful location.
We are on the third floor (fourth in US terms) with no elevator.
The stairway plaster is painted and there are handrails, but the wooden stairs have seen better days.
It’s Sunday morning and folks are setting up for a flea market next to the river (and underneath our windows).
Our view along the river near our apartment.
The castle is on the other side of the river but is visible from our apartment. Most of the streets near the river are pedestrian only.

Another benefit of Sunday morning outings—music on the street! Not oompah music, but ABBA. Click below to listen.

St. Nicholas’ Cathedral is built on the site of a much earlier church, today’s cathedral dates from the first half of the 18th century.
The dome ceiling near the altar.
This modern stained glass window seemed almost out of place among the Baroque gold.
Another amazing church ceiling.
It seems that art is everywhere in Ljubljana. These oversized, seemingly unfinished sculptures lined the entrance to one of the city bridges.
Two of the dragon statues on one side of the Dragon Bridge. It is a triple-hinged arch bridge from 1901 with four Art Nouveau/Vienna Succession dragon sculptures. One legend is that when a virgin crosses the bridge, the dragons wag their tails.
A funicular is available for castle visitors and was quite popular this Sunday afternoon.
Yes, there is a Camino route here as well, complete with a Church of St. Jakobova (James) and shells posted in town to mark the route.
The castle was built by Emperor Frederick III of the Habsburg in the second half of the 15th century. The fortress was to defend against Ottomans as well as extend Frederick’s influence. It has been both a royal residence as well as military barracks and a prison. It was briefly occupied by Napoleon’s troops.
The courtyard of the castle was very busy with tourists and city residents enjoying the sunshine, bars, and restaurants. There are public events and summer activities for the city, as the castle seems to be a meeting place for all.
St. George is the patron saint of Ljubljana, and legend of a knight slaying a dragon mimics the Biblical St. George. A dragon atop the castle on three hills is the city crest. Dragons are often seen in the city as it is said that dragons represent strength, courage, and greatness.
The city crest of Ljubljana.
Sunset while walking down to the city from the castle gardens.

8 Responses

    1. I love this apartment but it was not fun for Daddy to carry the luggage up the stairs. I hope it will be easier carrying them down when we leave. We don’t have a balcony but two windows allow us to see the neighborhood’s comings and goings. Best of all, we have a washing machine so we can catch up with laundry while doing other things.

  2. Great getting to see your pictures of Ljubljana. A place we have always wanted to visit but will probably never get to. Loved the sunset picture! So many beautiful experiences you are having!
    Dan and Wendy

    1. Ljubljana is different but beautiful. I think you would love the art. Luckily we have two more days to get more of a feel for the city. It’s a very walkable city and has a large percentage of only pedestrian streets. We were out early yesterday morning when delivery vans were in that area, but I suspect their hours are limited. We just have to dodge the numerous bicycles, but there are usually separate lanes for pedestrians and bicycles. Our landlady told us that if we get tired we can hail a green vehicle, Kavalir, that can pick us up for no charge. I read later that it is primarily meant for the elderly and disabled (ha—she evidently pegged us!) and is another commitment to Ljubljana’s future. The language is new to us so we have only learned one phrase: “hvala” (thank you). I do hope you get to visit here sometime.

  3. I am very surprised to see all the dragon references and statues in Ljubljana. I thought the “dragon myth” only found in the British Isles and China – shows what I know. Now I see online that dragons are in almost all cultures around the world. Most information online say they are a myth, but I don’t think so. Why else are they so prevalent in so many cultures? I believe they must have been real and very frightening to ancient man, although maybe not exactly in the same form as is depicted in modern times – a large bird-like dinosaur of some sort?

  4. My information on dragons is quite limited. I actually thought most of the recent references came from interest in “Game of Thrones” and mostly in Croatia. However, we learned that Frederick III donated a bell to the castle that had the first known city crest including the dragon, and that was in the 1400’s. Richard pointed out that he wasn’t sure whether St. George slaying a dragon is actually in the Bible, but certainly the legend exists. It seems scary but you can find friendly stuffed dragons in many store windows. Your thoughts on ancient man’s reaction makes more sense to me than the friendly dragon. (Apologies to Disney’s “Pete’s Dragon,” one of our adolescent daughters’ favorite movies.)

  5. What a beautiful sunset photo! And the apartment sounds like a good exercise plan, even though you are probably iron men by now. Loved the ABBA sounds😀

    1. I love this little apartment even with the challenges. How many times do we get to stay in an ancient building? The stairs are so worn; you can only wonder how many feet have trod them over the years. We have not walked as many steps as on prior treks, but still it feels good every day to get out in the fresh air and keep the legs moving.