Leonardo da Vinci

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

If the capital city has one immediately recognizable landmark, it is probably the Triple Bridge, the three-lane crossing designed in 1929 by the city’s most prolific architect, Joze Plecnik. Faced with the problem of how to widen the city’s main crossing point to accommodate increasing traffic levels, Plecnik decided to retain the 19th-century bridge in the middle, adding two angled side bridges for pedestrians. It was an inspired piece of town planning, turning Presernov trg into the focal point of the city and bringing life to both banks of the river.*

The bridge is embellished with the kind of decorations typical of Plecnik, with stone baubles sprouting from the parapets alongside curvy lampstands tipped with buds of milk-coloured glass. The elegant ballustrades bring a Venetian sense of style to the whole ensemble.*

*From the Eyewitness Guide to Slovenia

After breakfast we visited St Nicholas’ Cathedral and the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation. Both were decorated in a similar style inside. After these visits we went to look inside the Galerija Emporium department store to look at the Art Deco features of the building. There was not much to be seen on the inside so we left slightly disappointed  and went on to visited some bookshops before going for a walk past the opera house and modern art gallery. We noticed a distinctive Austrian style chalet which we went to investigate. When we got closer we found it was the American embassy. As there were police and security guards outside I decided not to chance taking a photograph.

We walked on and this took us past other embassies although we did not see the British one. By now it was lunch time and I suggested that we might be walking the wrong way to get back into town. Mr C wasn’t convinced so he got the map out to establish where we were. One of the locals stopped and asked if we needed help then pointed us in the right direction (thank you). The walk back to town took us past the Roman Wall which I had wanted to see anyway.

As part of the Ljubljana package, we had been given a voucher for a free boat ride so after lunch we made our way down to the mooring point for the panoramic boat ride. As we got on board we were offered drinks and everyone remained quiet until I said that I would like a glass of bubbly. It would have been rude not to During the cruise we were informed that the boat had been fully hand built in Lake Bled and that it had taken eighteen months to build. We were provided with an interesting commentary as we sailed along

After alighting the boat, we stopped off at a highly recommended ice cream outlet and chose our preferred flavour, mine being blueberry sorbet and fig and walnut ice cream. We were expecting one scoop of each flavour but we were given two of each. Very decadent!! Once back in the hotel we put our feet up for a well earned rest before returning to town for our evening meal.

When I was in St Nicholas Cathedral, Ljubljana I looked at the literature (a habit of mine) that is always available near to the entrance of a church. Whilst I was doing this one of the church members/officials came to tidy up the table. As I put the card you see in the picture above back down on the table, he said ‘You can take it’. I said thank you and picked it up again even though I hadn’t intended on taking it away with me.
When I got home I was able to translate the Slovenian words on the back of the card into English. The photo on the front of the card speaks for itself.

When translated into English the reverse side of the card reads:

See the dwelling place of God among men!
And he will dwell with them,
they will be his people,
and God himself will be with them
Revelation 21.3

300 years of the cathedral
St. Nicholas
in Ljubljana

In remembrance and thanksgiving
the pilgrimage to the cathedral ! Ljubljana !
Ljubljana, 2007