GUIDED TOURS
Two afternoons will be dedicated to the thematic guided tours, which will introduce you to our capital Ljubljana, its history, student life, most popular and also a bit more hidden places of interest. Each session you will be able to choose between three different options.
Tuesday:
1. ROMAN EMONA
Emona: a City of the Empire is the name of an exhibition in the City Museum of Ljubljana dedicated to the 2000th anniversary of Ljubljana's Roman predecessor. It will be the first stop in your path through the Roman period of this city and with help of modern technology it will enable you to reconstruct its form in the landscape and its regional geostrategic position. The remains of this period do not exist solely in physical form but also in many contemporary names of buildings, companies and projects in memory of the antique tradition. The former remains will be the focus of the second part of the tour. The guide will take you to numerous locations and two archaeological parks where material evidence "in situ" tell us of the form of this city and how comparable it is to its modern outline.
Emona: a City of the Empire is the name of an exhibition in the City Museum of Ljubljana dedicated to the 2000th anniversary of Ljubljana's Roman predecessor. It will be the first stop in your path through the Roman period of this city and with help of modern technology it will enable you to reconstruct its form in the landscape and its regional geostrategic position. The remains of this period do not exist solely in physical form but also in many contemporary names of buildings, companies and projects in memory of the antique tradition. The former remains will be the focus of the second part of the tour. The guide will take you to numerous locations and two archaeological parks where material evidence "in situ" tell us of the form of this city and how comparable it is to its modern outline.
2. MEDIEVAL LJUBLJANA
The introduction to this dynamic epoch of Ljubljana's history will be made in the City Museum of Ljubljana, followed by the visit of three city squares, the pillars of medieval Ljubljana at that time also known as Laibach or Lubiana. Ljubljana Castle on its strategic position overlooking the city will be the your final destination. Although the local estates belonged to a number of noblemen the noble families holding the castle were the most important in the area known as Carniola. Position in the crossroads of various trade routes and strategic importance of Ljubljana also substantially influenced this period in its history marked by wars between noblemen and especially the defense against the Turks who raided these lands on their way to Wienna and Italy. After revealing all these traces on the castle itself you will be able to relax in the virtual museum and enjoy the view of Ljubljana from the viewing tower.
The introduction to this dynamic epoch of Ljubljana's history will be made in the City Museum of Ljubljana, followed by the visit of three city squares, the pillars of medieval Ljubljana at that time also known as Laibach or Lubiana. Ljubljana Castle on its strategic position overlooking the city will be the your final destination. Although the local estates belonged to a number of noblemen the noble families holding the castle were the most important in the area known as Carniola. Position in the crossroads of various trade routes and strategic importance of Ljubljana also substantially influenced this period in its history marked by wars between noblemen and especially the defense against the Turks who raided these lands on their way to Wienna and Italy. After revealing all these traces on the castle itself you will be able to relax in the virtual museum and enjoy the view of Ljubljana from the viewing tower.
3. CONTEMPORARY LJUBLJANA
This tour will take you for a walk through Ljubljana and its architectural and historical landmarks built after the devastating Easter earthquake of 1895 divided into secession, interwar and contemporary period. Among others you will be able to see the National Assembly Building, Court House Palace, "Skyscraper", Modern Gallery, National and University Library and Cankar Hall. A guided tour through the exhibition entitled Slovenians in the 20th Century in the National Museum of Contemporary History will provide you with additional information on this period characterized by major geopolitical changes in the region.
This tour will take you for a walk through Ljubljana and its architectural and historical landmarks built after the devastating Easter earthquake of 1895 divided into secession, interwar and contemporary period. Among others you will be able to see the National Assembly Building, Court House Palace, "Skyscraper", Modern Gallery, National and University Library and Cankar Hall. A guided tour through the exhibition entitled Slovenians in the 20th Century in the National Museum of Contemporary History will provide you with additional information on this period characterized by major geopolitical changes in the region.
Friday
1. RADIO ŠTUDENT & ROŽNIK
First part of the guided tour will lead you to Radio Študent where its employees will show you the premises and introduce you the history of this medium. Radio Študent was founded in 1969 by the Student Organisation of the University of Ljubljana as a response to student protests against the communist regime. Situated among the biggest group of student dorms in Ljubljana in Rožna dolina it became an important center of young critical intelectuals. Through it western influence and especially music started to spread to Slovenia and with it ideas of free speech and democratization. Radio Študent was at the forefront of the independance movement in the late 80s. Nowadays it faces financial problems although it has been recognized as a medium of national importance. It is the oldest student radio with uninterrupted broadcasting in this part of Europe and has 17 hours of daily programme.
The tour will end with a walk to the Rožnik Hill, a popular hiking, running and excursion destination with a small church at the top. This tour will especially satisfy those who would find delight in a short escape from a hot town and enjoy some exercise in the nature.
First part of the guided tour will lead you to Radio Študent where its employees will show you the premises and introduce you the history of this medium. Radio Študent was founded in 1969 by the Student Organisation of the University of Ljubljana as a response to student protests against the communist regime. Situated among the biggest group of student dorms in Ljubljana in Rožna dolina it became an important center of young critical intelectuals. Through it western influence and especially music started to spread to Slovenia and with it ideas of free speech and democratization. Radio Študent was at the forefront of the independance movement in the late 80s. Nowadays it faces financial problems although it has been recognized as a medium of national importance. It is the oldest student radio with uninterrupted broadcasting in this part of Europe and has 17 hours of daily programme.
The tour will end with a walk to the Rožnik Hill, a popular hiking, running and excursion destination with a small church at the top. This tour will especially satisfy those who would find delight in a short escape from a hot town and enjoy some exercise in the nature.
2. HOSTEL CELICA & NAVJE
Metelkova City, an autonomous social centre, located on the site of former military barracks which were squatted in 1993 will be the starting point of this tour where we will be given an inside tour of one of the most interesting hostels in the world. Hostel Celica, which could be literally translated as Cell Hostel, is a former military prison building from the socialist past of former Yugoslavia. 20 prison cells have been renovated by artists and although each of the doors have bars the inside of the rooms has been redecorated by paintings and pictures breaking the previous monotny and creating a unique atmosphere. Hostel Celica has received numerous Slovene and international awards, in 2006 it was declared the "hippest" hostel in the world by Lonely planet.
The second part of the tour will take you from the urban and alternative beat of Metelkova city to the green, tranquil and neoclassical serenity in Navje. The Navje memorial park is a redesigned part of the former St. Christopher's Cemetery also known as "cemetery of the famous". It was blessed in 1779 and was the central town cemetery between the late 18th and the earl 20th century until it was abandoned in 1926. In 1930s a small portion of the cemetery was transformed in a "pantheon" of famous Slovenes and plans for a memorial park were made by the famous Slovene architect Ivan Plečnik and Ivo Spinčič. From 2001 Navje memorial park has been protected as a cultural monument of national importance.
Metelkova City, an autonomous social centre, located on the site of former military barracks which were squatted in 1993 will be the starting point of this tour where we will be given an inside tour of one of the most interesting hostels in the world. Hostel Celica, which could be literally translated as Cell Hostel, is a former military prison building from the socialist past of former Yugoslavia. 20 prison cells have been renovated by artists and although each of the doors have bars the inside of the rooms has been redecorated by paintings and pictures breaking the previous monotny and creating a unique atmosphere. Hostel Celica has received numerous Slovene and international awards, in 2006 it was declared the "hippest" hostel in the world by Lonely planet.
The second part of the tour will take you from the urban and alternative beat of Metelkova city to the green, tranquil and neoclassical serenity in Navje. The Navje memorial park is a redesigned part of the former St. Christopher's Cemetery also known as "cemetery of the famous". It was blessed in 1779 and was the central town cemetery between the late 18th and the earl 20th century until it was abandoned in 1926. In 1930s a small portion of the cemetery was transformed in a "pantheon" of famous Slovenes and plans for a memorial park were made by the famous Slovene architect Ivan Plečnik and Ivo Spinčič. From 2001 Navje memorial park has been protected as a cultural monument of national importance.
3. VESTIGES & TIVOLI
First part of the tour will lead you to a photography exhibition called Vestiges/Sledi 1991-2012 by Josef Koudelka. Between 1991 and 2012, this Czech photographer completed a long journey around the nineteen countries bordering the Mediterranean, stopping at over two hundred Greek and Roman archaeological sites. The photographic record of these historical vestiges will be presented in the above mentioned exhibition, which is also thematically linked with the anniversary, which will mark 2000 years of Roman Emona.
Although Jakopič Gallery is situated in the strict center of Ljubljana it will take less than a 5 minute walk to the last location of this guided tour where you will be able to relax and enjoy nature in Tivoli City Park, the largest park in Ljubljana. It has two mansions, one of them houses the National Museum of Contemporary History. It also has a complex of two multipurpose indoor sport arenas, a pond, green house, rose garden and many sculptures. The well-maintained park was also one of the reasons why the European Comission declared Ljubljana as the European Green Capital of 2016.
First part of the tour will lead you to a photography exhibition called Vestiges/Sledi 1991-2012 by Josef Koudelka. Between 1991 and 2012, this Czech photographer completed a long journey around the nineteen countries bordering the Mediterranean, stopping at over two hundred Greek and Roman archaeological sites. The photographic record of these historical vestiges will be presented in the above mentioned exhibition, which is also thematically linked with the anniversary, which will mark 2000 years of Roman Emona.
Although Jakopič Gallery is situated in the strict center of Ljubljana it will take less than a 5 minute walk to the last location of this guided tour where you will be able to relax and enjoy nature in Tivoli City Park, the largest park in Ljubljana. It has two mansions, one of them houses the National Museum of Contemporary History. It also has a complex of two multipurpose indoor sport arenas, a pond, green house, rose garden and many sculptures. The well-maintained park was also one of the reasons why the European Comission declared Ljubljana as the European Green Capital of 2016.