The Ljubljana Castle is an intriguing castle. Perched above the city, it is absolutely a must visit if you are in Slovenia.
The Ljubljana Castle is a medieval castle and yet it is welcoming, despite its turbulent past. It is also surprisingly modern and yet simple in the best sense of the term. The Ljubljana Castle is full of details showing its rich history but its story is still in the making.
I certainly find it intriguing and fascinating!
Do landmarks have to reinvent themselves to survive?
The time spent at the Ljubljana Castle got me wondering if castles and other landmarks have to reinvent themselves to be preserved, to survive and even thrive? Don’t worry, I’m going to go through the usual history and architecture snapshots but I thought this question was important!
In Europe, we have thousands of castles, palaces and historical monuments. I’ve already talked about this and explained a bit, why it is so. A lot of historical monuments have also been destroyed. Some of such places are just ruins which keep degrading, some are being preserved in such state. A good number of them have been restored to their ‘original’ state. In such cases choices were made to decide what such ‘original’ state was, to the best of the architect knowledge and with the best techniques possible at the time of such renovations. A few have defied time.
What is interesting is that most castles and alike have had tumultuous history. As you can read below, it certainly is the case for the Ljubljana Castle. Through their century long existences, they usually grew bigger and stronger only to be considered obsolete and unfashionable a century or 2 later. They often became military stronghold, which one can imagine didn’t help their preservation.
A lot of renovations were started in the 19th (because of the renewed interest for everything Medieval and Gothic!) but most renovations were finished or entirely done after WWII. What was the aim of such renovations? It seems that for a lot of castles, it was simply to make them “pretty again”. To enable people to visit them. There is nothing wrong with that and it is obviously an oversimplification. For some restorations were probably necessary for such castle to not fall on the city below for example.
“Being pretty” seemed to have worked for a couple decades, as tourists did come to visit, but it doesn’t seem enough for our 21st century. So what now? It seems that castles have to reinvent themselves to become “interesting” again. Most people do love to visit a medieval castle or 2, but they quickly loose interest. They kind of all look alike after a while!
So what do castle do? First, most have a permanent exhibition showing the history of the castle and its city, as well as maybe the restoration process. Some dedicate their huge empty space to other types of exhibitions (the Malbrouck castle is a good example). Some can be rented out as a fancy venue for weddings or more formal events (the Vianden castle). A few specialize into events in relation to their historical period with temporary medieval fairs and shows for example (Sierk castle). You can also find the occasional special visits, the fun activities (the Chateau de Chambord augmented reality visit), the quests for children and parents alike (the Suscinio castle), the concerts (Lake Castle), the candle light tours (the Bouillon castle) and of course the Christmas markets…
Clearly, a lot of historical places are doing everything they can to offer a variety of experiences, to attract visitors. Unfortunately, it never seems to be enough anymore.
And yet, it still feels that only a few places have stepped into the 21st century to become something new, like the Ljubljana castle has.
This is obviously a personal opinion and it is going to be impossible for me to explain how this happened.
But when you enter the Ljubljana castle, you may however understand. This isn’t just a castle offering a museum and activities. This is a lively place, where people are not just tourists. People come there, to have diner, to have a drink or watch the sunset and even to have business meetings or get married. The castle is part of the city and as such, it is a lively place.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a good old fashion guided visit! I also love to wander on my own in a castle trying to discover secret doors. But I am fascinated by places like the Ljubljana castle which history is still in the making.
A quick history recap
The Ljubljana Castle has lived many lives over centuries. Like most castles in Europe, archeological remains have shown the hill was used by the Romans as a stronghold. However, the actual castle was built in the 11th century or so. It was completely transformed in the 15th century, especially with the addition of fortification which gives it most of its present allure. Yet, a lot of the existing buildings dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. It is clear if you get to look at some of the reception halls.
Like all medieval castles, the Ljubljana Castle first purpose was defensive. Its position over the city makes this clear.
During the 19th century, the castle was used as a military hospital and eventually became a prison.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Ljubljana bought the castle to reclaim it from its dark past. A museum was to be built but instead, poor citizens got the ‘not such a privilege’ to become residents of the castle.
Works to renovate the castle were ongoing during this period but the real transformation into what it is today, only really started during the 1960’s.
And thereafter, the castle became once again the crown jewel of the city.
Just a few words on the Ljubljana Castle architecture
Your focus, when visiting the Ljubljana castle could be to find all the traces of the past, to identify each construction periods and what remains from each centuries. In which case, you will find plenty information on site to do just that.
For once, I was mostly blown away by how the architecture was diversified. How steel mixed with stones created incredible spaces. How glass brought light in, how everything was so well entwined … The restoration of the castle included in some areas, major transformation, while other areas were barely touched.
And here, pictures will speak of it so much better than my words… Click on the image to get a small description of the corresponding area. I loved the Pentagonal tower, the rock hall and of course the Saint George chapel!
What a view! Recognise it? 😉 If you like it, now is probably the right time for me to tell you that my drawing of Prešeren Square is available in my Society6 shop!
Things to know before you go
The best way to reach Ljubljana castle is undoubtedly with the funicular. It is a short but sweet ride which enables you to have a first glimpse of the city, from a different angle.
Of course you can walk or cycle there to!
The official website is: https://www.ljubljanskigrad.si There you will find a lot of information on the exhibitions as well as on the various experiences offered.
One of the best way to end your visit is probably to have a drink, while watching the sunset over the city. It is a bit magical and opening times allow you to do just that!
