Venue


HOW TO GET TO LJUBLJANSKI GRAD

 

Drive from Karlovška cesta (road) to Roška cesta (road). At the traffic light, turn left to Streliška ulica (road). Park in the parking lot on Streliška ulica (road). Parking lots are payable. There are several options for getting to Streliška ulica. In the parking lot, go the junction where the road turns towards the castle. Walk on the sidewalk along the road. Soon you will reach a sharp right hand bend. Continue walking on the sidewalk until you reach the Ljubljana Castle parking lot. Enter the castle courtyard. You will see a couple of restaurants and cafeterias.

 


Show Ljubljana - EDGE on a larger map


HISTORICAL INFO

 

According to archaeological surveys, the area of the present castle has been settled continuously since 1200 BC[1], when the first settlements and later fortifications were built. The castle was first mentioned in 1144 as the seat of the Carinthian dukes of the House of Spanheim. In the 15th century, the castle was enlarged with a complete wall and towers at the entrance, where a drawbridge was placed. A chapel was also built at that time. In the 16th and 17th centuries, other objects were added gradually.

Because it was not the home of a ruler or another important member of nobility, and because a fortification in the area was no longer required, the castle started to lose its importance. Its maintenance costs were too high and the castle fell into disrepair. In the 19th century, the castle was partially redesigned to serve as a prison and a military stronghold, making it less popular among the citizens.

In 1905, the castle was bought by the Ljubljana Municipality, who settled it. The residents stayed there until the mid-1960s, when preparations for renovation of the castle began. At the end of the 1960s, the long and extensive renovation works started. The renovation took more than 35 years to complete. In the 1990s, the castle began to be used as a place for weddings and cultural events. The Ljubljana Castle funicular, a funicular railway to the top of Castle Hill, was built in 2006 and brought into service in 2007.

The Ljubljana Castle, the city's most striking landmark, adds a special touch to the city's cultural vibrancy. It is an attractive tourist sight and a picturesque venue for concerts, theatre performances, exhibitions, conferences and official meetings.