“Cities Cannot Be All About Buildings!” Is for Breathless People Living in Matchbox Towns
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“Cities cannot be all about buildings!” is for breathless people living in matchbox towns. In the little capital of Slovenia, buildings breathe and colours strike up the fire. BY KALPANA SUNDER Robert Harding/indiapicture Robert Lov ely ana Image courtesy Ljubljana Tourism SET IN STONE Gothic, neo-Classical, and Art Nouveau can There is an emerald green river and ornate be a splendid guide. Long ago, it used to be bridges bound by tall medieval buildings in Napoleon’s capital, till a deadly earthquake in candy colours. There is the rose pink Church the year 1895 wrought devastation and destroyed of Annunciation, its steps abuzz with groups almost all its buildings. The Austrian architects of students who form a sizeable part of this and builders, who did the renovation, introduced city’s population and are the flag bearers of the style of Art Nouveau buildings from Vienna, its thriving art and culture scene. There are which is inspired by elements in nature such as all the other charms you tend to associate flowers and plants. Between the World Wars, well- with a quaint European town with less than known architect Jože Plečnik remodelled the city 3,00,000 inhabitants. But Ljubljana’s trademark in his eclectic style. His influence was so strong in is undoubtedly its stunning architecture. shaping the contemporary image of this city that many call it ‘Plečnik’s Ljubljana’. Today, the city If you want a history lesson, the city’s heady is a veritable pastiche of styles, which somehow cocktail of architectural styles from Baroque to remains pleasing to the eye. The river, the lacy Opening image: Prešeren Square, which is the central lovenian poet France Prešeren, severe drinking problem and died prematurely square in Ljubljana, is an Image courtesy Ljubljana Tourism whose verses were adopted as the of a liver disease. A semi-nude carving of his important meeting point for cultural and political activities. country’s national anthem, is an muse Julija was a local scandal, and members The rose pink building in the unlikely hero. He was a lawyer who sat for bar of the prudish clergy wanted to cover it up. distance is the Church of exams six times. He fell in love with Julija Primic, Today, Prešeren Square — with a statue of Annunciation. Sthe daughter of a merchant, and pined for her the poet, who also adorns the Slovenian ¤2 Top: Plečnik’s picturesque with unrequited love for three years, until he coin now — is the focal point of Ljubljana, the waterfront with narrow, tree- lined paths. realised his folly. He later sired three illegitimate pint-sized capital of Slovenia and a favoured children with his companion Ana. He had a meeting point for locals. Right: The Triple Bridge across the Ljubljanica river connects the city’s medieval and modern halves. 12 13 and on innumerable souvenirs. The bridge is the by Gulio Quaglio, and the stunning bronze doors stomping ground of lore. According to legend, if stand as a resplendent reminder of 1,250 years a virgin walked on the bridge, the dragon would of Christianity in the country. wag its tail! A walk down Miklosiceva Street reveals a series of The concrete riverbanks with terraces were part Art Nouveau buildings with their eclectic geometric of Plečnik’s design to tame the river, which was motifs drawn from nature. The Commercial prone to frequent flooding. Today, weeping Cooperative Bank, a visually stunning building, willows, flowering trees, and bright artwork was designed by architect Ivan Vurnik and his wife by children brighten the stark concrete. Lining Helena. They say that Vurnik asked his wife to the river and following its gentle curve are the help him and she painted this building in hot pink dramatic colonnades of a riverside arcade, with swirls of geometric patterns in vivid shades of crafted out of marble and designed by Plečnik, blue, white, and red. The first department store Image courtesy Ljubljana Tourism used now as a craft market. The recently opened of the city, Centromerkur, is housed in an Art bridges, and the handsome buildings seem to Nouveau building, with a statue of Mercury — THIS CITY IS complement each other. the God of trade and commerce — above KNOWN FOR ITS the main façade. A personal favourite is the BRIDGES, WHICH Hauptmann House built in 1873 (dubbed as the ARE MORE The omnipresent motif, Castle Hill, a military post in Roman times, is a 15th-century fortress ‘little skyscraper’ by the locals), one of the few SHOWPIECES buildings to have survived the great earthquake THAN JUST looming large over the labyrinth of medieval CONSTRUCTIONS streets below that can be reached by a funicular. of 1895. The vibrant façade with patterns and TO KEEP YOUR The river is lined with buildings in wood and Image courtesy Ljubljana Tourism coloured ceramic tiles in blue, green, and red FEET DRY. WE stone, painted with pinks and yellows and topped tones was probably influenced by the fact that SEE THE MOST with verdigris-stained copper roofs. Wrought-iron the then owner was a paint merchant. But then, POPULAR ONES balconies, faded facades, and arched doorways Ljubljana is that kind of city...where poets and ACROSS THE keep the cameras whirring. Plečnik’s waterfront sellers of paint merge for posterity in a riot of LJUBLJANICA, design is attractive with tree-lined paths, open-air stone, stories, and colour. A RIVER THAT cafés, and stone balustrades. This city is known FLOWS THROUGH for its bridges, which are more showpieces than THE CENTRE OF TOWN. just constructions to keep your feet dry. We see the most popular ones across the Ljubljanica, a river that flows through the centre of town. The flamboyant, Venetian-looking Triple Bridge, with its ornate Renaissance balustrades and string of Anticlockwise from top: street lamps, is the main bridge connecting the Ljubljana Cathedral, or the Church of St. Nicholas, is easily Top: Dragon Bridge. Prešeren Square to the town. Originally just one Image courtesy Ljubljana Tourism recognisable with its green Originally named The Butchers’ Bridge, which is made of glass and Jubilee Bridge of the bridge, the architect built two bridges on either dome and twin towers. Emperor Franz Josef, it was side of it so that it could accommodate traffic connects pedestrians to the local market, is a Sunder Kalpana Ivan Vurnik incorporated given its unofficial name for and people. contemporary take on Plečnik’s vision. With glass that Robba was inspired by the Bernini fountain in Sunder Kalpana its four dragon statues. Seen traditional forms of Carniolan in the background is the and granite flooring, small bronze sculptures of peasant art in an essentially Art Rome’s Piazza Navona. The rivers are personified Church of St. Nicholas. animals, and statues of heroes from Greek and Nouveau structure to design LJUBLJANA SUMMER FESTIVAL The iron and concrete Dragon Bridge has an the Commercial Cooperative by Triton pouring water from a jug. With cobbled Right: Between 1743 and enchanting story behind it: When Jason and Christian mythology, this is a counterpoint to all Bank. lanes, shady piazzas, faded red and ochre The Ljubljana Summer Festival, during July 1751, Italian sculptor the Argonauts arrived here after stealing the the other classical bridges in town. facades of palaces, and gargoyles staring down and August, is the best time to visit the city Francesco Robba designed Hauptmann House, at Prešeren and enjoy musical concerts, opera, and Golden Fleece, they found a dragon, which Square, was one of the many from buildings, this part of the city has a very the Fountain of the Three theatre and ballet performances in different Carniolan Rivers (now Jason slew. Today, four dragons crafted out of TALES OF THE TOWN Baroque-styled bourgeois Italian feel. Blessed by Pope John Paul II, the known as the Robba palaces built to replace the venues, ranging from churches and open sheets of copper — with spiked tails, spiked The Baroque part of Old Town features the Church of St. Nicholas used to be the church of fountain) to symbolise the medieval houses that were courtyards to old monasteries. three rivers of Carniola — wings, and evil eyes — guard the bridge. The Town Hall and a fabulous fountain of the three damaged and ruined in the fishermen and boatmen. Today, the pink marble, 1895 Ljubljana earthquake. Visit www.ljubljanafestival.si to know more. Ljubljanica, Sava, and Krka. dragon is also found on the city’s coat of arms Carniolan Rivers by Francesco Robba. It is said the stucco and striking frescoes on high ceilings 14 15.