The architect Jože Pleč n ik

Plečnik ' s Tivoli Promenade

IRN 26358 Location Planning 1929-1933 Implementation 1931-1933 Renovation 2003 Chie( conservator Darja Pergovnik

Tivoli, the largest park in Ljubljana, dates from the period of the Illyrian Provinces (r8o9-r8r3), when the French engineer Jean Blanchard designed three tree alleys in the area of the present-day park. Two of them ran at an angle from the Tivoli Castle to the town, whereas the third ran crosswise from north to south connect­ ing the other two. After the departure of the French, the design work on the tree alleys was taken up by the Austrian governor Latterman. The poplars and later chestnut trees that he planted were called "Latterman's alleys". After r8so a railway was constructed through the park, which cut across the popular tree alleys connecting the park and the city. This was the first major degradation of Tivoli. A large part of the park was transformed from green areas into an urban district that la ter developed into the present-day neighbourhood of villas and museums along Prešernova ulica (Prešeren Street). Many old lithographs depicting Latterman's tree alleys as the fundamental and most important landscape elements in the park show that they were of considerable value and served as an attractive sight in the city. The layout of the tree alleys formed the basic grid of the park, within which many landscape architects have designed individual park elements. The best-known and most distinguished among them is Plečnik' s promenade. Initially the general public rejected the idea; nevertheless the well-planned project was supported by the munici­ pal authorities. After several years and various proposals, the final plan was designed between 1929 and 1933, with implementation fol­ lowing, from 1931 to I933- The promenade is an extension of Cankarjeva cesta (Cankar Road) , which runs from the centre of the city and ends in an old area of the park featuring a fountain in front of Tivoli Castle, thus connecting the park with the city. The promenade replaced the former chestnut alley, creating a far broader pedestrian area. But because it was not flanked by trees the townspeople were not satisfied with it; early on they even referred to it as the "Sahara". Gradually the promenade became an integral part of the Tivoli park and was later generally accepted. Moreover it became a well­ known and popular venue in the period before the Second World War. P l ečnik' s Tivoli Promenade

Plečnik' s promenade in the first half of the 2oth century

Today the promenade is one of Plečnik' s most recognisable works and is an integral part of Ljubljana. Its significance was only re-affirmed when in the 198os, Ljubljana architects boycotted a pub­ lic tender for the new Prešernova ulica or Tivolska cesta (Tivoli Road), which like the railway before, cut across the promenade and separated it from the city centre with concrete underpasses. The central design element of the sand-covered promenade is a series of concrete (terrazzo) lights, consisting of a square base, a col­ umn and a square capital carrying the spherical glass lamps placed in parallel to the trajectory of the promenade. The edge of the prom­ enade is marked with concrete kerbstones and benches that define the end and the curve of the path, at the end of which Tivoli Castle stands as a visually dominant element that can be seen from Cankarjeva cesta. The year 2003 saw the 7oth anniversary of the promenade, which at the time was one of the few Plečnik works stili in need of renovation. The Three Bridges, Cobblers' Bridge, Trnovo Bridge, the Markets, the National and University Library and Križanke had all already been restored. The lam ps had always been a target of night vandalism and were generally in very poor condition. They had dete­ riorated owing to weather and the elements, chipped and cracked from frost, some of their parts were missing or had decayed expos­ ing rusty tubes with electric wiring in the middle of the columns. Some of the lights had been more or less expertly renovated severa! years previous and their appearance was therefore no longer uni­ form. The kerbstones were concealed under vegetation or had suf­ fered damage from weather and salt. Opinions on how the prome­ nade should be renovated always differed (whether only some or all of the individual elements should be replaced or repaired). Because of the poor condition of most of the lam ps, benches and kerbstones, we decided that all of the elements should be replaced. The same princi ple was applied in the reconstruction of Plečnik' s bridges. The Coston company, which has experience in the renovation of similar terrazzo elements in bridges, supplied the lamps, benches and kerb­ stones for the promenade. The originallamps are stili visible in the

79 The architect Jože Pl eč nik

Exhibition during 2007 European Heritage Days

street behind the Drama theatre, where they were moved after the removal and construction of the underpasses below the promenade and Tivolska cesta in the 198os. One of the original lamps is also kept at the National Museum. Plečnik ' s well-known promenade lamps, benches and kerb­ stones were replaced with the aim of restoring the city' s finest park to its former glory and resurrecting its unique character, which was subsequently presented in exhibitions at the Monument Protection Centre in Trg francoske revolucije (French Revolution Square) in October 2003, at in January 2004, at the Prague Faculty of Architecture in May 2004, and at Fužine Castle in May 2005. The exhibition display was nominated for the 2004 Plečnik Meda! for cultural achievements. Renovation and conservation supervision was conceived and coordinated by Darja Pregovnik, a landscape architect and conserva­ tion consultant at the Ljubljana Regional Branch of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of . The project was fmanced by the Department of Economic Public Services and Transport of the Ljubljana Municipality, and the exhibition was sponsored by the municipal Department of Cul ture and Research.

DARJA PERGOVNIK photos MARKO GORENC

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