SLOVENIAN SYMBOLS SONGS OF FREEDOM 02/03 HAVE YOU HEARD? The basis for the coat of arms :: NATIONAL SYMBOLS THROUGH TIME of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia was the Slovenian :: :: BACK TO THE FUTURE Liberation Front emblem, designed during the Second World War by the architect Edvard Ravnikar. As a country in the heart of the old continent, Slovenia has a rich story to tell and great symbols attached to its chest. It has been a proud part of several multinational empires, kingdoms, and countries that all influenced the national insignia of to- day’s Republic of Slovenia. CARANTANIA THE PRINCE’S COAT OF ARMS COAT OF ARMS ROYAL COAT OF ARMS OF THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE SOCIALIST COAT OF ARMS STONE OF THE COUNTS OF CELJE OF CARNIOLA KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA Carantania, one of the first Slavic This ancient symbol of The medieval aristocratic Under the Habsburg Initially known as the Kingdom Slovenia was one of six republics states, covered the territories Slovenian identity can also be family of the Counts of Celje monarchy, the Duchy of of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, within the Federal Republic of present-day Slovenia and found on the two-cent euro was the last native noble house Carniola was the main the Kingdom of Yugoslavia of Yugoslavia for much of the Austria in the second half of the coin. The Prince’s Stone was to rule the Slovenian lands. Slovenian-populated crown extended from the western twentieth century, from 1943 seventh century. Although the used as a ceremonial throne The three golden six-pointed land, with its capital in Balkans to Central Europe until independence in 1991. Even black panther has great charisma, when authority was given to stars have a special place in Ljubljana. The white, blue, from 1918 until 1941. Slovenia then its coat of arms incorporated its features nevertheless did the newly elected duke and it the today’s coat of arms of and red in its coat of arms and merely had the status of an Mount Triglav and the Adriatic Sea, not influence contemporary is a visual remainder of one Slovenia. flag had a major influence on administrative unit in the as well as the linden leaves that Slovenia’s national symbols. of earliest known democratic Slovenia’s future symbols. kingdom and therefore did not have been a symbol of Slovenia practices held in Slovenian. have official symbols of its own. since the nineteenth century. :: :: :: :: THE ONE The image of Mount Triglav with its three peaks is the most persistent symbol The year that white, blue, and red were adopted as the national colors of Slovenia. in Slovenian heritage. 04/05 HAVE YOU HEARD? :: What makes Slovenian rare and beautiful but a bit LANGUAGE harder to learn is the use of the dual in addition to singu- :: :: THE SOUND OF PEOPLE lar and plural. Slovenian is an Indo-European language languages, its people have always found and belongs to the Slavic language fam- a way to communicate in their own lan- ily. This means that its roots reach back guage: Slovenian. to the first ever Slavic language – the so called Old Church Slavonic, from the Today about 2.5 million people speak, ninth century. The first book, first gram- write, and understand Slovenian. It can mar, and first translation of the Bible into also be often heard in Croatia, Hungary, Slovenian all happened in the second half Italy, Austria, Argentina, Australia, Can- of the sixteenth century during the Prot- ada, and the United States. It is one of estant Reformation by Primož Trubar, the twenty-three official and working lan- Adam Bohorič, and Jurij Dalmatin. guages of the European Union. Slovenians may not be known for being as Slovenian uses the Latin alphabet, con- chatty as their Italian neighbors, but they sisting of 25 letters with a few nice touch- do love their native language and have es such as the letters č, š, and ž. There are been very diligent in translating world 5 vowels and 20 consonants. Nouns, ad- literature and keeping it safe from the jectives, and pronouns in Slovenian have influences of foreign languages. Although 3 numbers, 3 genders, and 6 cases. Verbs Slovenia has always been surrounded and are conjugated for 3 persons and 3 num- sometimes even invaded by large, loud bers. Verbs can express 4 times, 3 moods, and 2 voices. :: :: :: :: THE PIECE OF PAPER THAT STARTED IT ALL The number of Slovenian dialects spoken in Slovenia. The Freising Manuscripts are the earliest examples of text written in Slovenian, dating back to AD 972. 06/07 HAVE YOU HEARD? :: The three equal horizontal bands of white, blue, and red FLAG are the same as on the Russian and Slovak flags. :: :: COLORS IN MOTION You have probably noticed it blowing in the wind Austrian Empire, of which Slovenia was a part. at many world cup skiing events or even the Ol- On 23 September 1848 the white, blue, and red ympics and you’ll definitely see it all over the officially became the Slovenian national flag. A souvenir shops. But just in case, here are some tips on how to spot it. Slovenia’s national flag few months later the new flag cheered the people has three horizontal bands of equal size and dif- in Ljubljana for the first time, hanging proudly ferent colors: white on top, blue in the middle, on Wolfova Street. and red on the bottom. Towards the upper left corner of the flag is the Slovenian coat of arms, After the Second World War, the tricolor flag was centered between the white and blue bands. the basis for the one that would represent the White, blue and red are based on the coat of new Socialist Republic of Slovenia. As part of the arms of the historical region of Carniola. Dur- Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the flag ing the European revolutions (the Spring of bore a large red star. Following Slovenia’s inde- Nations), the Slovenians chose their colors and pendence on 25 June 1991 the newly designed presented them to the administration of the coat of arms took the place of the star. :: :: :: :: WINDS OF CHANGE One of the most memorable moments in contemporary Slovenian history was the The number of national holidays that require flying the national flag. sight of the huge Slovenian flag blowing in the wind on the square in front of the Parliament after Slovenia’s independence was announced. 08/09 HAVE YOU HEARD? :: The coat of arms also served as the basis for the new COAT OF ARMS public administration visual identity system introduced in 2010. A new font called Republika was specially :: :: SYMBOL WITHIN A SYMBOL designed as well. The first thing that will catch your eye on this Two prominent Slovenians, the poet France blue shield with red borders is the image of Prešeren and architect Jože Plečnik, also three white peaks. They stand tall and proud had significant influence on the sculptor. for the highest mountain in Slovenia, Mount Prešeren’s epic poem Krst pri Savici (Baptism Triglav, whose name means “three heads”. at the Savica) inspired the use of the scenery Below the mountain, two wavy blue lines of Mount Triglav, its golden hue, and Lake Bo- represent the many rivers in the region and hinj. A pilaster in front of the parish church in the Adriatic Sea. The three six-pointed golden Bled that was designed by Plečnik provided in- stars that shine above Mount Triglav were spiration with its image of Mount Triglav and placed there as an homage to the great medi- a six-sided star on the Virgin Mary’s coat. eval aristocrats, the Counts of Celje. Combining the elements of air, fire, water, This coat of arms started to represent Slov- and earth, the coat of arms is meant to con- enia in 1991, so it is a relative newcomer in nect the country with the cosmos around it. Slovenian life and heritage. Marko Pogačnik, However great the descriptions and stories a sculptor, was chosen to carry out the assign- are, in the beginning not everyone agreed ment of designing it. His idea was not based that the coat of arms gave this new country solely on history but also took into account a of mountains, sea, and fresh air all the con- holistic approach to the territory and energy fidence it deserved, but now everyone feels a :: :: of Slovenian identity. connection to it. :: :: The coat of arms’magic number with three stars, three colors and PLAY OF TRIANGLES Geometrically speaking, the Slovenian shield is composed around two triangles: three peaks of Mount Triglav. the celestial and the terrestrial triangles. Their tips meet at the lowest of the three stars. Mount Triglav is also made up of three triangles. 10/11 HAVE YOU HEARD? :: Each stanza of Zdravljica is a carmen figuratum, NATIONAL ANTHEM shaped like a wine glass. :: :: VISION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE Slovenia’s national anthem uses part of the The poem was proclaimed the anthem of poem called Zdravljica, which can be trans- Slovenia in 1989, when Slovenia was still lated as a toast. It was originally a drink- part of Yugoslavia. That same year it was ing song with a strong political undertone also proclaimed that the official tune of the of Slovenia’s unity. Although some people anthem would be the choral composition by believe the national anthem uses the entire Stanko Premrl, who set Zdravljica to music poem, officially it is just the seventh stanza, for the first time in 1905. When Slovenia the only one everyone knows by heart and became independent, it kept both the words sings when the occasion arises.