Slovenia - Eastern Europe - page 660

gorgeous Secessionist building dating from 1903. This is roughly the heart of the Old
Town, where young people meet to start their day (often on the steps of the Francis-
can Church ), or the night—often heading one way or another across Triple Bridge
(Tromostovje) to get to their favorite riverside drinking spot. Across Triple Bridge you
can take a left turn (at the Tourist Information Center) to reach the colonnaded cov-
ered promenade of the daily crafts market; alternatively, after crossing the bridge,
continue on Stritarjeva, where you soon hit Mestni trg, marked by the recently
restored Robba's Fountain (Robbov Vodnjak), completed in 1751 and celebrating
the confluence of the three Carniolan rivers (the Ljubljanica, the Sava, and the Krka).
The fountain is just in front of the Town Hall (Magistrat), which you can visit for
free; exhibitions are occasionally held in the interior courtyard. Medieval Mestni trg is
a defining part of Old Town, as is Stari trg (Old Square) at its southern, narrowing
end. Together, Mestni and Stari squares form a lively pedestrian cobblestone avenue
lined with shops, restaurants, and cafes, and culminating with the massive early-17th-
century St. James' Church.
As Mestni trg curves east, you'll notice the looming Cathedral of St. Nicholas ,
An important religious building in the baroque style, defined by its high dome and
massive bell towers. Started in 1701, the cathedral was designed by Andrea Pozzo; its
interiors are famous for frescoes by Quaglio, depicting miraculous moments in the life
of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of all seafaring people. Worth a look are the bronze
sculpted church doors, added for the 1996 visit of Pope John Paul II (whose image
can be seen looking over the history of Slovene Christianity on the main doors).
Adjacent the cathedral is the Market , another of Ple c nik's designs. Just north of
the market, crossing the Ljubljanica out of Old Town, is Zmajski Most (Dragon's
Bridge) , designed by Jurij Zaninovich and completed in 1901, four fabulously
sculpted dragons that adorn each corner of the bridge. Just beyond the bridge, if you
head east along Trubarjeva cesta, you'll encounter a distinctive student culture, with a
succession of cheap cafes, adventure companies, and New Age shops such as the hemp-
based cosmetics outfit, Extravaganja. Turn off Trubarjeva into Vidovdanska cesta,
which soon gives way to interesting Metelkova, an area experiencing progressive urban
renewal, and a heady nightlife. Formerly the barracks of the JNA (Yugoslav People's
Army), the buildings that comprise the Metelkova project have been reclaimed to serve
as a center of alternative youth and student culture; the project is famous thanks to Cel-
ica , a prison-turned-hostel, known for its artistically renovated cells (see “Where to
Stay,” earlier in this chapter); nonresidents can call & 01/430-1890 to arrange a visit.
Near the Celica is Metelkova's highbrow Slovene Ethnographic Museum
(Metelkova 2; & 01/300-8745/00; www.etno-muzej.si), which sheds light on the
relationship between humankind and the multitudinous objects that make up our
world, be they part of survival, evolution, or everyday existence. You can join the pot-
tery workshops that are held in the trendy-looking studio near the entrance. Or, bet-
ter still, grab a drink at the cool new cafe-bar (called S.E.M. ) at the entrance.
Back in Old Town, on the western side of the river, Kongresni trg (Congress
Square) is a fine urban park named in honor of the Congress of the Holy Alliance,
for which it was laid out in 1821. Of note around the square are the Ursuline Church
(1726), the Kazina (a 19th-c. establishment hangout), the fin de siècle University
building, and the contemporaneous Slovenska filharmonija (Slovene Philharmonic
Hall) , which is the headquarters of the country's celebrated Philharmonic Orches-
tra, which traces its root to the 1701 Academia Philharmonicorum, making it one of
the world's oldest music societies.