Cross the bridges, sample the cuisine

Ranjita Biswas

A city with a dragon bridge. Must be in China, right? Wrong. It’s the most recognised symbol of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, a Baroque-style construction built in 1901. The bridge, guarded by four huge green dragons on either side, dominates the riverside, though there are many other bridges over the river Ljubljanica that bisects the city’s old and newer parts. The Butcher’s Bridge with love locks is another that catches your eye.

Slovenia is a small country. It was once a part of Yugoslavia before the breakup in the 1990s. It is picture-postcard pretty — no exaggeration. Ljubljana is equally so. In 2016, it was selected as the European Green Capital. The embankments on both sides of Ljubljanica do not allow cars. With cobblestone paths, skirted by weeping willows and lined with outdoor cafes, restaurants and ice-cream parlours, this is a happy place to hang around, both for the locals and tourists. The idea of turning this area into a pedestrian-friendly hub came from Slovenia’s celebrated urban planner Jože Plenik.

Next is the Triple Bridge, a popular meeting point. Built between 1929-32, Plenik added two side bridges meant for pedestrians to the original stone bridge to make it ‘triple’. He furnished the three bridges with stone balustrades and lamps. From each of the side bridges, two stairways lead to terraces situated just above the river, where poplar trees were planted to contribute to the overall appearance of the bridge.

Next to the bridge is the Preseren Square, built in the 17th century, always throbbing with life. It’s crowned by the Baroque style Franciscan Church of the Annunciation dedicated to Saint Mary. In fact, the square was earlier known as St. Mary’s Square. For the locals though, the church is simply the ‘pink lady’, perhaps because of the pink façade. There is a romantic association to the church too. France Preseren, the greatest Slovenian poet, after whom this square is named, saw his love Julija Primic here. In 1895, there was a huge earthquake. Later, architect Max Fabiani designed the square as a meeting point of four streets. The Prešeren Monument depicts the poet and the muse of his poetry, holding a sprig of laurel. The statue symbolically faces the statue of Julija Primic, mounted on the facade of a building located across the square in the Wolfovaulica street.

From here, walk up the Mklosicevulica street, leading to the railway station, and savour the beautiful facades of buildings. The castle on a hillock is not far from this area either. One can climb up on foot, or take the funicular or the tourist road train to get a spectacular view of the city and the river below. Plenik’s touch is also evident in the Central Market laid out in 1930s with colonnades and space for selling vegetables and everyday household needs on the embankment. Something is always happening in this market place, like food festivals, boutique style exhibition cum sale counters, etc. Another of Plenik’s creation is the beautiful National and University Library.

Ljubljana is also famous for its cuisine. It draws on local flavours as well as influences from outside as the country is located in the middle of Mediterranean and high Alps region of Europe. Ljubljana is one of the smallest capitals in Europe. A blessing for the visitors who like to explore a place on foot. A good idea is to sign up for a walking tour that usually starts at the Town Hall. The guide can give you an idea of the historical parts.

The place could be explored using a boat as well. You sail underneath some of the signature bridges like the Cobbler’s Bridge, enjoy the serene ambience of this green city, and look rather enviously at the young people sitting around on steps lining the river. If you come from a polluted city, wave at visitors in other boats and the sailing teams whishing by and regret a bit that it’s time to leave for home. But you can always carry the memories of pretty Ljubljana on the journey.