It must be the Danube…, that was the conclusion of a group of tourists standing at the riverbanks in the city centre of Ljubljana. Being asked for it, a patient Slovene explained that the river’s name was Ljubljanica. But they concluded that he did not understand the question. By the way, his English was much better than theirs. But for them… Danube it was!
It shows that the 41 km long Ljubljanica is clearly not the most renown river in Europe. But it is definitely one of the nicest, as, by the way, its name suggests.
The river only gets its name in Vrhnika, after the confluence of several rivers, mostly emerging in the Karts underground (Prezidsko polje). After about 30 kilometres it reaches Ljubljana where it largely contributes to today’s charm and vividness.
To tame a river.
However, before the 18th century the river was not always that lovely. Floods and dangerous rapids were a regular burden till locals decided to regulate and embed the river. First a short cut, called the Gruber Kanal, had to be made allowing to drain the river, deepen and canalize it in the city center. This whole operation lasted for more than 111 years, because of a long 83 years stand still. Work was only to be finished only in 1936.
At that moment the masterplan of Plečnik was already shaping contemporary Ljubljana.
The central Mary’s square was enlarged substantially. Today we know this place as Prešeren square. Several buildings were removed, amongst which an iconic inn called Pri Bučarju,
Together with the famous Triple Bridge (Tromostovje, build in 1932) the most charming location in Ljubljana was a fact. The first (wooden) bridge was already there in 1280,. It was later replaced by a stone one. But it was again Plečnik who gave the bridge its current shape by adding two more pedestrian bridges and integrating it into the nearby gallery with stairs leading to the riverbanks and terrasses. Fun fact … it is said that the upgrade of the bridge was paid by the Austrian authorities who were tricked to believe the bridge was damaged by the 1895 earthquake.
The revolutionary redesign of the city, emerging from the above demolition, gave Ljubljana its glamour for the years to follow, but at the end of previous century, the city started to lose its charm, suffering from pollution, lack of renovation and people leaving the city centre. Luckily the Ljubljana City Council decided to invest more than 20 million in renovation and promotion of local business and tourism. Downtown city was closed for traffic and gradually the banks of the river were renovated, new bridges were added, after which lively bars and classy restaurants emerged.
The hand of Plečnik.
Intensive promotion and several classy events have turned Ljubljana again into an attractive destination for tourists and again the Ljubljanica plays a very special role in this successful remount. Today both inhabitants and tourists can enjoy a long and peaceful walk and watch tourist boats, kayaks or sups pass by.
But one of the most special “river events” is the volleyball … on the river. Played by night the light effects, music and dances add to the already sensational experience. Thanks to these efforts, Ljubljana has become again a hotspot a capital city worthy. Unfortunately, tourism is not always a blessing and so recently locals demand measures to avoid overload, as is the case in may touristic locations.
A special price for persistence
Water under the bridge.
Which brings us back to the tourists above. After some discussion, they turned to me to seek confirmation of their mistake. Now it was my turn to explain that the Danube is hundreds of kilometers more to the north and never enters Slovenia. Still, they were not convinced, and I decided not to spend more time on the subject… You know, eventually the Ljubljanica will reach the Danube be it through the Sava. So, I rested my case. Consider it water under the(Tromostovje) bridge.
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