Ljubljana Fun Facts
Once upon a time, a fearsome dragon lived in the swamps around the Ljubljanica river.
At least that’s what the legends say…
Today, the dragon is the most recognizable sign of Ljubljana and can be found with bared teeth and spread wings on almost every flag, bridge or coat of arms in the city.
“From the twilight of ignorance to the light of knowledge and enlightenment” (Plečnik)
Ljubljana’s National Library greets visitors and students with a staircase with 32 black marble columns and leads them into a light-invaded wooded reading room.
What a magical place to study!
Green, greener, Ljubljana!
The city proudly holds the title of the European Green Capital 2016 and has certainly earned it. Being in a country that is 60% covered in woods, Ljubljana banned cars from its historical city centre and offers free rides in electrical cars for elderly people, tired tourists etc. instead. But not only that, city traffic is reduced by underground parking and public garbage disposal offer separate disposal of paper, plastics and glass.
Seven in one sweep…or should we say one flow?
Ljubljana’s city river certainly has an interesting riverbed as the water vanishes into the ground and then comes up again multiple times. Purporting to being a different river every time it comes back to the surface, people in different regions along the river have named it differently, thinking a new river has just been discovered. From Mount Snežnik to Trbuhovca, Obrh, Stržen, Rak, Pivka and Unica, the river finally surfaces as Ljubljanica – making it seven names in one flow.