Joze Plečnik left a lasting mark on three Central European cities: Vienna, Prague, and Ljubljana. Upon returning to Ljubljana from Vienna in 1921, Plečnik accepted the post of professor at the newly established University of Ljubljana and focused all his creative energies to designing the city. The so-called Plečnik’s Ljubljana, a unique example of urban planning, is considered to be one of the 20th century’s most important total works of art.

In designing Ljubljana, the nation’s new capital, Plečnik tried to use modern approaches while modelling the city on ancient Athens. His style, innovative even by today’s standards, is characterized by the use of classical architectural elements, such as pillars, lintels, balustrades and colonnettes, redesigned and combined in the master architect’s own special way.

A little bit of Athens in the colonnaded river front to the public market.

One of several signature bridges, the Dragon Bridge.

France Prešeren, Slovenian’s national poet, honored in his eponymous central square.