Old Town, Ljubljana

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Ribji trg (Fish Square) is a very small square beside the river that can be reached by walking down a narrow passageway from opposite the Town Hall. The square has a nice fountain in it and is the where you will find the oldest house (1528) in Ljubljana, which is now a cafe-bar called Abecedarium.

Stari Trg, the old square is more a street than a suqare. It leads parallely to Cankarjevo Nabrezje and Gallusovo Nabrezje from the end of Mestni Trg to Levstikov/Gornji Trg. The street suffered fom deterioration for a long time, but most buildings were refurbished in the 1990s and early 2000s. Now, the street is famous for its old style shops and a large number of bars, cafés and restaurants. A couple of nice buildings are not be noticed, including Schweiger House (see my separate tip about that one).

Check out the tips about Levstikov Trg to find some information about the southern end of Stari Trg. They have their own VT category.

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Ribji Trg, the fish square, is a small square in the old town of Ljubljana close to the Ljubljanica river. It has a small fountain in the middle and is surrounded by bars and cafés. The eastern end of Ribji Trg has a small passage leads to Mestni Trg and the town hall.

Ribji Trg No. 2, where you will find the Abecedarium Café, is the oldest house in Ljubljana. It was built in 1528 by the mayor and merchat Wolfgang Bosch whose coat of arms is still visible above the main door. In 1562, the author of the first book written in Slovenian language, Primoz Tubar, lived in this house. The book was called .... the Abecedarium!

To find out more about the Abecedarium Café, please check out my restaurants tips.

Schweiger House is more famous because of its small story behind it than for its baroque / rococo architecture. The house is from the 17th with its facade dating from the 18th century. Above the large portal, you will find a figure of the acient greek god Atlas supporting the balcony. He has the finger over his lips as a symbol of the house owner (Schweiger means "the silent one" in German).

Although the house is number 13, it has no number on it. So here comes the legend in: Once upon a time, bordellos were traditionally located in houses number 13 in the old town. But as Mr. Schweiger did not maintain one and was not interested in getting in conacts with "clients", he ordered to construct the figure of Atlas. So the figure has not only its symbolic character, but also tells people to be silent - as a kind of hint that there is no bordello in the house. Can anyone confirm this legend?

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Just behind the river on the castle side is Stari Trg, the oldest street in the city, and about the only clear row of buildings to have survived the 19th century earthquake which flattened the city. Here the city as it was in centuries past is preserved, along with plenty of the cities best cafes, shops and bars.

This is actually the copy of the renaissance fountain dated back to the 17th century.
This beautiful fauntain is located in Levstikov trg (square) in front of Stiski dvorec (mansion) in the old part of the town - you can't miss it.

An interesting gate into Ljubljana from the east side. The building is situated close to the old part of Ljubljana. It can be a start point to explore the old part of the city, with many interesting buildings, countless bars, restaurants, shops...

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What I enjoyed most was walking around in the old town. I liked the colors, the smells, people and food. You can visit whatever you want but take your time for just walking and experiencing the "normal-life" of Ljubljana. I found something relaxing and happy in it.

The most beautiful part of Ljubljana is the Old Town (Stari grad). It's built on the banks of the Ljubljanica River.

There are a lot of beautiful old houses, great little shops, galleries, cafés...There's also the City Hall with the mayor's office nearby.

The old town of Ljubljana is lovely, next to the river Ljubljanica, with lots of old baroque houses, winding streets and street cafés. It’s mostly pedestrian area and nice to stroll around. Also you can reach the castle from the old town, there are some paths that lead you up the hill.