Historic & Cultural Sights in Slovenia

Without doubt the charm of Slovenia lies in its diverse natural beauties the country can boast with ample historic and cultural sights too.

Some very old historic sites in Slovenia tell you about the tumultous past of the country. The oldest town Ptuj dates back to Roman times and the town also played an imprortant role in medieval times, the castles and churches still stand to testify this.

In Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital will enchant you with its compactness, beautiful and unusual architecture by Franceso Robba from the Renaissance era and by Jozef Plecnik from modern times.

Ancient Sites in Slovenia

The amber road in Roman times cut through in the Sava valley near Sempeter (Sempeter v Savinski dolini) where a Roman burial site was discovered with well-preserved tombtones of wealthy families living in Celeia.

The archeological site at Potočka zijalka cave provided shelter for prehistoric men about 20 000-40 000 years ago. The world's oldest flute found in Divje Babe is another proof of Slovenia's important play in historic times.

Castles

If you love castle hopping than you have one more reason to visit Slovenia. Most of the more than 500 castles, fortresses, manors have been nicely restored and many house museums, exhibitions or were turned it first cass hotels. Find out more about castles in Slovenia.

Ljubljana Castle, Bled Castle, Skofja Loka or Predjama Castle are only the best known Slovene castles, but a good number of other, lesser known fortresses. Read more about castles in Slovenia.

Musemus, Art Galleries in Slovenia

Around 200 museums display a wide array of historic and other types of collections. The World War I Museum in Kobarid was awarded Best European Museum by the Council of Europe in 1993. The Museum of Coal-Mining in Velenje is another interesting cultural sight in Slovenia where you'll be taken underground to a depth of 160 metres.

Numerous Art galleries and Museums of Fine Art offer a glimpse into Slovenia's rich artistic and clutural heritage. The largest ones include the National Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art in Ljubljana.

Architecture

Unique architecture found throughout Slovene cities and villages adds an exceptional appeal to the country. Lljubljana bears the marks of the talented architecture Joze Plecnik. The Architectural Museum in Ljubljana provides a coverage of the master's work.

Keep an open eye for renovated house facades while walking in towns. They represent an array of architectural styles from Romanesque, Baroque, Renaissance to Art Nouveau. In Slovenia's coastal towns (Piran, Izola, Koper) you'll find nice venetian style mansions in the old town centres.

Slovenia also has lost of example of creative folk architecture.

Thatched houses in the Prekmurje region or the wooden-shingle covered buildings in Soca valley tell you a lot about the vilalge people's architectural talents. The kozolec-s open, wooden hayracks dot the meadows throughout Slovenia. (Tomaz Hostnik leader of the Slovenian alternative music band, Laichbach committed suicide by hanging himself from a kozolec in 1982.)

Kozolec (hayrack9 in Slovenia

Religious Spots in Slovenia

From monasteries to Romanesque, Baroque and Renaissance churches and cathedrals Slovenia abounds in religious monuments. The oldest Latin manuscripts in Slovenia were found in the Sticna Monastery in central Slovenia. The Ptujska Gora pilgrimage church represents one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture.

Slovene Church

The Cathedral of St Nicholas in Ljubljana form the beginning of 18th century demonstrates a larger scale of religious monuments in Slovenia.

St Nicholas Cathedral Ljubljana