Bezigrad Walking Tour

Bežigrad, though officially part of the city center, is rarely visited by tourists, other than businessmen visiting the various corporate offices located in the district. Admittedly, there is not much of interest to the average tourist here, but what is of interest are numerous interesting examples of modern architecture and a smattering of hip bars, cafes and restaurants. Unfortunately, many of the key attractions are spread out over a large distance with little of consequence in between. Trekkers are recommended to start this tour with at least two bus tokens in their pocket, since walking from the center to the World Trade Center and back is not for the faint of heart. That said, Bežigrad is definitely worth a look, if for no other reason than to see a decidedly different face of Ljubljana from the usual tourist trail.

At the turn of the 20^th century, Bežigrad was little more than a sprawling village detached from the rest of the city by the rail line. It consisted primarily of residential villas and early industrial complexes, as well as the large cemetery of St. Christopher’s Church (Cerkev Sv. Krištofa). A development plan was devised in 1929 by famous Slovene architect Jože Plečnik, and by the end of the Second World War the entire area (especially the stretch along Dunajska cesta) had become one big construction site. Today, Bežigrad is home to many of Ljubljana’s most important examples of 20th century architecture.

The tour starts just across the train tracks from Slovenska cesta where Slovenska becomes Dunajska cesta, at the Convention Center (#1., Gospodarske razstavlišče).

The Convention Center was the first important building to go up in Ljubljana after World War Two, and its construction required that the St. Christopher cemetery be removed. Its various halls were built between 1954 and 1967, in various styles and using various techniques innovative at the time. The whole complex was designed to show the technical prowess and economic strength of what was then the newly-formed Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia.

From here, walk up Dunajska until you see the Konstrukta business center (#2., Poslovna stavba Konstrukta, Dunajska 29) across the street. This office tower was built from 1964 to 1965 according to a plan by the architect Milan Mihelič and is one of the most important 20th century buildings in the city. Next door is Bežigrad Gallery (#3., Bežigrajska galerija, Dunajska 31. Mon-Fri 10:00 – 13:00 and 16:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 13:00).

From the Razstavlišče bus stop near the Convention Center, take bus #6 or #8 to the WTC/Smelt stop. You will now be in front of the Ljubljana World Trade Center (#4., Dunajska 160).

Before exploring the WTC, however, make sure to take a look northward across the highway. Here, the city seems to end abruptly, with the red spire of a church poking out of what appears to be a small village on the edge of the city. From here, the view of the surrounding mountains is also worth noticing.

The World Trade Center was built in 1993, and today it is Ljubljana's financial heart. The tower is complimented by the Smelt office building and the Grand Media Hotel Ljubljana (Dunajska 156), the newest high-class hotel in the city. Just behind the WTC is the Ljubljana World Trade Center Shopping Gallery and a line of shops, bars and restaurants. Be sure to check out the interesting public sculptures and fountains scattered around the complex, including the peculiar Venus fountain.

From here, walk down Dunajska in the direction of the city center, and on the corner of Dunajska and Županova you will see a building (#5., Dunajska 148) which, though unidentified by the local tourist board, is nevertheless rather interesting. The building is currently vacant and not in the best of shape, but its design is unique in Ljubljana and has a distinctly Barcelona feel, thanks to the metal waves attached to the facade that evoke Gaudi, and the clock on the corner facing Dunajska that seems to be melting off of the building a la Dali.

From here, as you walk towards the center of town you will see on your left the Ljubljana-Stožice Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (#6., Župnija Ljubljana Stožice Sv. Duha, Dunajska 134).

A few blocks further, (Bus #6/8, Mercator stop) you will see steps leading down to an underpass going across Dunajska. If you go down on this side of Dunajska you will find a cafe called Pika.Com (#6., Dunajska 106) and, across the underpass, Okrepčevalnica Mercator (#7., Dunajska 107), which is oddly stylish for a snack bar connected to a department store. Either is a good spot to take a break. Just behind Pika.Com are the Faculties of Social Studies, Pedagogy and Economics of the University of Ljubljana, all on Kardeljeva ploščad (Kardelj Square).

Make sure you’re back on the side of Dunajska where you started, and continue down in the direction of the center until you see Dimičeva ulica. Make a left, and a little way down the street on your left you will see the Chamber of Commerce (#8., Gospodarska Zbornica Slovenije, Dimičeva 13). This building went up between 1998 and 1999, and is the first major project built by the latest generation of Slovene architects (dubbed the Sixpack Generation). In this case, it was the firm of Sadar and Vuga. The building has become a favorite of international architecture and design magazines, such as the UK’s Wallpaper.

Now, walk back out to Dunajska, cross to the other side and once again take Bus #6 or 8 from the Mercator bus stop, getting off at the Astra stop. On the way, you will pass by Jože Plečnik’s Bežigrad stadium (#9., Bežigrajski stadion) on your right with fantastic graffiti covering its outer wall, and, a little further down, the offices of the Krka pharmaceutical company, which include a gallery (#9., Galerija Krka, Dunajska 65, Mon-Fri 8:00-17:00). If you are interested in art, it might be worth taking a right turn off of Dunajska and checking out Bežigrajska galerija II (#10., Vodovodna ulica 3) as well. Vodovodna ulica is also home to the central church of Bežigrad, Ss. Cyril and Methodius (#11., Cerkev Sv. Cirila in Metoda).

If you have continued through to the Astra stop, then you are now in front of the Astra business center (#12., Poslovno trgovski center Astra, Dunajska 47-53). This complex of two office towers and shops also houses Slovenia's Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning. Astra was built from 1963-1970 by Savin Sever as part of a plan to extend “downtown” Ljubljana northwards along Dunajska; as you can tell, the plan has only partially succeeded. Be sure to check out the retro sign on top of the southernmost tower.

Across the street is the new shopping center Bežigrad Dvor (#13., Dunajska 56). Cross the street and walk along Linhartova street a short distance and make a right onto Železna ulica. Linhartova can look bleak, but it's worth it. Walk down one block to Kocbekova, make a left and then make a right onto [tihova ulica. You have now left Bežigrad, since the area between Vilharjeva and Linhartova is properly called @upančičeva jama. Here you will find several bars and restaurants, including Che Bar (#14., [tihova 11), which, though dedicated to Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara, nevertheless features a wall dedicated to Yugoslavia’s own revolutionary, Josip Broz Tito.

From here, continue down [tihova, make a right onto Vilharjeva and walk until you see Navje cemetery (#15) on your right. Though the cemetery dates to the 18^th century, it was redesigned in 1937-1938 by Jože Plečnik. Most of the headstones were relocated, but Plečnik saw fit to keep his own parents’ in their original location (plot 77). Famous Slovenes buried at Navje include the poet and governor of Napoleon’s Illyrian Provinces, Valentin Vodnik (plot 16), and prominent 19^th century politician Anton Korošec (plot 23).

Continue along Vilharjeva, and you will soon find an underpass taking you to the train station, where the tour ends.

Note: Ljubljana Walking Tour #1, covering Ljubljana's museum district, can be found on the Ljubljana Life website at: www.ljubljanalife.com.

Points of Interest:

BEŽIGRAD GALLERIES

Bežigrad Gallery (Bežigrajska galerija).

Dunajska 31

Free admission

Mon - Fri 10:00 - 13:00 and 17:00 - 20:00

Sat 10:00 - 13:00

Tel. 01-436-6957

Bežigrad Gallery II (Bežigrajska galerija II)

Vodovodna ulica 3

Free admission

Mon - Fri 10:00 - 13:00 and 17:00 - 20:00

Sat 10:00 - 13:00

Tel. 01-436-4057

Krka Gallery (Galerija Krka)

Dunajska 65

Free admission

Mon-Fri 8:00-16:00

Tel. 01-475-1375

SPECIAL EVENTS

Convention Center (Gospodarske Razstavlišce)

Dunajska 10

www.ljubljanski-sejemsi

BARS/RESTAURANTS

Pika Com

Dunajska 106

Mon - Fri 6:30 - 21:00

Sat 8:00 - 11:00

Okrepčevlnica Mercator

Dunajska 107

Mon - Fri 13:00 - 18:00

Che Bar

Štihova 11

Mon - Sat 6:30 - 22:00

Sun 12:00 - 22:00

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