From Laibach to Ljubljana, Slovenia (2 photos)

Photo 1:  Historical Laibach

This is Congress Square, where in 1821 the rulers of the great European powers (in particular Russia and Austria) met to discuss the means of suppressing the revolutionary movements which had broken out in Europe. 

The Square already existed, but it was reconstructed and embellished in honour of the Congress.  The building used for the great powers' meetings, sited at the corner of the Square, no longer exists.

Just to its left, and in the center of the photo, is the town's Philharmonic building.  The members of this prestigious institution included Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms and the violinst Paganini. Gustav Mahler was a conductor there in 1881-1882.  (The present building is one rebuilt in 1897 after a fire.)

The castle in the background dates back mainly to the 16th century, its predecessor had been destroyed by an earthquake.

Between the Square and the Castle are narrow streets on each side of a river, the Ljubljanica. 

There is no firm derivation of the town's name "Laibach".  It is known that this name already existed in the 13th century - perhaps the "-bach" element was simply taken from the German word "Bach" meaning a stream.


Photo 2:  Today's Ljubljana

In 1918, at the end of World War II, Laibach became independent of German/Austrian rule.  It became part of the newly created Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and its name was changed from Laibach to Ljubljana.  (In 1929 the name of this Kingdom was changed to Yugoslavia, the land of the South Slavs.)

In the foreground of this photograph the Ljubljanica river is seen below the Triple Bridge - of which you can see only two of the components. 
This is one of the finest works of the architect Jože Plečnik.  More on this subject to follow in a later blip.....

Beyond the bridge is the large Prešeren Square: the raised statue of France Prešeren, Slovenia's favourite poet, is visible to the right of the square.  More on this will come later.....