Prešeren Square

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Prešeren Square is the town square of the capital of Slovenia – Ljubljana. It is a great pedestrian attraction with a river that flows down the center surrounded by a lot of greenery. There are many shops and restaurants overlooking the beautiful river. In addition to shops offering local goods, there are also stores selling brand name designer fashion items. Similarly, the restaurants range from fresh local foods to international offerings like American and Asian.

There are friendly locals and tourists around the square, but it is very relaxed. This attraction is not as busy as some other major attractions in Europe and everything is a bit cheaper than some of the other major tourist attractions. This area hosts festivals, the Ljubljana carnival, concerts, sports, political, protests, and other events.

Prešeren Square is full of culture and history.

Prešeren Square was first known as the St. Mary’s Square in the 17th century. The name stemmed from the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation which still resides there. However, its appearance has undergone several changes since that period. The horrific Ljubljana earthquake of 1895 caused a lot of damage to the area. As a result, the crossroad was converted into a paved square to be the hub of the four surrounding streets. This is when the square truly transformed from a crossroad to an attraction. Although there were these concrete changes, the original medieval theme prevails. Interestingly, there was a plan which proposed to put a fountain in the square, but was not accepted by residents of the city.

The square is also home to the Prešeren Statue of the greatest Slovene poet, France Prešeren. It was designed by architect Maks Fabiani and sculptor Ivan Zajc, and put on display in Fall of 1905. It currently stands at the eastern side of Prešeren Square. Additionally, you will see numerous flags and statues around the square commenting the Slavic Dragon.

Prešeren Square is truly a hidden gem of Slovenia, but also Europe!