Ljubljana Cathedral

Ljubljana Cathedral, dedicated to St Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors and boatmen, stands on the edge of the old town, beside the market and a short walk from the river, and its green copper dome and twin towers are among the best-known sights in the skyline of the city. The site has been a place of worship since the Middle Ages, and the present church is the result of several rebuildings. A Gothic church replaced an earlier Romanesque one, and in the early eighteenth century the building was thoroughly remodelled in the Baroque style, so that the interior and the exterior now give the impression of a unified Baroque hall church. Ljubljana became the seat of a bishop in 1461, and the church became a cathedral, a status it has kept since.

The Baroque reconstruction was designed with the involvement of Andrea Pozzo, the Jesuit painter and architect from Italy known for his illusionistic ceilings, and it follows the Roman model of a church with a wide nave and side chapels. The interior is richly decorated with frescoes and stucco, and the most striking paintings on the vault were made by the Italian artist Giulio Quaglio in the early eighteenth century, with scenes from the life of St Nicholas and other saints. The dome, added in the nineteenth century, was painted by the Slovene artist Matevž Langus, and it provides the central focus of the building. Marble altars, statues and angels, some by well-known Baroque sculptors, add to the splendour, and the pulpit and the choir stalls are fine examples of the craftsmanship of the period.

Visitors will also notice modern additions. The bronze doors of the main entrance, made in the late twentieth century, carry reliefs that tell the history of Christianity in Slovenia and were created in connection with the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1996, and the side doors, finished a few years later, show scenes from the history of the diocese and of the bishops of Ljubljana. These works show how the cathedral has continued to grow with new art. The side entrance gives a view of the market square, where the Central Market is held every day.

The cathedral is an active church, with services several times a day, and visitors are welcome outside service times, though they should dress respectfully and keep quiet. Entry is generally free, and opening hours vary, so it is best to check in advance. It is easy to combine with other sights in the old town. Ljubljana Castle looks down from its hill, the Butchers' Bridge and the Dragon Bridge cross the river, and the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, Congress Square and Križanke lie nearby. The City Museum of Ljubljana and the Free Walking Tour give more background.