Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg)

Prešeren Square is the social heart of Ljubljana. The broad space in front of the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation is where locals meet, where concerts and events are held, and where the city feels most alive. The pink Franciscan facade closes the northern end; the Triple Bridge and the river lie to the east; Čop Street extends west toward Tivoli Park.

The monument to France Prešeren — Slovenia's national poet — stands at the centre of the square. It is impossible to walk through Ljubljana without crossing this space several times. In summer the square is animated; in December a Christmas market fills it.

things to do sight
A story
The statue of France Prešeren — the poet whose 'Zdravljica' became Slovenia's national anthem — caused a minor scandal when it was unveiled in 1905. Local church authorities objected to the female figure representing the Muse, whose gaze falls directly on the window of the house where Prešeren's unrequited love, Julija Primic, had lived. The arrangement was deliberate: the sculptor positioned the Muse to ensure Prešeren's poetic gaze would follow Julija forever.