Ljubljana’s landmarks designed by architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957), including the Triple Bridge, Congress Square and Žale Cemetery, have been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in line with a decision adopted by the World Heritage Committee on 28 July 2021.
As Kenneth Frampton wrote: “Due to his exceptional creativity and discreet innovativeness, Plečnik was able to create one of the most poetic works of the 20th century, which did not conform to any of the architectural trends of the time.“
The landmarks, among others, include the Triple Bridge, Congress Square, and Žale Cemetery, except for the Bežigrad Stadium. You can read more about Plečniks creations in Ljubljana here and here.
In designing Ljubljana, the nation’s new capital, Plečnik tried to use modern approaches while modeling the city on ancient Athens. His style, innovative even by today’s standards, is characterized by the use of classical architectural elements, such as pillars, lintels, balustrades, and colonnettes, redesigned and combined in the master architect’s own special way.
Slovenia already has four entries in the World Heritage List – ancient and primaeval beech forests of the Carpathians, the heritage of mercury in Idrija, prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, and the Škocjan Caves.