A quick list of Ljubljana’s MUST SEE buildings
Visiting Ljubljana? Like in any other place, it’s good to know what you’re looking at! 
Vurnik House
The Vurnik House, or the Cooperative Business Bank building, is Ljubljana’s most colorful house and a masterpiece of Slovenian Art Nouveau architecture. The structure is work of Slovenian architect Ivan Vurnik and his Viennese-born wife Helena, who painted the exterior of the building. In 2022 Vurnik House will be celebrating its 100th birthday.
What a beauty!
Grand Hotel Union
Just opposite the Vurnik House, the Grand Hotel Union stands. This is Ljubljana’s first modern hotel. At the time it was built (between 1903 and 1905) it had the largest hall in the whole Balkans. Wow! The entire building, both its façade and interior furnishings, is in the Art Nouveau style.
Fancy, indeed!
Urbanec House (Emporium Gallery)
Further down Miklošičeva Street, right at the corner you will spot a lovely building with display windows looking like a department store. Well, that’s because it is a department store. Urbanec House (today’s Emporium Gallery) was the first department store in Ljubljana. It dates to the early 20th century (the year on the entrance is 1903). This building represents one of the finest complete works of Art Nouveau in Ljubljana.
It represents some of the finest shopping, too!
Hauptmann House
If you’re in Ljubljana centre, around the Prešeren Square, you can’t miss this one either. The Hauptmann House just looks very special. Some fascinating history, too. Such as that it was one of the few Ljubljana houses not to have been destroyed by the 1895 Ljubljana earthquake. After the earthquake its owner merchant Adolf Hauptmann thought to renovate the building in the style of back then very fashionable Viennese Secession.
Still looks fashionable to me!
Krisper House (a.k.a. House Gustav Mahler)
Gustav Mahler (1860 -1911) is undoubtedly one of the greatest conductors and composers of all time. But in a way it all began in Ljubljana. As a 21-year-old talented musician from Vienna Mahler arrived to Ljubljana to take up his first conducting post at what is now the Slovenian Philharmonic. While in Ljubljana (September 1881 – April 1882) Mahler boarded in a house with the parents of his Slovenian classmate and friend from Vienna Anton Krisper.
National and University Library (NUK)
The National and University Library (locally known as NUK) is one of the most significant works of famous Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957). It was built during unpleasant times just before the Second World War, in 1941, and was damaged in 1944 due to a fall of a military airplane. After the war the building was repaired.
NUK is considered one of the country’s most important educational institutions and houses over 2.6 million books, including a rich collection of medieval manuscripts and Renaissance prints.
Some more buildings worth seeing:
SNT Drama Ljubljana
The Slovenian National Drama Theatre of Ljubljana (SNT Drama Ljubljana) is Slovenia’s main dramatic theatre. Its repertoire includes both classic plays and contemporary stage works.
Ljubljana Town Hall
The building and its clock tower are the most beautiful examples of Ljubljana’s architectural baroque style.
Slovenian Philharmonic
The Slovenian Philharmonic building’s heritage goes back to the Academia Philharmonicorum, which was founded in Ljubljana in 1701 on the model of the Italian academies.
Ljubljana Skyscraper (Nebotičnik)
The Ljubljana Nebotičnik is one of the architectural icons of Ljubljana. When built in 1931, it was the seventh tallest building in Europe. The building was designed to house shops, restaurants, and residential apartments. Still today, the terrace of the café on the top of Nebotičnik offers stunning views reaching all the way to the Alps on a clear day.
Slovenian Parliament Building
The magnificent two-story entrance portal of the building portrays an allegory of the working people. The building, which was designed by Plečnik’s student Vinko Glanz, is a true architectural work of art.
Enjoy Ljubljana! You can see even more, by going out of the city centre. Here is our list of which 5 LJUBLJANA NEIGHBOURHOODS TO VISIT!
By Mari Podhrasky (@mari_podhrasky) / Twitter
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