Ljubljana Castle

by Lorcan Murray (Netherlands)

I didn't expect to find Slovenia

Ljubljana Castle sits atop the aptly named Castle Hill overlooking the Old Town. Presumably, it was not called Castle Hill before the castle was built otherwise that is an impressive piece of normative determinism. The hill sits in the middle of a bend in the Ljubljanica river that flows through the centre of the city, over which the famous Triple Bridge strides. Its position makes it a fantastically defensive position so it is little wonder that a decision was made to build a castle here in the Middle Ages. The Romans called Ljubljana Emona, originally a Castrum - or a fort - becoming a Colonia - the highest status of Roman settlement - in 49AD, symbollising that the Romans were aware of the strategic importance this land offered. From Roman fort to capital city, Ljubljana nestles peacefully in the view of the Julian Alps guarded watchfully by the castle, where its flag proudly flies from the tower. It was to this castle I climbed the hill, forgoing the funicular railway to stretch my legs and work off the Illyrian pasta and wine from dinner the night before. It is not a challenging climb as it is mostly wooded, shading you from even the most extreme of summer heat. The short climb from Stari Trg being perhaps my favourite as it allows you to wander through the bustling shopping street selling antique watches, children's wooden toys, as well as the usual city themed tourist wares, before beginning the climb and the route offers you a sense of discovery through its narrow winding lane. It would also be a great way to finish, as you could refresh in one of the restaurants serving everything from Thai to local seafood or cafes that flank the street, or go over to one of the bars next to the river. However you approach the castle, and you may climb several routes, you will always enter it through the same main gate, ascending through the ramp through the portcullis. It strikes you as a quintessentially, almost fairy tale, medieval castle, but unlike Neuschwanstein that inspired Disney, this was constructed in the 11th century. Admittedly, the majority of buildings date to the 16th and 17th centuries but this does not detract from its charm. The narrow ramped entrance opens up to a large circular courtyard that houses a gift shop and a restaurant offering uninspired pasta dishes as well as stairs up to the ramparts for a good view to the north of the city. This part of the castle is free to enter but you must pay to see the several museums, exhibitions, and the tower. A combination ticket is available. On this occasion I was interested only in the tower as I wanted a full unobstructed 360 degree view of the picturesque Ljubljana and Slovenia all the way to the Alps in the north west, and the forests to the south. Standing on top of the tower were several other visitors. It is best to visit early in the morning for fantastic light and least numbers in the high season. From these visitors I heard an Irish accent from a middle-aged man. Being Irish myself and hoping he may oblige my request for a photo of myself on the tower. He happily agreed and after doing the deed the natural question arose as to where we were from, being both Irish. We were from opposite sides of the country but, as is so often the case, I happened to know someone from his town: my uncle who was a Gárda, long retired now. Wouldn’t you know it, he knew him! He gave quite the laugh when he learnt he was my uncle. The man used to get into all manner of mischief as a kid that would result in my uncle giving him a telling off! It is not uncommon for two Irish people to have a common connection, but atop the tower of Ljubljana Castle under the city’s flag, was certainly a new one.