Upon my arrival, I got my passport stamped for a couple of Euro. Walked around a bit, stopped in a cafe and took some photos of the Castle. I did not visit or go up to the Castle because it was private and occupied.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Liechtenstein
Time for another day trip. This one to Liechtenstein. I had a good breakfast and was ready to go. A scenic train ride along the lake and a short bus ride to the city of Vaduz. The sun was out so I was in much better spirits.
Upon my arrival, I got my passport stamped for a couple of Euro. Walked around a bit, stopped in a cafe and took some photos of the Castle. I did not visit or go up to the Castle because it was private and occupied.
Upon my arrival, I got my passport stamped for a couple of Euro. Walked around a bit, stopped in a cafe and took some photos of the Castle. I did not visit or go up to the Castle because it was private and occupied.
Zurich Sites
I have to be honest, the rain and lack of sunlight is getting me down. I decided to visit a few close to the hotel sites. I was just not in the mood for walking and getting wet. The Church of Charlemagne
Zurich.....
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Lujubana Night Walk
By now the drizzle is a part of this trip. I have a great hat that is water resistant so I am fine. I walk along the river and stop at the tourist information booth. Here I meet a couple and 3 kinds from Austria in for the weekend and looking for a place. Wow, how cool, with so many people and doing it on the fly. we chat a bit and I wish her luck as she and her family go off with a room listing.
I ramble on just checking out the night seen. it is quiet and the rain seems to have keep people out of doors. On trying to get back, I got lost but can across a sex shop so I had a great photo opportunity.
I ramble on just checking out the night seen. it is quiet and the rain seems to have keep people out of doors. On trying to get back, I got lost but can across a sex shop so I had a great photo opportunity.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Ljubinana Castle
Ljubljana Castle
Like most European cities, Ljubljana can trace its past back into the mists of time. Indeed, there is evidence of human settlement in the Ljubljana marshes dating back to 3900 BC. On the site where Ljubljana castle now stands, there is evidence of a pre-historic hill fort.
Ancient History
The site provides a great vantage point over the city, so it was a natural position for a defensive installation. There is some evidence that the Romans also built a fort on the site. Over time, the castle site has been built and demolished several times. The structure that can be seen today dates from 1335 AD. The castle is mentioned in records dating to 1144 AD, when it was the seat of the Counts of Spanheim, but it was probably constructed two centuries earlier. The castle became an hereditary property of the Hapsburgs in 1335 AD and controlled the Duchy of Carnolia. Duke Frederick III of Hapsburg oversaw the construction of a larger, circular structure in the later part of the 15th century. Most of the structure visible today dates from the 16th and 17th centuries, but Kapela sv. Jurija (The Chapel of St. George) is earlier, being consecrated in 1489.
Recent History
The castle served as a garrison until 1814 and was subsequently uses as a provincial prison. The outlook tower (Razgledni stolp) dates from 1841. A guard stationed there was responsible for firing a cannon which was used to herald important events or visitors and also served as a fire alarm. The castle was taken over by the Municipality of Ljubljana in 1905, principally to be used for cultural events, but it was also used as residential accommodation until 1964. Currently, the castle is administered by an event management company, Festival Ljubljana. It provides the backdrop to concerts, theatrical performances, exhibitions and some official functions.
In 2006, a funicular railway was constructed to take tourist up castle hill from the old town.
The ride up to the castle
the inner courtyard
the view below and I struggle to keep nt hat on my head....
Like most European cities, Ljubljana can trace its past back into the mists of time. Indeed, there is evidence of human settlement in the Ljubljana marshes dating back to 3900 BC. On the site where Ljubljana castle now stands, there is evidence of a pre-historic hill fort.
Ancient History
The site provides a great vantage point over the city, so it was a natural position for a defensive installation. There is some evidence that the Romans also built a fort on the site. Over time, the castle site has been built and demolished several times. The structure that can be seen today dates from 1335 AD. The castle is mentioned in records dating to 1144 AD, when it was the seat of the Counts of Spanheim, but it was probably constructed two centuries earlier. The castle became an hereditary property of the Hapsburgs in 1335 AD and controlled the Duchy of Carnolia. Duke Frederick III of Hapsburg oversaw the construction of a larger, circular structure in the later part of the 15th century. Most of the structure visible today dates from the 16th and 17th centuries, but Kapela sv. Jurija (The Chapel of St. George) is earlier, being consecrated in 1489.
Recent History
The castle served as a garrison until 1814 and was subsequently uses as a provincial prison. The outlook tower (Razgledni stolp) dates from 1841. A guard stationed there was responsible for firing a cannon which was used to herald important events or visitors and also served as a fire alarm. The castle was taken over by the Municipality of Ljubljana in 1905, principally to be used for cultural events, but it was also used as residential accommodation until 1964. Currently, the castle is administered by an event management company, Festival Ljubljana. It provides the backdrop to concerts, theatrical performances, exhibitions and some official functions.
In 2006, a funicular railway was constructed to take tourist up castle hill from the old town.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
The Dragon: History
The
Ljubljana dragon is part of the City of Ljubljana’s coat of arms. It
symbolises strength, courage and might. It is depicted on the Dragon
Bridge and on top of the castle tower on Ljubljana’s coat of arms.
The Ljubljana dragon may have its origins in the legend of Jason and the Argonauts. Once upon a time, Greek hero Jason and his Argonaut comrades stole a golden fleece, the coat of a golden ram, from the King of Colchis on the Black Sea. On board the Argo they fled their pursuers and found themselves at the mouth of the River Danube instead of going south towards the Aegean Sea and their Greek homeland. There was no way back, so they went on, up the Danube and then along the River Ljubljanica. They had to stop at the source of the Ljubljanica and overwintered here. They then took the Argo apart and in the spring carried it on their shoulders to the Adriatic coast, where they put it back together again and went on their way. According to the legend, on their arrival between what is now Vrhnika and Ljubljana, the Argonauts came across a large lake with a marsh alongside. Here lived a terrible marsh dragon that Jason killed after a heroic struggle. The monster would have been the Ljubljana dragon. It is said that Jason should have been the first real Ljubljana citizen.
There are two more realistic versions of the dragon story. According to the first, it was taken from St George, the patron saint of the castle chapel. On frescoes and statues George is often seen standing or riding while killing the dragon with a spear. The dragon in the legends of St George represents the ancient ancestral beliefs that the new Semitic religion – Christianity – defeated. Castle Hill was in ancient times a sacred place, where the bearers of a culture of cremation funerals had a stronghold and worshiped their god. When in the Middle Ages the foundations of today’s castle were put down, they also wanted to symbolically overcome the ancient beliefs, so they also dedicated the castle chapel to St George. Alternatively, in Slavic mythology the dragon represents the god Veles, opponent of the supreme thunder god Perun, the highest of the Slavic gods. In the Slavic religion, Perun was usually worshiped on a hill; Veles lower down, usually near a market place.
The first explanation is related to the second, that the dragon evolved from the decoration on the medieval city coat of arms that initially represented just the city walls or gates. The small animal, a decorative addition above the coat of arms, moved into the coat of arms in the Baroque period with the emergence of the tower and other symbolism in the 19th and especially the 20th centuries. The dragon was used as part of the coat of arms on numerous buildings owned by the city, and after the Second World War was used by various companies, from labels on beer bottles to the name of a torch factory or as a prize for achievements in fashion. It was even used on the packet of the well-known Ljubljana cigarettes Filter 57.
The Ljubljana dragon may have its origins in the legend of Jason and the Argonauts. Once upon a time, Greek hero Jason and his Argonaut comrades stole a golden fleece, the coat of a golden ram, from the King of Colchis on the Black Sea. On board the Argo they fled their pursuers and found themselves at the mouth of the River Danube instead of going south towards the Aegean Sea and their Greek homeland. There was no way back, so they went on, up the Danube and then along the River Ljubljanica. They had to stop at the source of the Ljubljanica and overwintered here. They then took the Argo apart and in the spring carried it on their shoulders to the Adriatic coast, where they put it back together again and went on their way. According to the legend, on their arrival between what is now Vrhnika and Ljubljana, the Argonauts came across a large lake with a marsh alongside. Here lived a terrible marsh dragon that Jason killed after a heroic struggle. The monster would have been the Ljubljana dragon. It is said that Jason should have been the first real Ljubljana citizen.
There are two more realistic versions of the dragon story. According to the first, it was taken from St George, the patron saint of the castle chapel. On frescoes and statues George is often seen standing or riding while killing the dragon with a spear. The dragon in the legends of St George represents the ancient ancestral beliefs that the new Semitic religion – Christianity – defeated. Castle Hill was in ancient times a sacred place, where the bearers of a culture of cremation funerals had a stronghold and worshiped their god. When in the Middle Ages the foundations of today’s castle were put down, they also wanted to symbolically overcome the ancient beliefs, so they also dedicated the castle chapel to St George. Alternatively, in Slavic mythology the dragon represents the god Veles, opponent of the supreme thunder god Perun, the highest of the Slavic gods. In the Slavic religion, Perun was usually worshiped on a hill; Veles lower down, usually near a market place.
The first explanation is related to the second, that the dragon evolved from the decoration on the medieval city coat of arms that initially represented just the city walls or gates. The small animal, a decorative addition above the coat of arms, moved into the coat of arms in the Baroque period with the emergence of the tower and other symbolism in the 19th and especially the 20th centuries. The dragon was used as part of the coat of arms on numerous buildings owned by the city, and after the Second World War was used by various companies, from labels on beer bottles to the name of a torch factory or as a prize for achievements in fashion. It was even used on the packet of the well-known Ljubljana cigarettes Filter 57.
Ljubljana Hotel Allego Review
Pros:
Center of town
Excellent service
great breakfast
quiet
great block
good WiFi because I think it was my ipad that has been having problem
good price
Cons:
I did not like the idea of selling umbrellas. I felt that should make them available to the quest which is a nice touch.
Center of town
Excellent service
great breakfast
quiet
great block
good WiFi because I think it was my ipad that has been having problem
good price
Cons:
I did not like the idea of selling umbrellas. I felt that should make them available to the quest which is a nice touch.
Ljubljana Day 2
Rain, and more rain...the streets glistening with the reflection of water on cobblestones. I had a large breakfast in the downstairs room. I was in no rush to go out but was happy I had my Borsalino hat that is water resistant, fold-able and looks awesome. I went to the front desk to help avert a crisis. I needed laundry and have been staying in small hotels with no laundry service. I never like to do it myself, but I have on the road. The front desk manager said he would take care of it personally---wow, great service.
I left the Hotel collar up, hat brim down heading to my first stop the Cathedral of St Nicholas:
The site of the Cathedral was originally occupied by a three-nave Romanic church whose earliest mention dates back to 1262. After the fire of 1361 it was re-vaulted in the Gothic style. When the Ljubljana Diocese was established in 1461, the church underwent several alterations and additions. In 1469 it was burnt down, presumably by the Turks.
Between 1701 and 1706, a new Baroque hall church with side chapels shaped in the form of the Latin cross was built to a design by the Jesuit architect Andrea Pozzo. As the church's dome was only built in 1841, originally a fake dome was painted on the arch above the centre of the cross. The surviving Baroque interior decoration notably includes frescoes by Giulio Quaglio (painted in the periods 1703-1706 and 1721-1723), Angelo Putti's statues of four bishops of Emona situated beneath the beams of the dome (1712-1713), Putti's painting of Dean Janez Anton Dolničar (1715), who initiated the rebuilding of the church in 1701, Francesco Robba's altar angels in the left part of the nave (1745-1750) and brothers Paolo and Giuseppe Groppelli's altar angels in the right part of the nave (1711).
A host of other works of art were added later. One of the more interesting is the dome fresco painted by Matevž Langus in 1844. The most outstanding 20th century additions include Tone Demšar's main entrance door relief depicting the history of Slovenia, commissioned to mark the 1250th anniversary of Christianity in Slovenia, and Mirsad Begić's side doors with portraits of bishops.
the view from the corner square up the block from my hotel.
I left the Hotel collar up, hat brim down heading to my first stop the Cathedral of St Nicholas:
The site of the Cathedral was originally occupied by a three-nave Romanic church whose earliest mention dates back to 1262. After the fire of 1361 it was re-vaulted in the Gothic style. When the Ljubljana Diocese was established in 1461, the church underwent several alterations and additions. In 1469 it was burnt down, presumably by the Turks.
Between 1701 and 1706, a new Baroque hall church with side chapels shaped in the form of the Latin cross was built to a design by the Jesuit architect Andrea Pozzo. As the church's dome was only built in 1841, originally a fake dome was painted on the arch above the centre of the cross. The surviving Baroque interior decoration notably includes frescoes by Giulio Quaglio (painted in the periods 1703-1706 and 1721-1723), Angelo Putti's statues of four bishops of Emona situated beneath the beams of the dome (1712-1713), Putti's painting of Dean Janez Anton Dolničar (1715), who initiated the rebuilding of the church in 1701, Francesco Robba's altar angels in the left part of the nave (1745-1750) and brothers Paolo and Giuseppe Groppelli's altar angels in the right part of the nave (1711).
A host of other works of art were added later. One of the more interesting is the dome fresco painted by Matevž Langus in 1844. The most outstanding 20th century additions include Tone Demšar's main entrance door relief depicting the history of Slovenia, commissioned to mark the 1250th anniversary of Christianity in Slovenia, and Mirsad Begić's side doors with portraits of bishops.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Ljubljana Allego Hotel
A warm, pleasant hotel with helpful staff and a great breakfast.
The street
The Room
Monday, December 16, 2013
Arrive Ljubljana
God, I am tired. I arrived much too early at the airport and there was no lines at the gate.At the gate, they had these chairs with extension for your legs...so comfortable. I actually fell asleep at the airport.
Arrived in Ljubljana , took the shuttle to the hotel which is located in pedestrian only zone. The ride was dreary as there was no sun, and passing the ugly communist era housing made it more so
I waited a short bit for my room. I got a nice twin bed room but for whatever reason my WiFi was lousy. I was feeling, tired, frustrated and hungry. I decided to walk around. All of a sudden, I hear the sweet sound of a sax playing in the distance. I fellow that sound to a small square where a beatnik looking cat is blowing on a horn. Sweet! We spent some time talking and I ask him to play My favorite Things by John Coltrane. He did and it sounded ---great. I left a large tip which he appreciated. I noticed an Italian restaurant right where he was playing so I decided to eat outdoors and listen to him. After my meal, I hung out with him and chatted with people as they came by to listen as well. I was not feeling real good....
I spotted the sweet sound of the horn from across the river...
Here he is as I eat and listen..............
The Castle in the background
Arrived in Ljubljana , took the shuttle to the hotel which is located in pedestrian only zone. The ride was dreary as there was no sun, and passing the ugly communist era housing made it more so
I waited a short bit for my room. I got a nice twin bed room but for whatever reason my WiFi was lousy. I was feeling, tired, frustrated and hungry. I decided to walk around. All of a sudden, I hear the sweet sound of a sax playing in the distance. I fellow that sound to a small square where a beatnik looking cat is blowing on a horn. Sweet! We spent some time talking and I ask him to play My favorite Things by John Coltrane. He did and it sounded ---great. I left a large tip which he appreciated. I noticed an Italian restaurant right where he was playing so I decided to eat outdoors and listen to him. After my meal, I hung out with him and chatted with people as they came by to listen as well. I was not feeling real good....
I spotted the sweet sound of the horn from across the river...
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Bratislava....
On my last day in Vienna, I decided to hop a train and visit
Bratislava, Slovakia. The the train ride was about 90 minutes. I had a
warm feeling of adventure as the train pulled out of the station. I am
doing what I living my dream traveling wherever I want to go, following
my instincts, desires and wants. Getting off the train the town was a
short walk. After buying my magnet, I proceed to the church. Services
were going on so I found a pew and listen to the mass. I love the
feeling of walking into a mass in a strange city. I feel like a voyeur
in the town's private life.
After the church, I took a walk up to the Castle. The Castle having been rebuilt in the 1050's looked much more interesting from a distance. The view was wonderful and the walk back down.
I continued to walk around the old town taking photos. I found a good Irish pub, but opt to have something to eat at Cafe Roland on the main square. I had sheep dumplings.
AS it started getting late and I was getting tired knowing I had a few hours before I got back tot he room. I asked the tourist office where the local bus was and proceeded to head back to the Train Station.
Lonely Bratislava street
on to the church
After the church, I took a walk up to the Castle. The Castle having been rebuilt in the 1050's looked much more interesting from a distance. The view was wonderful and the walk back down.
I continued to walk around the old town taking photos. I found a good Irish pub, but opt to have something to eat at Cafe Roland on the main square. I had sheep dumplings.
AS it started getting late and I was getting tired knowing I had a few hours before I got back tot he room. I asked the tourist office where the local bus was and proceeded to head back to the Train Station.
Lonely Bratislava street
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