Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle, also known as Ljubljanski grad is a medieval castle. It is situated in the middle of a hill in Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital and is the largest city in the country. The castle has a splendid view over the city.
The area where the castle is, was inhabited by people twelve hundred years before Christ. During the Celtic era in the area were built fortifications, which were then used by the Romans. Outskirts of the city waere part of an ancient property before the new era.
In '34 BC, the colony of Emona, which is located near the modern city of Ljubljana, has received the right to be a city. In the fifth century BC the area was conquered by the barbarians, but by the sixth century the territory of Ljubljana has a city, called Slavic Luvigana, which in the tenth century was conquered by the Hungarians.
The castle was built in the twelfth century and served as a seat of the Dukes of Carniola. Since 1276 the city was in the hands of the Tyrolean counts. In 1335 the castle became property of the Habsburgs.
In the fifteenth century, the castle was almost completely destroyed and then in its place rose the castle - as we know it today. The castle was decorated with beautiful towers. Its purpose was to defend the empire against the attacks of Ottoman troops.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the castle became an arsenal hold and a military hospital. It was partially destroyed during the Napoleonic period. From 1809 to 1815 the city was the center of the French provinces. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century the city became a center of the Slovenian People's Liberation Movement.
The observation tower of the castle was built in 1848. When there was danger, the tower guards had to set a fire to warn the city. Fire was started during the arrival of important guests in town, and during major events too.
In the nineteenth century the castle became part of the Austrian Empire and became a prison, which it remained until 1905. In 1905 the city acquired ownership of the Ljubljana castle.
After the formation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, Ljubljana became the capital of Slovenia. At the beginning of World War II the city was occupied by Italians and then by the Germans.
Ljubljana Castle has undergone restoration and renovation in the sixties of last century. Today the castle has become a tourist attraction. Ljubljana castle hosts various cultural events. The process of reconstruction of the castle continues to this day.
