- Address: Slovenska cesta 21, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
- Phone: +386 1 252 48 64;
- Construction: 1718-1726;
- Architectural style: baroque;
- Architect: Carlo Martinuzzi;
- Cost of visit: free of charge.
Tiny Slovenia , located in the heart of the European continent, has attracted thousands of tourists from all corners of the globe over the years with its amazing beauty and genuine charm. Each centimeter of this magnificent region strikes to the depth of the soul: from the atmospheric alleys of ancient cities to the dreamy perfection of the lakes Bled and Bohinj , from the greatness of the Julian Alps and Triglav National Park to the mysterious underground caves. Among the huge number of attractions of the Republic, local culture deserves special attention, including numerous Gothic temples and cathedrals. Next, we will talk about one of the best examples of baroque architecture - the Ursulinska Church of the Holy Trinity (Uršulinska cerkev svete Trojice).
General information
Ursulinskaya Church of the Holy Trinity ( Ljubljana ) is one of the most beautiful parish churches in the capital of Slovenia. The official name of the cathedral is the Holy Trinity Parish Church of Ljubljana, although the locals call it the Monastery Monastery for short. The temple is symbolically located on one of the main quarters of the city - Slovenska cesta, along the western border of Congress Square.
According to tradition, the Ursulino church was built by order of a rich local merchant and financier Jacob Shell von Schellenburg and his wife Anna Katarina. The construction of the temple took hardly less than 8 years (1718-1726), although years later, during the construction of the square nearby, the monastery underwent serious reconstruction, and its garden was completely destroyed.
External and internal decoration of the temple
The project of the Church of the Holy Trinity was designed by the well-known Friulian architect Carlo Martinuzzi at that time. The undulating facade of the building, complemented by semicolons and a characteristic pediment (the work of the famous Roman architect Francesco Borromini), makes it one of the most unusual monuments in the Baroque style in Ljubljana. Unlike the typical churches of that era, the Ursulin Monastery was not painted from the inside. Nevertheless, he keeps in his walls a lot of important works of art.
While visiting the temple, pay special attention to:
- Altars . The main altar was carved from colorful African marble by Francesco Robbo between 1730 and 1740, and the most beautiful of the four side altars, called Ecce homo, was made by Henrik M. Lehr.
- Frescos . The most notable paintings of the church include the paintings of Jacopo Palma, Jr. with images of the Virgin Mary with the saints (St. Louis of Toulouse and St. Bonaventure), as well as the work of Valentine Metzinger in St. Ursula and St. Augustine.
As for the exterior, it is important to note that several times the temple was restored. So, after the earthquake of 1895, the original bell tower was demolished and rebuilt, and in another 30 years was added a chic balustrade staircase leading to the main entrance. And only in 1966, thanks to the architect Anton Bitenko, the side wings and the lower floor of the church were repaired.
Holy Trinity Column
One of the main attractions of the Ursulin Trinity Church in Ljubljana is a column located right in front of the building, which also has a complicated history. The original wooden tower from 1693 stood before the consecrated Augustinian monastery in Aidovshchina. 30 years later it was replaced by a stone one, and on top were added marble statues, supposedly created by Francesco Robbo.
In the middle of the XIX century. bricklayer Ignacy Toman made a new pedestal, Robb's sculpture was replaced with a replica, and the original was placed in the Municipal Museum of Ljubljana. So, since 1927, as part of the redesign of Congress Square, the column was moved to the Ursulin Monastery, becoming its most recognizable element.
Useful information for tourists
The Ursulin church is open to visitors all year round from 6.30 to 19.00. In addition, daily service is provided in the temple at 8.00, 9.00, 10.00 and 18.00, on Sundays and during Christian holidays - 9.00, 10.30 and 18.00. It is worth noting that the entrance to the shrine is absolutely free for all citizens, including for foreigners.
How to get there?
Many tourists prefer to travel around Ljubljana on foot, discovering the most hidden corners of the capital. If you are limited in time and prefer to travel by public transport, take the bus number 32 (stop Kongresni trg, right at the entrance to the church) or routes Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 18, 19, 27 and 51 (Konzorcij stop across the street from the temple).