The Findings of Emona - Roman Ljubljana

This year, the Slovenian capital celebrates 2000 years of Roman Emona, the first urban predecessor of the current Ljubljana. Emona is special also due to the fact that its Roman heritage still remains in the centre of the town on its original site.

Ljubljana`s residents still live and work in view of Roman architectural innovation. See for yourself! When their Roman ancestors welcomed the Emperor Theodosius the Great, people were singing and dancing. Ljubljana is very different nowadays, but people are still lively and friendly towards visitors. The city of Ljubljana is preparing numerous events to celebrate its important anniversary.

Ljubljana has been excited about its antique past for centuries. In the 17h century, when the city was adorned with baroque buildings, the city planners were inspired by the antique sources. They found their inspiration in the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts, which were supposed to defeat the dragon and later on established the Slovenian capital.

For unravelling the ancient Roman mysteries of Ljubljana, gratitude goes to the archaeologists and their many years` strivings, which began in the 19th century. In the beginning of the 20th century, the most renowned architect in Ljubljana, Jože Plečnik, modernized and upgraded the Roman remains in an interesting way. Particularly important shifts have occurred in the last decades and years. About one year ago, Ljubljana received the prestigious architectural award Gubbio for renovating archaeological parks such as the Roman Wall, the Emonan House, and the Early Christian Centre and for the iEmona interactive information point at the Kongresni trg square. You can take a look at all Emonan tours at the Foursquare network.

The citizens of Ljubljana are proud of their preserved inscription, chiselled into the stone, dating from the year 14 AD. It proves that Emona was already established at that time and that the Emperors Augustus and Tiberius made a generous donation to Emona, probably for its walls. Emona, which consisted of 4,000 – 6,000 inhabitants, was a transit territory on the route from the Apennine peninsula to the Danubian area and was for that reason an important part of the Roman defence line of its cities. As a part of the old amber road, Emona also thrived in Roman trade until the 5th century.

Explore the Roman roots of Ljubljana 2000 years later. At the National Museum of Slovenia, more than 200 Roman monuments are exhibited, highlighting the importance of the Romans for a wider area of Slovenia.

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