Once industry, now culture
Every story has a beginning and an end. And every ending can mean a new beginning. This could be said of repurposed former industrial buildings and factories. Many a building or mine has been converted into a museum of sorts, and some facilities have undergone a complete makeover and been given a completely new function and purpose. Here are some of the former factories and buildings that are now filled with cultural experiences – from museums and exhibitions to concert venues.
New life into Ljubljana's former factories
The most beautiful examples of the cultural revitalisation of abandoned former factory buildings can be found in the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. Dilapidated buildings have been given a new look and new purpose.
CUKRARNA – formerly a sugar refinery, today the largest gallery of contemporary art
Cukrarna was once the largest sugar refinery in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Its story came to a miserable end after a fire in 1858. Despite the damage, the building later provided shelter for the poorer classes of Ljubljana's citizens following the earthquake, and in the early 20th century it served as a refuge for some of Slovenia's great literary figures.
The former refinery on the banks of the Ljubljanica River is today one of the most important centres of contemporary art. Its renovated, modern spaces are home to contemporary art projects in visual, intermedia, performance, sound, music and other forms of art.
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ROG – from a leather and bicycle factory to a contemporary creative centre
Rog's story began at the end of the 19th century, when a leather workshop was set up in the centre of Ljubljana. Later, it grew into a tannery, owned by Karel Pollak. Before World War II, the leather tannery went bankrupt. After the war, the premises were used to manufacture bicycles. The famous Pony bikes were produced here, have gained fame again in recent years as the starts of the Goni Pony retro bike race to the top of Vršič pass. After production moved to the outskirts of Ljubljana, various artists sought shelter in the abandoned building.
Today, Rog is a modern creative centre for innovative individuals and organisations working in various fields such as crafts, design, architecture and engineering. You can test your handicraft skills at Rog's 9 labs, visit its market and art studios, or take part in creative workshops.
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Ljubljana's STARA MESTNA ELEKTRARNA – a brick beauty, host of extraordinary events
Ljubljana's old electric power plant named "Stara mestna elektrarna", a magnificent technological monument, is one of the few surviving examples of Slovenian industrial architecture. After years of abandonment in the 1980s and 1990s, the late 19th-century building slowly began repurposing its spaces, original intended for electrical production, with various artistic activities, also serving as a photogenic location for film and video makers.
After its renovation, the old electric power plant building finally acquired a new cultural character. Today, one of the most renowned art festivals, the Mladi Levi Festival takes place under its roof. The exhibits in the building's foyer serve as testimony to its former life as a power plant, but the main hall is the centre of the action, with concerts, plays and dance performances, as well as other events.
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TOBAČNA – from tobacco factory to tobacco museum
Downtown Ljubljana was once home to a tobacco factory, which in its heyday was the third-largest producer of cigarettes in the Austrian half of the monarchy. According to stories told by the townspeople, the first cigarettes named "Virižnike" impressed even the Emperor Franz Joseph I himself. The factory employed mostly women because they were supposed to be more skilled in manual work. They were called "cigararke" ("the cigar women"). After Slovenia gained independence, the tobacco business died out and the abandoned buildings were given new purpose, such as the Tobacco Museum. From time to time, artists and designers who have found their creative environment in the former Tobacco Factory open their studios to the public.
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Magazin Grando and the Monfort Wooden Hall – when the smell of salt gives way to the spirit of creativity
Walking between Portorož and Piran, you will come across an interesting building by the sea, which was once a salt warehouse. Along with the Koper Tavern, it is one of the few examples of this kind of technical heritage in Slovenia. Inside the walls of the former warehouse, you will no longer find salt, but an exceptional exhibition space. The simple yet grand ambience is also a venue for various events.
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Old Glassware Workshop, Ptuj
The old glassworks and Vraz square have always been an important cultural meeting point for Ptuj and the people who live and work in Slovenia's oldest town. Twenty-five years ago, the former glassware workshop was taken over by young avant-garde artists, and in 2023 the renovation of the building will provide Ptuj with a new youth and cultural centre, as well as improved urban spaces in this part of the city in order to attract locals and visitors alike.
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