Tivoli, Rožnik and Šiška hill is the most beautiful green area in Ljubljana. The landscape Park is located in the northwest of the city between the neighborhoods of Center, Šiška, Vič, and the ring road. This protected park is located on a solitary hill, which together with Castle hill and Golovec separates Ljubljana field from Ljubljana marsh. It covers an area of 459 ha and is visited by 2 million visitors a year, or an average of more than five thousand visitors a day. It was established as a landscape park as early as 1984, with the aim of preserving biodiversity (2,800 different animal and plant species). The park also provides a green area for residents of an urban area, where they can find peace, relaxation, and a place for socialization. It is currently managed by the public company Snaga. In the following, we will take a look at what is located throughout the landscape park.

The map below shows the whole, its individual parts, and the objects located in it. You can filter individual types of objects (sports, catering, statues, other).

Tivoli

Tivoli is located on the southeastern edge of the landscape park (43 ha) and borders the city center. It was first arranged into the city park in 1813 when under the administration of the Illyrian provinces Jean Blanchard erected 3 tree-lined avenues. Governor Krištof Latterman continued the work, planting a tree-lined avenue (later named after him) from Tivoli Castle to Nama mall. The connecting avenue between Cekin Castle and Tivoli Castle is Meridian Avenue, as it lies exactly on the meridian of fourteen degrees thirty minutes east longitude.

With the construction of the 1850 railroad, the park was reduced by a third and separated from the city. At the beginning of the new border of the tree-lined avenue, the Jakopič Pavilion was erected in 1908 according to the plans of Max Fabiani in the Art Nouveau style. It was demolished in 1962 due to the expansion of the railway and later became the basis for the City Gallery. Today, a reminder of this building is a statue of Jakopič, the work of Kunaver. Plečnik’s interventions in the period 1921-39 followed. The biggest intervention was in Latterman’s tree-lined avenue, which he widened, re-planted chestnuts, and placed lamps in the middle. Part of Plečnik’s promenade is known today as Jakopič’s promenade / tree-lined avenue. In addition, he arranged a triangular park, which is between the road, railway, and Illyria. In the 70s of the last century, they made 3 underpasses under the railway and reconnected the park with the city.

Below we can take a closer look at what’s going on in Tivoli. In general, we can say that there are sports facilities in the northern part and the park itself in the southern part.

Tivoli castle

Tivoli Castle is the oldest building in Tivoli. In the 13th century, there was a defensive tower (Turn) nearby, which was demolished by Count Ulrik II of Celje in 1442. Tivoli Castle (Podturn-Podrožnik) was built by Jurij Apflater a little away from the ruins. In 1601 the Jesuits take over. Later it is reworked in the Baroque style. In 1852 Francis Joseph I buys the castle for Marshal Radetzky (statue in front, temporarily withdrawn). In 1865 it became the property of the town. In 1870, a staircase with statues of cast-iron dogs and a fountain with a statue of the Boy with the Fish were placed under the castle. From the castle to the town is the wide Jakopič promenade. Behind the castle, there was also a summer theater according to Plečnik’s plans, which never came to life. Since 1986, the castle has housed the International Center of Graphic Arts. There is also a bar owned by the Kaval group.

To the west is the Pristava to the Castle of Tivoli, built in 1851, which served as an auxiliary outbuilding.

Cekin castle

The Baroque mansion was built between 1752 and 1755 by Count Leopold Karl Lamberg, which is a replacement building. The architect was Fischer von Erlach or Johann Georg Schmidt. The name probably comes from the business surname of the owner in the 18th century Szőgyény Cekin, another anecdote says that later Kozler bought a castle for a jug of golden coins. The late Baroque two-story building has an accentuated entrance, a central hall, a double staircase, and an extremely beautifully painted knight’s hall on the second floor, where weddings are still organized today. A low staircase leads to the castle on a hill. In the school year 1818-1819, France Prešern lived in the castle. Until the end of World War II, the owner was Peter Kozler (Union Brewery, map of Slovenian lands). Since 1951, Cekin Castle has housed the Museum of Recent History, which includes a collection from the First World War onwards. In 1991, the castle was renovated according to the plans of Jure Kobe. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10.00-18.00, closed on Mondays and public holidays, except 8 February. Tickets: adults: € 5.00, pupils, students, pensioners: € 3.00.

Swiss house

Swiss house is located just behind Tivoli Castle. In 1835 a wooden inn was opened here. Because it was owned by the German elite gathered in the Kazina society, it is named Schweizerhaus according to the shape of the alpine house. After the earthquake of 1895, which damaged the building, the Tivoli Hotel was built here in 1908-1910 according to the plans of the architect Ciril Metod Koch, which is inspired by the Upper Carniola type of house. Ivan Cankar lived here for a short time. The Communist Party of Slovenia was founded here in 1920. The hotel was closed in 1930 and here lived socially endangered, where many artists were among them. In 2017, the building was renovated and since then the International Center of Graphic Arts and a bistro have been operating there, where we can refresh ourselves with drinks and food.

Tivoli pond and boathouse

The Tivoli Pond was artificially created in 1880. From the very beginning, it was an important point for socializing citizens, in the summer it was intended for boating, and in the winter for skating.

Next to the pond stood a boathouse and several pavilions. After World War II, the boathouse collapsed. Today, a new building with a café has been built in its place. In summer, water lilies abound in the pond, and many alien fish swim in the water.

Jakopič promenade (Sahara)

Jakopič’s promenade is the work of Plečnik with the help of gardener Anton Lap, with whom he replaced Latterman’s chestnut avenue between the two world wars. He widens the path to 24 meters and covers it with gravel. In the middle, he placed 23 lamps in his style, and at the edge, he placed benches and poplar trees.

However, initially, the residents reject the change and name the new acquisition Sahara because it does not yet have lush trees. Today, the promenade also serves as an outdoor gallery.

Monte Carlo and Tičistan

In a shady grove in the northwestern part of Tivoli, there was a popular gathering place for retirees called Monte Carlo, and at the beginning of the castle park, where birds gather, visitors named Tichistan

Hotel Bellevue

Hotel Bellevue burned down and now it is a non-functioning hotel on the slopes of Šišan Hill near Tivoli Hall. On the site of a former café, the Art Nouveau-style hotel was built by Alojzij Zjec in 1909. It was nationalized in the 1950s and denationalized in the 1990s. That’s when I visit a hotel with my sister where they organized dance nights. The owners are constantly changing, the hotel is falling apart, and it has burned down several times, most recently in 2014. Currently, the owner is Rastoder, who promised to build a replacement building with regard to history.

Greenhouse

Right next to the Boathouse is a greenhouse, which is part of the Ljubljana Botanical Garden under the administration of the Biotechnical Faculty, UNI LJ. In one part there are roses and Mediterranean plants, and in the other part there are tropical plants. The greenhouse is currently being renovated and is closed.

Summer theater

The summer theater is designed by Plečnik in 1933, who surrounded it with trees and equipped it with an auditorium on the Greek model. But it really never came to life. So after World War II there was an open-air cinema there. In the 1970s, there was even an open-air disco. It slowly falls into oblivion and perishes. Today there is only a clearing. There are initiatives to revive the theater, which also attracts its opponents.

Jesenko’s learning path

There are many trails in the park, but the Jesenko’s educational trail is special. It was named after the botanist dr. Fran Jesenko (March 14, 1875 July 19, 1932). The trail starts (After the turn) and ends (Tivoli Castle) in Tivoli, but most of it runs along the southern slope of Rožnik. On the 3-kilometer route, 30 tree species are presented, which you can also see in nature.

Phenological Park

Since 1958, Tivoli has joined European phenological parks, monitoring the development of individual trees with the same hereditary design (gray poplar, aspen, several species of spruce, birch, willow, hazel, partridge, beech, linden, cherry, linden, forsythia, red pine, and oak). This part of the park is located near Cekin Castle. The Arnological Park, which has been providing important data for research for more than 60 years, is managed by the ARSO.

Restaurants

• Hot Horse an iconic fast-food kiosk with horse meat.
• WafflesWaffles a bar by the pool specialized in Belgian waffles
• Caffe Bienale a bar inside Tivoli Castle
• Bistro Switz house a bistro where you get a drink and a traditional lunch on weekends at a salty price
• Boathouse by the pond, there you can order a drink or ice cream
• Food corner where you can get something to snack on
• Mini Caffe Golf a place for a drink or ice cream
• Winter bar part of the hall where fans can quench their thirst
• Lepa žoga otherwise officially outside the park. Here you can find fans that watch matches, travelers listen to travalogue, and there is also a burger and other snacks.

Sports facilities

• Tivoli Hall a small basketball hall with 4,500 seats and a large ice rink with 7,000 seats. Built in 1965 for the World Table Tennis Championships, the site of many concerts starting with Louie Armstrong. Below the hall is a disco (once Palma, F club, today empty)
• Tivoli Pool built in 1973, there are 3 indoor pools. in addition to the building, there are also bowling, sauna, massages, climbing area (formerly Valentino disco and other incarnations)
• Mini golf mini golf course
• Playgrounds there are various playgrounds, from children’s playgrounds, tennis, basketball, pig, handball, skate park, bike park, bowling alley, lumpi park-winter skating rink …
• Skating rink between the tennis courts and the entrance to the Tivoli swimming pool there is a skating rink, where in addition to benches
• Toboggan run the slope behind the pool is used by children for sledding
• Ilirija Swimming Pool according to Bloudek’s plans, the outdoor swimming pool, which is currently being renovated (04-2022), is otherwise officially outside the park
• ŠD Narodni dom gym, otherwise officially outside the park

Statue

There are many statues, monuments, sculptures, and fountains in the park area. Most of them are listed below

• Ballet Stojan Batič, 1957. Base Boris Kobe. between Jakopič’s promenade and Tivoli Castle.
• Boris Pahor Mirsad Begić, 2017, next to the statue of Kocbek, interesting to he is still alive and MK logo on the bag
• The Boy with the Flute/ Shepherd Zdenko Kalin 1942 (’46 in front of the castle), the same is located in front of the RTV building at the station and also on the green of the Castle in Brdo near Kranj, 2009 exchange Graz Styria
• A boy with a bowl Božo Pengov 1959. next to the parking lot under Halo Tivoli.
• A boy with a goose next to a triangular park a replica of 1960 original damaged during the construction of the railway
• Boy with an eel a fountain under Tivoli Castle
• Edvard Kocbek Boštjan Drinovec 2005, placed near the pond on the centenary of his birth. on the bench, he observes his own miniature
• Eleanor Roosevelt Maria Šeborová 2018
• Equilibrists Drago Tršar 1957, next to the Tivoli swimming pool
• Eurydice Bojan Kunaver, 1967, south of Jakopič’s promenade along Gutman’s promenade
• Field Marshal Radetzky in front of the Tivoli Castle where he lived, withdrawn in the period 1918-2021
• Molosi (4 dogs) Anton Dominik von Fernkorn, 1864 under Tivoli Castle, without language an urban legend of suicide does not hold
• Volleyball player Drago Tršar, 1970
• Primož Trubar Fran Bernerker 1908, outside the park next to the Orthodox Church
• Fish Vladimira Bratuž Furlan 1950 ?, copy on Galus bank
• Pisces France King 1935, in the pond since 1994
• Rihard Jakopič Bojan Kunavar 1972, next to the railway where the Jakopič pavilion once stood
• Rondo Oton Jugovec 1987. Fountain inside the maple rondo
• Miner Alojzij Kogovšek 1950, his lamp was stolen, between the hall and Celovška cesta
• Monument to the Pioneers Kalin and Kobe pedestal, 1962, on the slope in front of Cekin Castle.
• Monument to the Hostages in the Rose Valley Ivan Štrekelj 1952, pedestal Nikolaj Bežek, at the edge of the park towards the Rose Valley
• Coexistence Slobodan Pejić 2000, base 300 year old oak log,
• Stanko Bloudek Stojan Batič, 1969 on the way to the Cekin Castle and Tivoli hall.

In addition to the above-mentioned statues, there was also a multitude of statues that was withdrawn (eg Tito Augustinčić ’48 now Brdo, Večni kamen, Devica well) or stolen (eg Svoboda Kos ’47, Kopalka). Of course, the park is a living thing and the layouts of the statues are constantly changing. Therefore, there is a high probability that something in the list is missing. So I would ask you to point out my mistakes in the comments and I will be able to correct them.

Rožnik

Behind Tivoli is the hilly part of the park (288 ha) with the peaks Šišenski hrib (429 m), Rožnik (394 m), Cankarjev vrh (388 m), Tivolski vrh (387 m) and Debeli hrib (374 m). Among the peaks is the Mostec valley, which ends with Koseški bajer. Rožnik is a hill in the western part of the park, which is overgrown with forest and there are quite a few interesting attractions.

ZOO

ZOO is located on the SE slope of Rožnik, where it spreads over 20 ha. It was moved to this position in 1951. Here we can observe domestic and foreign animal species, about 500 animals and 120 different species. We can also follow them live via a live webcam.

Čad restaurant

At the foot of the hill is the inn Čad, known for its specialties from the Serbian grill. The inn has been operating since 1889, and after nationalization, it gets grilled dishes on the menu. After independence, the Čad family gets back the inn but remains on the same menu. Just now (2021), the Čad Hotel was built on the site on the site of a former farm building, taking into account tradition. There is also a chapel nearby.

Cankar’s peak

Cankar’s peak is a 394 m high hill, located east of the Ljubljana Zoo. From the top where the church and the restaurant stand, there is no better view due to the forest that surrounds the top (there is a bit more of it in the winter when the trees are bare).

Church of the Visitation of Mary

The Church of the Visitation of Mary stands on Rožnik. Due to its location, the facade in red, as well as due to good lighting at night, it is well visible from the south side of Ljubljana. It is a branch church of the parish of Ljubljana Annunciation of Mary. At the foot of the church is a clearing where the 1st of May bonfires and student parties are usually held.

Rožnik restaurant

The inn on Cankar’s peal Rožnik has been housed there since 1869. Among the more famous residents was Ivan Cankar, there is also a memorial room. Here they serve soup, roasted potatoes, roasts, steaks, goulash, tripe, veal stew, risotto and jota, štruklji, walnut, and tarragon potica, and they also bake delicious cheese and apple strudel. Flancati are also available on weekends.

Forestry Institute

An elongated functional building owned by the Forestry Institute, designed by Ravnikar in 1948.

Statue of Ivan Cankar

In memory of the writer, in 1948, on the 30th anniversary of his death, the top of Rožnik was named Cankar’s peak and a monument was erected there, the work of the sculptor Frančišek Smerdu. The monument stands in the middle of the terrace west of the Rožnik inn on Cankarjev vrh.

Monument to Janez Kiklj

The obelisk was made by Ivan Štrekelj and was erected in 1956 near the Chad inn. Dedicated from Lili Nova

Šiška hill

It is the highest peak of Rožnik and thus also in the landscape park. The peak is covered with forest, located in the background of Tivoli, where it slowly climbs. Towards Celovška street, the walls are very steep. At the western foot, there is an ancient aqueduct, Galet Castle from the 18th century, and a memorial plaque to the Main Command of the NOV and POS Milan Arnež, Jože Plečnik, Vladimira Bratuž, 1953.

Gustav Tönnies Park

This park is located in the west of the landscape park, bordered on the west by the Pržanec stream. The park is named after the builder and industrialist of Swedish roots, Gustav Tönnies, who built many important buildings in Ljubljana, such as the central pharmacy on Prešeren Square, Sugar Factory, Colosseum, Mladika, school on Prežihova, Bamberg and Tavčar House …

Recreational club Mostec

Surrounded by forest, the restaurant offers homemade tarragon potica and crispy pretzels

Locus Cafe

The cafe is located close to the pond. There you can be served a drink or ice cream. It was built recently. There are also children’s playgrounds.

The tower on Galetovo and the new ski jumps in Mostec

The tower is a remnant of a ski jump built according to the plans of Blodek, which was in use in 1950-62. The tower is not in good condition and is 18.5 m high.

The Ilirija ski jumping club built a 20m ski jump in Mostec in 1970 and a 55m ski jump 2 years later.

Koseze pond

The pond was created on the site where they dug a clay kiln for Gustav Tönnies. Today there is a popular promenade around the lake, where we can sit on a platform or benches. There is rich biodiversity in and around the lake. With a permit, you can fish here. In winter, there is a natural ice rink on the frozen lake. Urban legend has it that a fish ate a chihuahua that fell into a pond

Koseze forest

The forest area south of Koseze pond is interspersed with cycling and hiking trails.

Pioneer Railway

From 1948 to 1952, the narrow-gauge railway between Rožna valley and Koseze operated. Today, a bicycle path runs there.

Special areas within the park

There are four narrower protected areas inside the park. The classic locality of the European tuber Pod Turnom and Tivoli Park have been declared natural monuments, while the Mostec transitional bog and the wet valley with the Mali Rožnik transitional bog have been declared nature reserves. The park also has five areas of natural values and twelve tree natural values, the ecologically important Rožnik area, several habitats of protected plant and animal species, habitat types that are preferably maintained in a favorable condition and several protected plant and animal species.