The river Ljubljanica, with its interesting bridges and picturesque old city centre embankments, is one of Ljubljana’s most notable landmarks.
Triple bridge (walking distance from Urban hotel 5 minutes): the central of the three bridges forming the Triple Bridge has stood in its place since 1842, when it replaced an old, strategically important medieval wooden bridge connecting the north-western European lands with south-eastern Europe and the Balkans. Between 1929 and 1932, the side bridges, intended for pedestrians, were added to the original stone bridge to a design by the architect Jože Plečnik, who thus created a unique architectural gem of Ljubljana.
Butcher’s bridge (walking distance from Urban hotel 9 minutes): is Ljubljana’s love bridge. It is a place where countless lovers have symbolically padlocked their love and dropped the keys into the river Ljubljanica, which flows underneath. The Butchers’ Bridge, built in 2010, connects the Central Market’s colonnade, designed by the architect Jože Plečnik, with the Petkovškovo nabrežje embankment. It stands on the site where Jože Plečnik envisaged a bridge almost a hundred years ago. Its concept is to some extent artistic – it is adorned with statues and sculptures by the renowned Slovenian sculptor Jakov Brdar.
Cobbler’s bridge (walking distance from Urban hotel 9 minutes): the site of the present Cobblers’ Bridge, built by the architect Jože Plečnik between 1931 and 1932, was formerly occupied by a covered wooden bridge connecting the Mestni trg and Novi trg squares, two major parts of medieval Ljubljana. The bridge provided space for cobblers’ workshops – hence the name Cobblers’ Bridge. At its south end it was decorated with a statue of Christ, now kept in the Church of St. Florian. The 19th century saw the building of a new, cast iron bridge. On the initiative of the architect Jože Plečnik it was later moved to a site opposite Ljubljana’s maternity hospital to connect the Zaloška cesta and Poljanska cesta roads.
Dragon bridge (walking distance from Urban hotel 10 minutes): adorned with famous dragon statues, appears in the most recognizable images of Ljubljana. If you haven’t been photographed next to a Dragon Bridge dragon, you can hardly claim that you have visited Ljubljana. The four dragon statues, which look slightly terrifying and almost real (if, of course, you believe that dragons might be real), are a masterpiece which has been exciting imagination since the bridge was built.
Hradecky bridge (walking distance from Urban hotel 15 minutes): this picturesque cast-iron bridge, located near the point where the Gradaščica channel empties into the river Ljubljanica, has quite a dynamic history. It was constructed in 1867 and was originally located on the site of the present Cobblers’ Bridge, designed by the architect Jože Plečnik.
