jože plečnik's courtyard divine

Plecnik's Courtyard in Ljubljana by SAL

On my last day in Ljubljana, I sat down at this cafe to try to use up the rest of the money I had withdrawn from the ATM, as I stated in the last blog. Unbeknownst to me, I sat within a courtyard that, again, was designed by Jože Plečnik. It was easy to spot his work. As you can see in the background, the oval/pear-type sculptural shapes on the stairs are stone representations of evergreen shrubs. Most architects would focus on the design of the stairs themselves and not spend any time thinking about how those steps should be decorated with objets d'art. Such a fun, wacky design.

Plecnik's Courtyard in Ljubljana by SAL

I don't know about you, but I became mesmerized as I began to explore the courtyard after finishing an incredible meal. The slender spaces decorated with a baroque-type decor in the photo above is divine. It reminds me of images of the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon (built by King Nebuchadnezzar II in 600 B.C.). In fact, Plečnik likely did study the Hanging Gardens of Babylon because excavation began in the 19th Century, after which artist renderings became prolific. The most exquisite detail, I believe in this photo are the stone vases encased in the building's facade at the farthest point in the photo.

Plecnik's Courtyard in Ljubljana by SAL

This is a wider view of the building and courtyard including the miniature Hanging Gardens of Babylon to the right and the cafe to the left. I love the play on the Italianate Renaissance Palatial style on the building. Plečnik studied in Vienna with Otto Wagner. Wagner's influence is also apparent in the ornamentality of the building's facade. The calamari I ate that day for lunch was the best I have ever had and the view was more than delightful.