Slovenia is a nation with an extraordinary cultural heritage, where Latin traditions are mixed with Slavic customs. In addition, this tiny country is known for its impressive churches, with the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas being the most famous of them all.
At first glance, the Slovenian capital appears to be a calm, peaceful and very beautiful metropolis. However, in its cobbled streets and legendary buildings we find the vestiges of a somewhat turbulent history.
In its beginnings, Ljubljana was a military settlement of the Roman Empire, and it would not become a city until several centuries later. Likewise, religious conflicts were also part of the growth of the Slovenian capital.
This dispute of beliefs was the same that happened in other parts of Europe, that is to say, that of the Catholics against the Protestants. Today, the vast majority of Slovenes are Catholic, while Lutherans make up only a tiny fraction of the local population.
Despite this, both the modern Slovenian language and standard Slovenian literature were the brainchild of the Protestant reformer, Primož Trubar. All of this makes Slovenia a fascinating nation, and as great as the legendary Cathedral of St. Nicholas.
Currently, the Catholic heritage is the one that has the most presence in Ljubljana, the most important city in the nation. So if you are planning a trip to this Slovenian town, you have to include the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in your itinerary.
This mythical church began to be built in 1701, and its inauguration occurred only five years later. According to official records, the place occupied by the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas belonged to another temple, which had been standing since the 13th century. However, it is said that this ancient place was the victim of a raging fire and disappeared.
As for the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, it stands out for its baroque architecture, its green dome and its tall towers, which dominate the Ljubljana skyline. Similarly, the cathedral functions as the seat of the Archdiocese of Ljubljana. In addition, it is consecrated to the Catholic saint, Nicholas de Bari, and that’s where its name comes from.
The interior decoration of the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas is also impressive, notable for its intricate frescoes and striking golden details. Being a baroque construction, its interior spaces are full of ornamentation, which covers almost all the spaces of the church.
Likewise, its main door is well known among locals for being made of bronze, which represents the more than a thousand years of history that Catholicism has in Slovenia.
Each city has a symbol that identifies it, and in the case of Ljubljana, that icon is the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas. The temple is closely related to the long history of the Slovenian capital, so to know it is to discover part of the soul of this old metropolis.
Finally, remember that the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas is a public space, and anyone can visit it, as long as they behave in an appropriate way. You don’t need to buy a ticket to enter the church, and you can be there as long as you want.
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