National Gallery of Slovenia

The National Gallery of Slovenia is at Puharjeva ulica 9 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, beside the National Museum and near the Parliament and Tivoli Park. Its main building was constructed at the end of the nineteenth century as a cultural and social hall, and the Neo-Renaissance structure was later adapted for the gallery, which holds the country's most important collection of historical art. A modern wing was added in the early 2000s, linking old and new in a single circuit. The permanent collection traces Slovenian art from the Gothic period through the Baroque and into the nineteenth century, with Romantic landscapes, portraits, and Impressionist-influenced painters from the turn of the twentieth century. Medieval sculpture and altarpieces give a sense of the religious art that dominated the lands of Carniola, while Baroque pieces recall the Habsburg era. Among the most significant exhibits are the original sculptural figures from the Robba Fountain, the Baroque fountain of the Three Carniolan Rivers, which were moved indoors to protect them from weather, and which show the work of the Venetian-trained sculptor Francesco Robba. The collection is presented chronologically, with period rooms and thematic groupings that allow visitors to compare religious, civic and private commissions. Slovenian and English labels support the displays, and temporary exhibitions often draw on European art as well. The older building has been conserved and refreshed over time, and the combination of historic galleries with a contemporary extension has become a model for Slovenian museum architecture. Admission is about EUR 10. The gallery is an excellent companion to the National Museum of Slovenia because the two cover art and archaeology respectively, and together they provide a long view of the cultural history of the territory around Ljubljana.