Nebotičnik (Skyscraper) – Ta veseli dan kulture 2024 (This Joyful Day of Culture 2024)
On France Prešeren’s birthday, December 3rd, cultural institutions across Slovenia will open their doors. Museums, galleries, theatres, and other cultural venues will host free exhibitions, guided tours, workshops, performances, and other events. We at Open House Slovenia are also joining the celebration. In honour of the 130th anniversary of architect Vladimir Šubic’s birth, we will organise a tour of his most iconic and significant work, the Ljubljana Skyscraper (Nebotičnik).
We invite you to join the tour, which will take place on Tuesday, December 3rd, at 16.30. The tour will be led by art historian Gojko Zupan. Bookings will open on November 25th via the link.
The Skyscraper (Nebotičnik), built in 1933, is a symbol of modernisation and the bold spirit of pre-war Ljubljana. Designed by architect Vladimir Šubic, commissioned by the Pension Fund and constructed by builder Ivan Bricelj, it stood 70 meters tall, making it the tallest building in Central Europe and the Balkans at the time. Its construction represented a technical and aesthetic breakthrough. The skyscraper stands on the site of a medieval monastery, where builders discovered a 13th-century well during excavation. Inscribed on the cornerstone is a verse by Oton Župančič: ” That our grain may find a bed, and our harvest be safe beneath a sheltering roof. ”
The Skyscraper combines Neoclassical and Art Deco styles and was inspired by American skyscrapers. Its monumental lobby is adorned with marble, decorative elements by Boris Kalin, and the sculpture Genius by Lojze Dolinar. The first six floors house office spaces, the next three are residential, and the top floor features a café with panoramic views. The building incorporates quite a few innovations for its time, such as an elevator and an earthquake-resistant reinforced concrete structure founded on 16 pilings extending 18 meters deep. The structural design, by engineer Stanko Dimnik, was based on an advanced Japanese model, accounting for a seismic factor 35 times stronger than usual.
The construction sparked debates about the appropriateness of high-rise buildings in Ljubljana, as the Skyscraper competed with Baroque church towers and the Ljubljana Castle. However, the boldness of the project reflects the vision of the pre-war urban elite, which placed Ljubljana on the architectural map. Today, Skyscraper remains an indispensable part of Ljubljana’s cultural heritage.
Vladimir Šubic (1894–1946) was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He initially studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Vienna and later pursued naval architecture at the University of Graz. In 1919, he enrolled in the architecture program at the Czech Technical University in Prague.
In 1922, after completing his studies, he passed the state exam and earned the title of engineer-architect. He then returned to Ljubljana, which was part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes at the time, where he actively worked until World War II. His interest in modern architectural trends led him to design Slovenia’s first skyscraper, based on the latest architectural advancements. This building defined the vertical determinant for Ljubljana’s development.
He was one of the few architects who truly understood the city and its architecture. Šubic viewed architecture as the mastery of new construction techniques integrated within the social context of his era.
The tour will take place as part of the event This Joyful Day of Culture 2024: Slovenian Cultural Open Day, organised by the Ministry of Culture. Booking of the tour is mandatory and will be available starting Monday, November 25th, here. You can view the full program for the cultural day at the provided link.