{"id":49171,"date":"2025-11-27T11:38:33","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T10:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/izsla-je-publikacija-prva-ljubljanska-pasaza-pasaza-neboticnik-in-pasaza-viktoria\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T13:52:44","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T12:52:44","slug":"izsla-je-publikacija-prva-ljubljanska-pasaza-pasaza-neboticnik-in-pasaza-viktoria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/izsla-je-publikacija-prva-ljubljanska-pasaza-pasaza-neboticnik-in-pasaza-viktoria\/","title":{"rendered":"The publication The First Ljubljana Passage: the Neboti\u010dnik Passage and the Viktoria Passage has been released"},"content":{"rendered":"

At Open House Slovenia, we believe that architecture is more than a building \u2013 it is a space that tells the stories of a city and the people who live in it. Our mission is to uncover, explore, present and share these stories with the public. This is why we organise open tours, discussions, workshops and exhibitions. A little over a year ago, we moved our office to a new location, and the Neboti\u010dnik Passage became part of our daily route. It persistently confronted us with an image of abandonment, neglect and empty, dark shopfronts. In the spirit of our mission, we began to explore the history of what was once Ljubljana\u2019s first renowned city passage.<\/p>\n

When, almost a hundred years ago, citizens held their breath in awe at the daring height of the Neboti\u010dnik building, and when the Viktoria Palace was being built on Aleksandrova Street (today Cankarjeva), the city was driven by the ambition to gradually become a modern metropolis. The connection of these two prominent buildings at street level by a passage was fresh and inspiring, bringing a touch of cosmopolitan spirit to the city. Architect Vladimir \u0160ubic reworked the main fa\u00e7ade of the building block on the then Gajeva Street (today \u0160tefanova) to emphasise the entrance axis to the passage, marking the top of the entrance with a frieze relief by sculptor Boris Kalin. The street created by linking the two buildings offered entirely new possibilities for using the city\u2019s ground floor. The idea of a covered space with small shops arranged along a hallway six and a half metres wide attracted a range of craftspeople, traders, publishers and restaurateurs.<\/p>\n

Upon its opening in the 1930s, the Neboti\u010dnik Passage functioned as a lively urban meeting point with a rich selection of everyday and exclusive products that attracted residents, tourists and political dignitaries alike. During the socialist period, it once again thrived as an important space for social life and commerce, hosting more than 18 different shops and businesses. After Slovenia\u2019s independence, changes in ownership and market conditions gradually led to the passage becoming empty. Former local shops and crafts were replaced by global retailers, and many units were left vacant. Despite several attempts at revitalisation, darkness and a sense of abandonment prevail in the passage today.<\/p>\n

In the years of the independent state, in 2003, Neboti\u010dnik and the building complex of the former Pension Institute at \u0160tefanova Street 3 and 5, which includes the passage, were declared cultural monuments of national importance due to their technological achievements at the time of construction. The complex is protected to preserve its cultural, architectural and historical values, to prevent deterioration and to present its heritage in situ<\/em>. Yet it quickly becomes evident that the current state of decay in the passage is certainly not in accordance with the Decree on the proclamation of the Neboti\u010dnik building complex as a cultural monument of national significance.<\/p>\n

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The exhibition The First Ljubljana Passage<\/em> is on view in the Neboti\u010dnik Passage until 3 December; photo: Urban Cerjak.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The current crisis of the passage reflects broader processes of late capitalism, in which the urban ground floor is shifting from a public space to a space of capital, excluding small businesses and impoverishing urban life. As a consequence, the city loses identity and becomes less attractive to both residents and visitors. The passage holds the potential for revitalisation if it is understood as cultural and social infrastructure, and as a space for creative and cultural industries. Young creators, artists and innovators could bring new energy to the space with their ideas.<\/p>\n

A sustainable renewal requires a vision that goes beyond the logic of short-term profit and property as a means of capital, and instead sees the passage as a common good. Only with such an approach can the Neboti\u010dnik Passage be transformed from an abandoned relic into a contemporary urban laboratory of the future, once again becoming a vibrant centre of social life, creativity and community.<\/p>\n

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The exhibition of the same title, accompanied by a publication, is intended as a call and an encouragement to all those whose decisions can contribute to the revitalisation of the passage. We extend our thanks to the historians, architects, artists, collaborators and residents who shared their stories, memories and experiences with us. Their willingness and trust demonstrate that it is the strength of the community that can overcome passivity and create the conditions for a different future, a future in which urban space is not measured solely by profitability, but by its capacity to generate connection, identity and the common good.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Urban Cerjak<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can order the publication at info@odprtehiseslovenije.org<\/a> (price: \u20ac20.00 + shipping).<\/p>\n

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The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the City of Ljubljana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At Open House Slovenia, we believe that architecture is more than a building \u2013 it is a space that tells the stories of a city and the people who live in it. Our mission is …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":49098,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[187],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49171"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49171"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49173,"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49171\/revisions\/49173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/odprtehiseslovenije.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}