St. Bartholomew's church, Filial church and monument in Šiška district, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
St. Bartholomew's Church in Šiška is a national monument featuring preserved Romanesque architectural elements, particularly the northern portal. The structure was redesigned in the 1930s by architect Jože Plečnik, who integrated modern elements while respecting the building's medieval core.
First mentioned in 1370, when Venetian and Habsburg envoys signed a peace treaty before it on 30 October, returning Trieste to Venice for 75,000 florins. Its valuables were given to the city defence fund in 1526, and it hosted Protestant liturgy before Bishop Tomaž Hren reconsecrated it on 17 April 1618. A fire damaged it on 17 April 1825, leading to repeated restorations.
Locals call it Stara cerkev (Old Church), a name now used for the nearby city bus stop. On the Sunday nearest St. Bartholomew's Day, 24 August, Mosquito Sunday fills the road with stalls selling gingerbread, pottery and wickerwork. Regular liturgy is held for the Greek Catholic community, with Roman Catholic Mass only a few times a year.
The church stands in Šiška, near the bus stop named Stara cerkev after the building's local nickname. Regular liturgy is held for the Greek Catholic community, while Roman Catholic Mass takes place only a few times a year, so check the parish schedule of Ljubljana-Šiška before visiting. The northern Romanesque portal and Plečnik's 1930s entrance corridor and staircase are the elements to look for.
Locals call it Stara cerkev, the Old Church, and the name passed to the nearby city bus stop. On the Sunday nearest 24 August, Mosquito Sunday, stalls selling gingerbread, pottery and wickerwork line the main road by the church; parades and celebrations once drew hundreds of people here.
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