Levstik square, Monument of national significance in Old Town, Slovenia.
Levstik square is a protected monument in Ljubljana's Old Town, featuring St. Mary's Column at its center with a statue by Wolf Weisskirchner. Stone balls and round-topped maple trees surround this column, creating a defined layout that organizes the open space.
Jože Plečnik designed the square between 1926 and 1927, creating a new public space where a Jesuit monastery once stood. This project was part of the architect's broader efforts to reshape Ljubljana's Old Town during the interwar period.
The square is named after Fran Levstik, a Slovenian writer, and its layout reflects a deliberate connection to the adjacent Church of St. James. Visitors move through the space guided by the arrangement of stone balls and maple trees, which shape how people experience and use the area.
The square sits in the heart of the Old Town and connects several pedestrian routes that lead to nearby historical buildings. It is easy to reach on foot and blends naturally into the downtown street network.
A row of poplar trees separates the Church of St. James visually from the rest of the plaza, dividing the space into two distinct areas. This tree line often goes unnoticed but subtly shapes how visitors perceive and move through the space.
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