Kresija Palace (Palaca Kresija)

Palace in Ljubljana

CC BY-SA 1.0 / puffin11k

Kresija Palace, alongside the Filipov Palace, marks a prominent gateway to Ljubljana’s Old Town with its distinctive small tower. Renowned for its Neo-Renaissance facade and elegantly designed interior, the building was constructed after the 1895 earthquake to serve as the administrative center for the Duchy of Carniola. Today, it houses various municipal offices, the Kresija Gallery, and the city’s Tourist Information Center. Its name comes from the German word “Kreisamt,” meaning the district administrative office under the Austro-Hungarian “Kreis” system.

Prior to the earthquake, the site accommodated a hospital and a school. Over the years, it functioned as a maternity hospital, a midwifery school—the first in Slovenia to offer courses in Slovene—and a surgical training school established in 1753. During the 19th century, the building also contained shops and apartments, while the nearby Church of Saint Elizabeth, standing until 1831, served as a notable center of Protestant activity.

In modern times, the palace has been adorned with commemorative features. Since 1999, the southwestern facade displays busts of the Protestant grammarian Adam Bohorič and the 17th-century physician Marko Gerbec. A plaque beneath the northwestern turret honors the Manoeuvre Structures of National Protection, a clandestine paramilitary unit that operated there in 1991, contributing to Slovenia’s independence. Another plaque, added in 2008, commemorates the Ljubljana Coordination Group’s efforts during the independence movement.

The Kresija Palace (Palaca Kresija) appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Ljubljana!

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