The National Gallery of Slovenia is an extensive exposition of art from the Middle Ages to the present day, based on European and Slovenian paintings of various genres and art schools. It is located in the centre of the capital of Slovenia in a beautiful and majestic building.
In 1918, after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the state of Slovenes, Serbs and Croats was formed. Slovenia began to develop a national culture. All educational institutions switched to the native language, the University of Ljubljana and the National Theatre were founded. The founding of the National Gallery was a significant event in the revival of Slovenian identity. It was first housed in the Kresia Palace, near the famous Triple Bridge. In imperial times, it had been the seat of the Austrian administration. A year later, it was decided to move the gallery to its current building.
The building was erected at the end of the 19th century on the initiative of Ljubljana's burgomaster Ivan Hribar, who devoted much effort to making Ljubljana the centre of all Slovenian lands. The building was intended for the Slovene Cultural Centre. All national and cultural associations were brought together under the roof of the People's House. After Slovenia's independence, the building proved to be the most suitable for the National Gallery in terms of meaning and symbolism.
The original building was erected under the direction of Czech architect František Škabrout. When it could no longer accommodate the collected exhibits, a northern wing was built in the nineties of the last century - designed by the famous Slovenian architect Edvard Ravnikar. Since the times of the People's House, the western wing has been occupied by a gymnastics club. After the 2012 renovation, the museum occupies the entire building and its two wings are connected by a long glass gallery. This spacious gallery houses Robb's Narcissus Fountain, a replica of which can be found in the courtyards of the Town Hall.
The National Gallery has the largest collection of artworks created on Slovenian territory from the Middle Ages to the Modernist period. The Slovenian Baroque is well represented, and the paintings of local representatives of Impressionism are interesting. Next to the works of Slovenian painters and sculptors, there are paintings by German, Dutch and Spanish masters. Magnificent Gothic sculptures and copies of medieval frescoes are also impressive. However, contemporary paintings and bronze installations are no less interesting.
