Home FIND VENUE Special Venues: Vila Zlatica

Special Venues: Vila Zlatica

Mar 29, 2024

URBAN VILLA OF FORMER LJUBLJANA MAYOR IVAN HRIBAR

Tucked away in Ljubljana’s greenest district, a stone’s throw away from Rožnik Hill, Villa Zlatica represents the epitome of Ljubljana’s fin-de-siecle villas, featuring Secession architecture and ornate details. Villa Zlatica was the home of Ljubljana’s former Mayor, Ivan Hribar, whose work turned turn-of-the-century Ljubljana into a modern city. The building, meticulously renovated and reopened in 2021, now houses a collection of his most beloved items and designer furniture pieces and doubles as an event venue.

Ivan Hribar was among Ljubljana’s most influential figures at the turn of the 20th century. After the devastating earthquake in Ljubljana in 1895, he helped rebuild the city’s most noticeable buildings, modernised waste management, and electricity, introduced tram lines and more. He was also a shrewd diplomat stationed in Prague and deeply devoted to the idea of panslavism. He was a close friend of King Alexander of Yugoslavia and Tsar Peter of Russia. In addition, he was a translator, writer and poet. After his mayorship in Ljubljana, he was the King’s provincial representative in Slovenia (1921-1923) and a senator of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1932-1938).

A prime example of Secession architecture

Vila Zlatica, named after Ivan Hribar’s daughter Zlatica, encapsulates the spirit of Ljubljana’s bourgeoise who began constructing villas in the second half of the 19th century and furnished them in Baroque and Secession styles. A lush garden adjacent to the building was once home to an orchard dotted with various trees. Today, the garden can be rented for events with a historical background. The maximum capacity of the boutique venue is 40 attendees.

The exhibition in the museum includes numerous diplomas that Ivan Hribar received for his active work in diplomacy and politics, alongside his senator uniform, various original furniture pieces and original photos. Guests can learn more about the Forum of Slavic Cultures, also housed in Vila Zlatica.

Constructed in 1910, the building even houses a bunker that Ivan Hribar decided to have built before the Second World War. In 2017, Vila Zlatica was named a monument of cultural importance. Visitors can step into a time capsule, as many of the rooms have been recreated to the last detail to reflect the furniture of Hribar’s time. Event attendees can also go on a guided tour of the museum’s permanent exhibition. Vila Zlatica is steeped in history and can transform into a unique boutique event venue.