Tivoli Park Ljubljana

We are dedicated to the mobile photography and are showing you photo spots which don’t demand the use of a special gear. We have begun to use a Huawei P20 Pro just recently so only a few of the following photos are made with it. All of them have a special tag to see the difference.

With the words of Visit Ljubljana: Tivoli Park is Ljubljana’s largest and most beautiful park, stretching right into the city centre. It was designed in 1813 by the French engineer Jean Blanchard and created by joining together the parks which had surrounded Podturn and Cekin Mansions. The park, covering an area of approximately five square kilometres, is crossed by three grand horse chestnut tree-lined walks and landscaped with ornamental flower beds, interesting trees and numerous statues and fountains. The park area blends into the slopes of the Rožnik hill, to which it is connected by several walking paths and a trim trail with several exercise stations along its length.

Morning light in the park /Huawei P20 Pro/

The park is really only a 5 minutes walk from the Slovenska street, it provides a lot of shade for a hot days and it is used for jogging, dog walking, hiking, just resting – you name it! More importantly, it is a photographer’s paradise: it is beautifully lighted in the mornings opposing the rising sun and provides numerous motifs in all seasons: from animals and other nature, statues, action shots. Besides it is never too crowded since it is really huge. We live 5 minutes from the park and we have a dog, so we know it really well and have an enormous stock of photos which me made in the last few years:).  Let us show you some basic spots.

The main entrance to the park /Huawei P20 Pro/.

Most visitors reach the park from the city centre using the pedestrian underpass at the Museum of Modern Art and this is the first view of the Jakopič Promenade one gets just after the underpass. Well, this in fact is the view from the railway tracks just above the exit – it is a few steps climb which is not recommended when slippery.

Jakopič Promenade

The scenic Jakopič Promenade (Jakopičevo sprehajališče) was designed by the architect Jože Plečnik in the central part of Tivoli Park. It  ends at the bottom of the stairway leading to Tivoli Mansion. The promenade is named after the Slovenian Impressionist painter Rihard Jakopič and has become a well known outdoor venue for exhibitions of large-format photographs, open throughout the year.

Jakopič Promenade /Huawei P20 Pro/

In the Tivoli Mansion which changed a lot of hands in its history is today International Centre of Graphic Arts with a cute coffee bar with a view.

Tivoli Mansion

Ornamental flower beds are all over the park combined with many other interesting details.

A detail between the promenade and the park /Huawei P20 Pro/.

According to the story the artist committed suicide when he realised that the dogs are missing their tongues.

The deaf dogs.

Have we mentioned the views in the morning light?

View from the Tivoli Mansion /Huawei P20 Pro/.

This statue is definitely our favourite.

The Dancers

Not that it is the only one. Boy with the flute (1946) is in Slovenia also widely known as the trademark of the national TV broadcaster TV Slovenija. However, it is much more difficult to make a good photo of it since it has a chestnut tree lined path behind its back.

The Boy With the Flute.

Entering the park south of the main entrance just before the small railway station near Tobačna one finds a completely different story: an always occupied bench.

The Poet /Huawei P20 Pro/.

Edvard Kocbek was a great poet and played a big but controversial political role during and after World War II. He spent his whole life contemplating about it and so he will spend the eternity. He has a company, a mini-he on his left. We hope that he is helping and not tormenting himself.

The Company.

Be that as it may, the bench is truly photogenic in the mornings.

Sunrise meditation /Huawei P20 Pro/.

Just a few steps behind the poet’s back is located a fish pond with another small sculpture and lots of different bird species.

The Fish Pond /Huawei P20 Pro/.

A small building along the pond is called the Boat House (Čolnarna) and hosts a lovely coffee house.

The Boat House.

The pond is also a nice spot to capture sunrise over Ljubljana.

Sunrise view

Next to the pond there is a small botanical garden with a glasshouse, whose management was entrusted to the Ljubljana Botanic Garden on its 200th anniversary in 2010. The glasshouse houses a permanent exhibition of tropical and carnivorous plants.

Botanical garden and the glasshouse /Huawei P20 Pro/.

This is definitely the most colourful part of the park!

Moody morning /Huawei P20 Pro/.

It can beat also the many moody mornings in Ljubljana.

Roses /Huawei P20 Pro/.

Tivoli Park is beautiful also in the rain and snow …

Autumn

…using all kinds of benches to capture the autumn…

The carpetl

… and winter.

The Winter bench

Did we mentioned that people just rest under the trees?

Resting /Huawei P20 Pro/.

Let’s look closer with the help of the fantastic zoom of Huawei P20 Pro. So close to the city.

Close up /Huawei P20 Pro/.

Northern part of the park is less picturesque but reveals a geometry of the park and with some proper gear provides nice views of the Ljubljana Castle.

North part of the park

The castle can be also taken from the renowned Švicarija Creative Centre.

Švicarija /Huawei P20 Pro/.

Wish you a lot of fun exploring the park!

Text and photo: Zoran Leban Trojar.