All Things Slovene, reborn: A VALENTINE'S DAY MESSAGE FROM HERMES

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, FELLOW BLOGGISTS

There is no better architectural style with which to say "Happy Valentine's Day", than the Baroque. Well, maybe a little Art Nouveau as well.

As if it were created on the 14th day, the Baroque period is filled with cherubic faces, and chubby cupids, curly qs, and swirly curls, twining branches and heart-shaped leaves, gods of power and goddesses of love -- and, there are even reds, if not orangish reds.

So if the poets of Ljubljana weren't enough to lace these Valentine's weekend posts, these two lush and laden styles are.

Supposing there is no changing the forces of nature, Ljubljana's massive earthquakes of 1511 and 1895 couldn't have come at a better time. Having to rebuild a city first in the Baroque style, and then again at the height of Art Nouveau was a gift for future generations. And if that were not enough, after WWII, Joze Plecnik (Slovenia's version of Frank Lloyd Wright) was around to expand the city using his unique architectual ideas. These included a strong committment to functional, as well as pleasant, public spaces.

Needless to say, the combination of lines here, is a perfect visual fit for any day, but particularly for this day of celebrating beauty and love.

There are Baroque buildings, and churches, and fountains, and statues, and monuments, and doors, and adornments throughout the city, which abut the undulating, lively, and organic Art Noveau (apparently they have their own subset called Vienna Succession here) style gates, and houses, and bridges. Then there is an intermingling of Plecnik's libraries, monuments, thoroughfares, marketplaces, and virandas. And eventhough many of the elegant older buildings are quite dilapidated -- the origin of shabby chic I guess -- they still serve as a powerful dilutant for the socialist-era high rises. That's only opinion though. Some feel the osmolality is just fine. One of the Fulbright Fellows this semester is an architect, and over lunch this week, he discussed the attribute of "equity" (and it followed that equity was a good thing of course) in socialist-era architecture, because of its functionality and ability to accomodate large numbers, at a low cost it. I say that is looking at the bright side. He also appreciated the "austere" quality of it. I am not sure I do. I'm all for leveling, but can't we do it on a little higher plane?

Or in fact, does functionality alone make something beautiful, and thus leveling at any level, is good, and beautiful? Do we need a poll?

Or maybe it is just that in architecture, beauty is simply what no one is tired of yet.

So, for your Valentine's day enjoyment, here are a few "Baroquen" hearts, leafy hearts, and chubby cupids, as well as other-era structures, in which you may, or may not, find beauty.

The Hauptman House c. 1904

The Embassy again
1897

The Dragon Bridge, 1901

designed by a student architect. The most famous Vienna Successionist example in Ljubljana,

and the most photographed sight.