Hello, welcome and dobrodošli to Feel Slovenia, the podcast. In each episode, we will explore what I have called the world's best country: meeting locals, traveling, eating and getting to know the very best of Slovenia. This podcast is written and hosted by me, Dr. Noah Charney, and is brought to you by the Slovenian Tourist Board.

Jože Plečnik is Slovenia's genius loci. He was, in my opinion, far and away the greatest artist this region ever produced. I'm biased perhaps since I wrote my PhD thesis on his work, but if you visit Slovenia and you see a building that intrigues you, there's a decent chance that Plečnik designed it. That's even more so in Ljubljana, where he left such a strong imprint on his native city.

But what if you've already walked the Triple Bridge and admired the National and University Library? What if you have a car and a day or two to spare? In this episode, we're heading beyond the capital to discover Plečnik’s architecture across Slovenia, lesser known, but equally rich expressions of his vision. From Kamnik to Celje to Bogojina, from rural cemeteries to monumental churches will guide you through day trips that reveal the full range of Plečnik’s genius.

Visitors to Ljubljana can't help but encounter the work of Jože Plečnik. He left his mark across the city designing not only buildings and public spaces, but reshaping entire sections of the urban landscape after the devastating 1895 earthquake. If Antoni Gaudi defines Barcelona, then Plečnik defines Ljubljana and arguably all of Slovenia.

His architectural fingerprint is found throughout the country. Despite being Slovenia's greatest artist in any medium, Plečnik 's work remained largely overlooked for decades now. Geography played a role, so he studied in Vienna, worked briefly in Prague, but the majority of his projects were built in what is now Slovenia, then part of the Habsburg Empire, and later the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and eventually Yugoslavia.

For much of his life, he was a favorite of architectural historians and a hidden treasure for the lucky few who visited the sunny side of the Alps. But it was only after his death that Plečnik gained the global recognition he deserves. Now considered one of the 20th century's most important architects. 

Plečnik made a surprising choice. As a star student of Otto Wagner in Vienna, he stood at the peak of early promise, poised for a major career in one of Europe's architectural capitals. He could have stayed in Vienna or moved to Paris, the heart of the modernist movement. Instead, he went in a different direction, first to Prague, a Slavic cultural hub, but far from the spotlight of international critics.

And then finally he returned to Slovenia, his homeland. At the time, Slovenia had only just emerged from the Habsburg Empire and had yet to be folded into Yugoslavia. It was considered a cultural backwater. Plečnik himself once wrote to his brother, Andrej, “Ljubljana is so unbearably ugly, is this ugliness and expression of the human soul? If so, something strange is going on with us.”

He loved his country, but often despited what he saw around him. So he committed himself to transforming it. His mission became clear to elevate and beautify Slovenia through architecture. In doing so, he knowingly turned down fame and international recognition. He might have hoped, but could never have known that one day his work would be rediscovered, embraced by postmodernists and celebrated as visionary.

What was once overlooked is now seen for what it is. The architecture of a national soul. You can tune into a separate episode that looks at Plečnik’s work in Ljubljana. In fact, I've got a whole hour long episode of the Ljubljana podcast that serves as a self-guided tour to his work throughout Ljubljana. But today, let's see what he got up to beyond the capital.

Let's begin just 25 kilometers northeast of Ljubljana in the charming town of Kamnik, nestled beneath the Kamnik-Slovenia Alps. This is where I settled after moving to Slovenia from the United States and living in several different places here. And I remain a big fan more than a decade on. The highlight in Kamnik is the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher (božji grob in Slovenian) in the Franciscan Church in the center of town.

It's my favorite work by Plečnik, the most complete way to enjoy his creativity while standing in one place. From the outside, the chapel appears modest, even austere. There's a simple pitched roof structure with clean lines and whitewashed walls, but step inside and you'll encounter one of Plečnik's most spiritually resonant interiors.

The Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher was built in the Franciscan Church between 1952 and 54 with a priest called Martin Perc. Instrumental in bringing ney to the project as well as to the renovation of a nearby church in the town of Stranje. In this chapel, we have what art historians like to call a Gesamtkunstwerk.

This is a German word for a complete work of art, in which all aspects of the space. So we've got architecture, sculpture, painting, furniture, design, lighting. They're all unified in purpose to create an immersive, three-dimensional experience for the viewer. The lighting, for example, is built into the walls and looks like stars in a night sky.

Like the stars that the shepherds and the three Magi followed to Bethlehem to pay homage to the newborn Jesus. The sconces for the lights also look like military helmets, which is intentional since the scars of the Second World War were fresh when this was built. The space is named after the tomb in which Jesus was placed after his death, but the room is meant to represent his complete lifespan.

Above the altar, sloped wooden beams resembled the roof of a stable such as the one in Bethlehem in which Jesus was born. The monolithic stone tabernacle on the altar made of Plečnik’s favorite stone called a podpeč, recalls the stone that was wheeled in front of this tomb to seal the entrance and which was moved aside after three days to reveal that his body had gone missing.

The walls are covered in sgraffito. Carved patterns that have symbolic meaning and include implements used in Christ's passion like the Scorge with which he was whipped, and the Holy Nails. Christ is represented most clearly on the wall opposite the altar in the crucifix. Visually, the altar recalling the space in which he was born and the tomb in which he was buried is connected to the crucifix, his death by sgraffito, grape vine that spans the length of the ceiling.

Grapes and vines are christological symbols. Think of drinking sacramental wine during mass. Written on the wall above the altar is the last word Jesus said before he died: It is done. Behind the monolithic stone tabernacle representing his tomb, there's a large golden circle representing the sun that rose on the third day after his death, indicating his resurrection.

If God is all around this being a church and Christ is present in the form of the crucifix, you might wonder about the third component of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit. It's there too, but you have to look for it. It's in the form of a dove. Now, if you're listening to this in situ, I would give you a few minutes to try to find it, but since you're probably not, I'll give it away.

The dove is in the handle of the door through which you walked into the chapel. Plečnik’s Holy Sepulcher is among the most complex and complete of his works of art. If you haven't been there or have not been for a while, go and admire it for yourself. No photographs or videos or descriptions can compare to the experience of a great architectural space in person.

But Plečnik did a lot more in Kamnik. One of the reasons was that his close friend and a supporter art historian France Stele was from Kamnik. Plečnik would take the train up to see his friend often, and Kamnik had a special place in his heart. In the town center at the main square Plečnik developed early proposals, mostly unbuilt for restructuring Kamnik's medieval core with help from his students. And he did implement several architectural touches in the historic town square and facade designs, including a distinct red and white frontage on the main square, and a fountain designed mostly by his student, Anton Bitenc. Now there was once a beautiful, iconic building on the site of this main square that can be seen in archival photos.

It stood roughly where the facade designed by Plečnik and his students now stands, on the eastern side of the square. It was an elegant, large building with gables and the look of a renaissance palace. It was the heart of the town called Kamniški dom or Kamnik House. After an earthquake damaged it, it was torn down rather than rebuilt, which dismayed the people of Kamnik. In an attempt to mollify them, Plečnik was asked to create a new plan for the main square, but it was only partly implemented. You can see it in that distinct red and white frontage on the main square, and this is where the Kamnik House used to stand and a fountain designed by his student. His students also designed the central of the three Kamnik train stations.

Plečnik designed, but Bitenc built the Mekinje Bridge over the Nevljica River as well. He also designed two baptistry, one for the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Šutna, the charming, quiet, cobbled street that runs through Kamnik. And another at the Church of St. George in the nearby village of Nevlje. In the center of town, Plečnik designed much that can be seen by appointment at the home of his old friend France Stele.

The Stele family had been making candles for centuries and still do on the main street. You can visit their candle shop, but by appointment you can visit their old family living room, which is full of elements designed by Plečnik as unique one-offs just for the family. I filmed there once when I presented an RTV show about Plečnik, and it is amazing to see a famous architect's, unique products designed and built just for one family, his friends.

These include a series of chairs each, a one-off, a candelabra and a table. Plečnik also made designs for votive candles, and you can buy them still at the still candle shop. Outside of Kamnik, we find Plečnik’s buildings in the Church of St. Benedict in the village of Stranje. The older church was restored by him using natural materials and repurposed architectural elements like columns.

Plečnik was a very early proponent of upcycling and using local materials and local artisans decades before it would become popular. Though tiny, the space is full of charming details, that once you have a sense of his style can be recognized as uniquely Plečnik’s. Every detail mattered to him, much as it did to architect Frank Lloyd Wright and with his focus on local talent, local material sourcing, and salvaging materials for reuse, he was truly a forward-thinking architect. 

The sacristy at the back of the church is particularly atmospheric. It's ceiling lined with wooden beams carved like totem poles. Even the liturgical objects were of Plečnik’s design: candle holders, candelabra, chalices, and more. You can play a game and try to spot the original 18th century elements, which is most of the stonework from the 20th century renovations by Plečnik.

Finally, some 10 minutes into the mountains at Kamniška Bistrica. You can go for lunch at Pr Jurju, my favorite down home eatery in the area, and just behind it you'll find the Royal Hunting Lodge. King Alexander of Yugoslavia commissioned a rural hunting lodge designed by Plečnik, along with the train station that could bring the king to it.

While the train line did not run all the way to the mountainous Kamniška Bistrica, it stopped in the center of Kamnik. The hunting lodge was rarely used. King Alexander's reign and influence did not last long after the commission began, but the structure remains impressive and was later used by Tito, who was an avid hunter.

Bills from 1933 to 34, it remains intact, but it's not open to the public at the moment. One of the wonderful very Plečnik details inside. So on the nearby Mountain Plateau of Velika planina, ancient herdsman developed a type of stool that had only two legs. This meant that you had to proactively sit upright on it. If you fell asleep, it would tip over and wake you up. This was by design to keep watchmen awake. Plečnik taking a note from this very local tradition, designed two-legged stools for the king's bodyguards for when they would guard him by night outside his bedroom here. Kamnik may be the best place to see the most Plečnik works outside of Ljubljana, but he did work throughout Slovenia. 

So this episode won't be exhaustive, but let's touch on some other places to visit, like the rosary steps in Kranj. In a somewhat awkward, tight space in the center of Kranj, Slovenia's, fourth largest city, near the church of Our Lady of the Rosary, you can find a short staircase, an arcade, and a fountain by Plečnik.

The best architects create a feeling of a comfortable, noble space, even when that space is outdoors without the confines of walls and a ceiling. This is the case with this flight of stairs with a fountain, a series of three basins in front of a monolith, forming a sort of insular wall that gives the space, along with the arcade, the feel of an outdoor room. Now it's one thing having an art historian explain these things to you, but as with all architectural spaces, if you can go and if you can stand there and take it all in yourself. That's what you should do. Because architecture is all about creating spaces. And if you feel good, if you feel different in that space than you did elsewhere, than it was successful.

There's some other places in Kranj where Plečnik was involved, including the renovation of the Church of St. Cantianus. This renovation was subtle, reworking the altar area, lighting and furnishings. But again, it's worth visiting and you can start to spot something that looks like Plečnik’s hand in all the places you visit around Slovenia and get to know him and see his work from across the square or across a room. And eventually you get the vibe and zoom in and say, you know what, that looks like Plečnik. In this church, the most notable detail is the way he used light and elevation to draw attention to the altar, creating a sense of ascent towards the sacred. Even in renovation, Plečnik left his mark always with respect for the past, but a clear signature of form and function.

What about destinations that are a bit longer than a day trip, maybe even worth an overnight? Plečnik was very proud of Slovenia's history and took pains to build additions or to renovate in ways suitable and complimentary to what was already in place. 

Such as the case with his sensitive renovation of a gothic church near Tolmin in the village of Ponikve. While the original church was badly damaged during the Second World War, Plečnik’s renovation has a gothic flavor while still clearly being one of his unique modernist buildings. This is a lovely spot to visit on a trip to the nearby Hiša Franko rated one of the best restaurants in the world and run by the 2017 Best female chef in the world, Ana Roš.

If you're up for a very long day trip, or even better an overnight, you can head to Prekmurje. That's as far as you can drive and still be in Slovenia. From Ljubljana, you can't really drive more than two hours without leaving the country or driving in circles. 

Near the Hungarian border, you'll find the town of Bogojina.Here stands perhaps the most famous of Plečnik’s non Ljubljana works, the Church of the Holy Spirit built between 1925 and 1930. This church is unmistakably “Plečnikian”, if we can coin a phrase. It's a fusion of regional craft and monumental form. 

The building combines a whitewash nave with a towering rotunda capped by a circular dome that's very distinctive. The shape is unusual. It's part early Christian, part byzantine inspired and partly inspired by a rural Slovenian barn. Inside you'll find handmade Prekmurje pottery integrated into the columns and the walls. A tribute to local tradition. Plečnik worked closely with artisans to create something unique to the region.

The altar is elevated on a raised platform emphasizing the drama of the liturgy. This church is pilgrimage worthy. It represents Plečnik’s mission to design a Slovenian national style, rooted in tradition, but open to history and to the cosmos. This church combined folk, rural and classical elements, which is very Plečnikian.

When he received the commission Plečnik knew little about the region of Prekmurje, in which the church was to be built. The most remote region of Slovenia in its northeastern corner. Prekmurje was well out of the architect's traffic pattern. In order to better understand the region, he read the work of France Stele, his friend from Kamnik and Slovenia's most famous art historian.

Plečnik noted that a prominent feature of Prekmurje traditional church architecture was the combination of a porch beneath the bell tower with a portal and a group of buttresses on the western part of the church. Around lighthouse, like Bell Tower, became the church's most prominent feature. In this way, one may see that as in his work in Prague, for example, Plečnik was willing to immerse himself in the study of what was local. What in essence created the local vibe of the region and to integrate just enough of that into his buildings that they do not become a pastiche, but they're clearly Plečnik designs and yet they feel of a specific area – In this case, Prekmurje.

Plečnik was willing to refer to local traditions and regional peculiarities, but he wouldn't add them as mere decorative appendages. The steep saddleback roof is the only element of the Bogojina church that is tied to local heritage. Its other elements fit in nicely with the locale and remain aware of it, but aren't merely reproducing, copy paste local traditions. It was only when funding proved scarce that Plečnik a seeded to the enthusiasm of the parishioners whose spiritual art he admired, and he decorated the interior ceiling of the church with the local pottery. This was as much an option to suit the budget as it was to encourage locals to have a direct hand in the design of their own church. 

It was also important to Plečnik to build around existing older structures rather than plowing them down in the name of progress, which was common at the time. In Bogojina, he chose to integrate an existing structure into his new church and he said, quote: I have never yet pulled down a good building by our forefathers.

Initially cost-conscious, his idea for columns were upgraded by the locals who, in their enthusiasm, wanted ever grander columns and found ways to pay for them. Ending up with solid Podpeč stone, which pleased Plečnik very much, moved as he was by the piety and passion of the locals. Not far from Bogojina lies Ljutomer, where pledging designed two humble but striking ary monuments, a mortuary and a cemetery cross.

Both are modest in scale, but exemplary of his elemental use of geometry. The mortuary is a small square pavilion with a pyramidal roof and arched openings. It sits quietly harmonizing with the landscape. The cross tall and slender and made of stone recalls early Christian forms and serves as a meditative focal point. Plečnik believed in the holiness of everyday architecture. And in Ljutomer, we see how he brought spiritual meaning even to the most ordinary seeming of commissions. 

Finally, we come to Plečnik in Bled. He had many plans for the township of Bled, but not all of them were realized. His best known work is around Villa Bled.

He originally had a vision for a Grand Lakeside, colonate, and a civic center, but that remains in the city archives. You can stand at the lake and imagine what might have been white columns wrapping around the shore, framing views of the island church and the castle. But let's turn to what he did make.

In the 1930s, king Alexander of Yugoslavia commissioned Jože Plečnik to design a new Royal summer residence near the shores of Lake Bled. At the heart of his vision was a dramatic reception pavilion intended as a ceremonial waiting room for royal audiences perched above the lake. Construction began with the erection of three massive stone pillars, each nearly 30 meters high, meant to support a main building that would extend out toward the water, like a modern day Acropolis. But history intervened. The king was assassinated in 1934, and with the eventual onset of World War II, the grand residence was never completed. Plečnik also envisioned a largest state master palace for the royal family that included other villas, of which only Villa Epos was partially renovated by him.

Years later, after the war, Plečnik student Vinko Glanz revisited the site. Using the original stone pillars as a foundation, he designed a more modest tea pavilion. This would become a Cafe Belvedere known today as Tito's Tea Room. From here, president Tito would host state guests offering them sweeping views of the lake and the iconic island church.

Though Plečnik s full plan was never realized, his vision still resonates, and you can find Plečnik elements around Bled, especially around Villa Bled. The pavilion remains a striking example of his architectural language. Elegant, symbolic, and deeply attuned to the natural alpine setting. It's a place where Slovenia's royal and political history intersect with one of its greatest artistic minds.

This episode dipped into some of Plečnik’ works in Slovenia beyond Ljubljana. He is one of the architects worth traveling to sea, and he didn't just shape Ljubljana. He shaped the soul of Slovenia. His works outside the capital are more than architecture. They're stories in stone, wood, and light. Rooted in place, animated by spirit.

So take the road less traveled. Visit Kamnik. Stand beneath the dome in Bogojina. Find a cross in Ljutomer and see how Plečnik carve a sacred path through the Slovenia countryside. One day trip at a time. 

Hvala and thank you for listening to Feel Slovenia, the podcast. This podcast is brought to you by the Slovenian Tourist Board and was written and presented by Dr.Noah Charney. Please subscribe to get each new episode and tell all of your friends interested in travel and all things Slovenia. If you'd like to learn more, visit slovenia.info. For more information, you're welcome to follow our social media channels. Feel Slovenia on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube and TripAdvisor.