Even if you stay a short time in Ljubljana you will notice Dragon, on the city’s coat of arms, on the bridge, on the castle, on the sporting event, etc. You might ask why?
According to the legend, Jason and his crew boarded the ship named Argo in order to capture the golden fleece. The Argonauts were successful in their endeavor, but when retreating from a Black Sea port, they mistakenly made their way up the Danube. They followed the course of the Danube into the Sava until they reached the Ljubljanica, a small tributary.
The legend is even mentioned by Pliny, the Roman historian, who refers to the present-day town of Vrhnika, just outside of Ljubljana, as being founded by the Argonauts. Locals even point to physical evidence of Jason’s visit: A crack in a large rock above the source of the Ljubljanica River. The legend recounts that the Argonauts encountered the rocks of Močilnik in a horrific storm. In order to save the ship, Jason hit a large rock with his fist, forming a large hole. His arm acted like an anchor, preventing the ship from being shattered in the tempest. After the storm, Jason is said to have carried the Argo all the way to the Adriatic Sea and safety. As unbelievable as it sounds, the story has some basis in reality: In times past, boats were frequently portaged from the Ljubljanica to the Adriatic.
There is another reminder of the legendary visit by Jason and his Argonauts: When sailing on the Ljubljanica, Jason was also said to have battled a fierce dragon that was determined to prevent his passage. With the help of his lover, the sorceress Medea, Jason fought and defeated the fiery monster and, according to the legend, his encounter gave rise to the dragon as a symbol of Ljubljana. Dragons are now featured on the city’s coat-of-arms and guard the Dragon Bridge, a well-known landmark in the very heart of Slovenia’s capital.
Dragon bridge is the biggest display of dragons. It crosses the Ljubljanica river between northeast of Vodnik square and Resljeva street. It was built instead of the wooden Butcher’s Bridge after an earthquake in 1895 and it was opened in 1901. Jurij Zaninović (pupil of prof. Wagner as Plečnik) designed the bridge in secession style and it was made with reinforced concrete. The road surface itself was made of asphalt (first in Slovenia). On four corners you have 4 big dragons (20 altogether on a bridge) made by Beschorner. Material is copper that in time got its green patina. Today it is considered one of the most beautiful examples of Art Nouveau architecture of bridges in the world and is protected as a technical monument, it is also one of the sights of the city of Ljubljana.
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