Preseren Day – What to do and where?

Preseren Day is a Slovenian cultural holiday that celebrates the life, work and death of our greatest poet – France Preseren. Preseren, as an artist, is a very important figure for the Slovenian people. He is rightfully credited with uplifting our culture and language to the level of other European nations in a time when Slovenians had not yet lived in a sovereign country. To complement a national celebration and the awarding of Preseren’s Awards, every year in the week coming to February 8^th, and on this day, there are numerous events with a cultural and artistic note to celebrate Preseren.

Free entry to museums and galleries

To celebrate the memory of our greatest poet as best as possible, museums and galleries across the country open their doors admission free. Some theatre productions, film projections and concerts are also available free in this time. Such events happen in all the major cities in the country. As February 8^th is a national holiday, it is a work and school free day, so it is even easier to take the time to visit a museum or another cultural institution of your choosing. This year, 8^th February is on a Sunday, so there is no excuse not to attend some of the available events.

It will be particularly lively in the capital

As mentioned, there are many events you can attend and facilities to visit free of charge all across Slovenia. A particularly lively number of events will take place in the capital, Ljubljana, where an annual recital will take place on Preseren’s Square, at the foot of the large monumental statue of France Preseren. Vocal groups and choirs perform all week before the holiday in various locations Preseren used to visit in his time. The cultural events in Ljubljana are especially interesting for tourists visiting Slovenia’s capital.

The author of the Slovenian anthem lives on

In addition to writing sonnets and other high forms of poems, Preseren also wrote the national anthem of Slovenia – Zdravljica. Every year, the cultural events in Ljubljana and other Slovenian cities mark and celebrate his importance to the Slovenian nation on Preseren’s Day.