Standing to the side of Prešeren Square towers the statue of France Prešeren, Slovenia’s national poet.
France Prešeren was born into a peasant family, however he was so diligent in elementary school that he was written in the golden book and went on to become a lawyer. It was while working as a lawyer he also explored his creative side.
Prešeren’s poetry was of such a quality he was the first Slovene poet considered able to compete with his European contemporaries.
The monument is a tribute to this literary giant, but there’s a story behind it that adds another layer to this memorial.
The figure of a naked muse perched above Prešeren’s head, caused quite a stir with the nearby church authorities when the sculpture was unveiled. The church were not fond of the publicly displayed female nude.
The clever solution came with the planting of birch trees that strategically blocked the view of the muse from the church’s entrance.
