The field of archive documents preservation

Archives are important for developing national consciousness and identity and represent a very important part of the nation's memory. The respectability of the archives is often determined by the judicial or evidential value of the records and by the principles of liabilities of all the office holders. In the last decade, some important changes have been made in the field of historical archives preservation, mostly as a consequence of social changes and the declaration of independence.

In 1997a new law on archive documents and archives was passed. According to the new law, the archive documents became of two types: public and private, which was a novelty in regard to the previous situation where most of the archives were state's property. During the period of Slovenia's transition, the role of the archives was actualised in storing the documents of the former regime and redressing the injustices made in the previous period. In Slovenia, special archives which were mostly created out of political reasons after 1945 were abolished and incorporated into the Archive of the Republic of Slovenia. Equally, new circumstances, like the increased use of archive documents for procedures of eligibility of rights, increased number of document acquisitions due to the change of system, abolition or bankruptcy, new media and information technology, have forced the archivists to quickly adapt to the new situation. The archivists are increasingly present in creating the rules and regulations concerning the handling of the archive documents and the retention periods. The development of information technology has brought many changes in the functioning of the civil service and the general public service, as well as in the private sector and new challenges, especially concerning the new media, lie ahead. The public archive services in Slovenia are conducted by seven public archives, namely the Archive of the Republic of Slovenia, which is a department of the Ministry of Culture, and 6 regional archives, which are organised as public institutions. At the end of 2004, Slovene public archives stored more than 58 kilometres of public and private archive documents dating from the 9th century onward. It is worth to point out the archive documents of the Roman Catholic Church, which represent an extremely important part of Slovene cultural heritage.

A short presentation of the most important immovable cultural heritage

The cultural heritage of Slovenia reflects an exceptional historical, environmental and cultural variety of our landscape. At the moment, there are more than 16,500 entries of cultural heritage registered in the Cultural Heritage Register. We assess that, when the process of registering the heritage is finished, the register will contain more than 30,000 entries of immovable cultural heritage. 

If individual items of heritage have elements which serve as evidence of the continuity or individual levels of cultural and civilization development, or represent a substantial achievement of human creativity, they may be granted the status of cultural monument of national or local importance.

There are more than 7,500 cultural monuments in Slovenia, 160 of them are granted the status of national importance, and around 1,000 are still in the process of valuation.

The state has realised that some of the monuments are particularly endangered. For that reason, it has appropriated 42 cultural monuments of national importance in 1993 (1996), and is now trying to systematically preserve them and facilitate their availability to the public. Among them are castles and mansion houses as well as other monuments of symbolical importance (i.e. the tower of Aljaž on the Triglav mountain, the Lake Bled island, the birth house of the writer Fran Saleški Finžgar). 

The most important immovable cultural heritage:

ARCHAEOLOGY

Potoki near Žirovnica – Archaeological site Ajdna (EŠD 564)
Late roman fortified settlement, refuge from 5th century, composed of several explored and presented residential buildings with a small basilica.

Rifnik - Archaeological site Rifnik (EŠD 622)
Late roman fortified settlement with presented houses, early Christian basilica and small Arian church. The site was occupied in prehistoric period.

Šempeter v Savinjski dolini - Roman Necropolis (EŠD 1053)
Necropolis from Roman times with stone tombstones in form of little chapels. Chapels are decorated with sculptures: portraits of deceased and mythological scenes.

CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES

Hrastovlje - Church of Holy Trinity (EŠD 179)
A pseudo-romanesque church vaulted in three small naves. A high church tower. Renaissance fortified wall surrounds the church. Whole interior of the church is decorated with gothic frescos (Janez from Kastav, 1490; scenes from Genesis; Dance of Death).

Stična - Monastery Stična (EŠD 699)
The oldest preserved monastery in Slovenia with Romanesque Cistercian church and cloisters from 1136. The complex was rearranged in renaissance, baroque and later periods. A part of the monastery is Slovene religious museum.

Pleterje – Carthusian Monastery (EŠD 528)
Carthusian monastery founded in 1407, surrounded with walls, is combined of preserved gothic church and monastic buildings from 1899-1904: bedrooms, sanctuary and library.

Ptujska Gora – Church of Our Lady Protectress (EŠD 591)
Gothic three nave hall church with enhanced choir and buttresses outside, built after 1395. Pilgrimage centre stands on marvellous location. Interior is decorated with carved altars and fresco paintings from late Gothic period.

Predenca – Church of St. Rochus (EŠD 748)
Pilgrimage church from the 17th century with late baroque decorations (1728) and rich stucco. Situated on the hill with pathway decorated with chapels (fourteen Stations of the Cross).

Rosalnice – Pilgrim Centre Tri fare (Three parishes) (EŠD 922)
Three medieval churches with baroque adaptations stand in the middle of a cemetery. Archaeological excavations have revealed the existence of a medieval building complex and the scant roman settlement remains.

CASTLES AND MANOR HOUSES

Bogenšperk - Castle (EŠD 29)
Renaissance courtyard castle. J. W. Valvasor worked there in late 17th century. Castle was renovated and has a local museum with different collections.

Podsreda - Castle (EŠD 549)
Romanesque castle with different romanesque stages of building with reshaped palatiums and extended auxiliary rooms is situated on the edge of the hill above the valley. The castle was rebuilt into a local museum.

Kostanjevica na Krki - Monastery (EŠD 265)
Restored baroque complex has remains of Gothic monastery with older Cistercian elements. Early gothic church (1234) is of special importance and quality. Buildings are transformed in a rich gallery with paintings and sculptures of known Slovene artists. Wooden forma viva stands on lawns around.

Predjama - Castle Jama (EŠD 569)
Picturesque settlement built over the entrance and partially in the Carst cave under a steep rock wall. Castle was rebuilt into a renaissance residence with distinctive strings of rooms.

Bled – Bled Castle (EŠD 24)
A middle-age castle residential premise (mentioned in 11th century) with main building on the top and protection walls with renaissance towers. The late gothic chapel is decorated with frescoes. A part of the castle is organised into museum. Fine views from different levels.

Snežnik - Castle (EŠD 670)
Fortified castle from the year 1461 in a form of a tower with annexed defensive wall from the 19th century. Residential rooms with original furniture from 19th century.

Zemono - Mansion (EŠD 870)
A Renaissance mansion on the top of a hill in Vipava valley. Two storey building with a central room in the ground floor and arcades around the facades. Wall decorations from 18th century. Garden and vineyards on the slopes.

CITY CENTRES AND VILLAGES

Piran – Medieval City (EŠD 513)
A joint Mediterranean settlement with emphasized squares, preserved enclosing walls and church of St. George with magnificent Campanile on the top of the hill. It is situated on the exposed peninsula and has developed from the 7th century.

Škofja Loka – Medieval City (EŠD 737)
Situated on the terraces above the confluence of two rivers. A medieval settlement with two squares and a castle on the top of the hill. Renaissance and baroque buildings, gothic church of St. James. An interesting granary.

Ptuj – Medieval City (EŠD 580)
The oldest medieval continental town with antique origins and a castle on the top of the hill. The spine of the town is a street square, a church of St. George with a municipal tower and town hall. Stylish elements of houses extend from Romanesque to 20th century.

Ljubljana - City Centre (EŠD 328)
Centre of Ljubljana, with remains of Roman Aemona and medieval parts with a castle on a top of the hill. Later decorated with baroque churches, Art nouveau palaces and works of architect Jožef Plečnik.

Štanjel – Village and Ferrari Garden (EŠD 7901)
Carst hilltop medieval village was completed with the garden designed by Max Fabiani around 1930. Eclectic arrangement with several terraces and pergolas, flower beds, pond with grotto, and pavilion with beautiful views over the Carst.

OPEN AIR MUSEUM

Rogatec – Open Air Museum Rogatec (EŠD 626)
Museum represents life and work of farmers and craftsmen from the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century from the region (especially from the slopes of Boč, Donačka gora and Macelj).

OTHER

Bled - Bled Island (EŠD 5287)
Unique Natural Island with a baroque church with a bell tower. An impressive baroque staircase leads towards the church. Island has traces of the Neolithic settlement, early medieval burial ground and several walls of previous churches.

Dolenji Novaki – The Franja Hospital (EŠD 109)
Secret partisan field hospital, built in a gorge of Pasica river in December 1943. Preserved huts and other buildings are transformed in a museum.

Lipica - Stud Farm (EŠD 7245)
Carst pastures in a small village are cradle of famous white Lipizzan horses. Stud farm with origins from 1580. Show with classic dressage. Gallery of a painter Avgust Černigoj.

Triglav - Aljaž Turret (EŠD 5531)
A metal turret on the top of the mountain Triglav, the highest point in Slovenia, symbolises the Slovene identity.

Slovene Hay Rack
Wooden structures or buildings, designed for drying hay and other agricultural products. You can find simple structures all over and only in Slovenia and elaborated ones in the region of Dolenjska (toplarji.)

 

Cultural monuments and heritage in the Republic of Slovenia

Source: the Cultural Heritage Register, Ministry of Culture, Directorate for Cultural Heritage, 2005.

 

 

Different types of heritage

Source: the Cultural Heritage Register, Ministry of Culture, Directorate for Cultural Heritage, 2005.

 

870		Conversio bagoariorum et carantanorum was written. An essay in Latin on the conversion of Bavarians and Carantanians into Christianity. Carantanians were the first Christianised Slavic people and the ancestors of Slovenes. Conversio is the first historical source, describing a part of early Slovene history.
972–1039		Freising Manuscripts (in Slovene: “Brižinski spomeniki”), the oldest Slovene texts and the oldest Slavic texts written in the Latin alphabet, were written. These religious texts are the very first document of Slovene language. They were used in the Upper Carinthia region, nowadays in Southern Austria.
1136		The Cistercian monastery in Stična is founded. Monasteries (the first one founded on the Slovene territory was in Molzbichl, in 772) aiming at spreading Christianity remained for centuries to follow the centres of cultural life. Among other texts also documents in the Slovene language were created in the monastic libraries. In 1487, for example, the library of the monastery in Žiče contained more than 2000 codices. By the time of Joseph II there were 90 monasteries on the Slovene territory.
1550		In Tübingen, PrimožTrubar printed the first two Slovene books, Catechismus (Slov. Katekizem) and Abecedarium (Slov. Abecedarij). These first books in the Slovene language attest the establishment of the Slovene literary language (in 1569 Trubar laid foundations for the library of the Carniolan Provincial Estates, the first public library on the territory of Today’s Slovenia). In 1567 Trubar published the first hymnbook in Slovenian language, “Eni psalmi”.
1550		One of the most important Central European Renaissance composers Iacobus Handl –Gallus, author of a number of masses, motets and madrigals, was born somewhere in Carniola (now central part of Slovenia).
1584		Biblia – the Slovene translation of the Bible by a Protestant writer and preacher Jurij Dalmatin, was published in Wittenberg and the Slovenians joined the few nations who possessed an issue of The Holy Bible in their own language. In the years 1784–1802 Jurij Japelj carried out a new translation into Slovene.
1584		Adam Bohorič published the first grammar of Slovene language, “Zimske urice”, establishing Slovene as a literary language. It is an important linguistic document of Slovene as a literary language, the latter continuing to figure as a crucial agent in the consolidation of the Slovene national identity.
12th–15th century		The formation of the historical provinces under the rule of noble families (the Counts of Celje were the most powerful noble family originating from the Slovene territory). Provincial pride and consciousness were prevalent. Most of the artistic works were commissioned by the Church. In 1490 Janez from Kastav painted “Mrtvaški ples” in the church in Hrastovlje, an outstanding artistic achievement in the field of religious painting.
15th–17th century		The important role in education and culture was undertaken by the Jesuits who reached Slovenia in the last decade of the 16th century (they promoted the beginnings of the theatre; in 1670 Jesuit students performed in Ljubljana the first documented play in the Slovene language Igra o paradižu). In the area of artistic activity a few individuals stand out, among them Janez Krstnik Dolar (1620–1673), the most important Slovenian Jesuit composer of his time.
17th–18th century		Local architecture was under the influence of the neighbouring Italian and Austrian lands (the castle-architecture reflects the influence of the Italian Renaissance, Slovene towns show the impact of the German Medieval and Italian Baroque style). Francesco Robba sculptured the so called “Vodnjak treh kranjskih rek” i.e. the Robba fountain which is one of the most beautiful Baroque monuments in Slovenia. The sermons by Janez Svetokriški show qualities of artistic literary texts.
1689		Janez Vajkard Valvasor, since 1687 member of the British Royal Society, published a monumental book containing the topography of Koroška and Kranjska as well as a comprehensive historical, geographical and ethnological description of the then Slovenian lands, titled Die Ehre des Hertzogthums Crain (in Slovene: “Slava Vojvodine Kranjske”), one of the most significant sources for the research of the history of Slovene territory and its people.
1693		A learned society, Academia Operosorum, was founded in Ljubljana.
1701		Academia Philharmonicorum Labacensium, the first music society of late Baroque type active within the Holy Roman Empire, was founded in Ljubljana, which thus got one of the earliest Philharmonic in the world.
early 18th century		In the 18th century several artists of European standard established themselves in religious painting, namely Fortunat Bergant, Anton Cebej and Franc Jelovšek.
1721		Škofjeloški pasijon, presumably the first preserved dramatic work, was staged in Škofja Loka (continuing over a period of 50 years).
1765		Opened the door the Estates Theatre in Ljubljana.
1768		An Augustinian priest, Marko Pohlin, published “Kraynska grammatika”, which sparked the ensuing writing in the Slovene language. On his initiative, J. D. Dev edited from 1779–1781 the first Slovene collection of poems “Pisanice od lepeh umetnost”.
late 18th century		The beginning of the national awakening, the crucially influenced by the enlightened reforms of the Habsburg rulers of the period. In 1774 Maria Theresa issued a decree ordering compulsory schooling for all children between the ages of 6 and 12.
1780		Sigismund (in Slovene:) Žiga Zois, the wealthiest nobleman in Carniola bean to host a circle of prominent Slovene personalities acting in the field of literary and other branches of culture (Valentin Vodnik, Anton Tomaž Linhart, Jernej Kopitar). Zois was a great promoter of music, especially opera.
1788		Anton Tomaž Linhart published the first critical history of the Slovene people “Versuch einer Geschichte von Krain und den übringen Ländern der südlichen Slaven Oesterreichs” (in Slovene: “Poskus zgodovine Kranjske in ostalih dežel južnih Slovanov Avstrije”). In 1789, Linhart’s Županova Micka, the first Slovene comedy, was staged in Ljubljana, followed by another one of his comedies “Ta veseli dan ali Matiček se ženi”, published in 1790 and set to music by the Slovenian composer Janez Krstnik Novak as the opera “Figaro”.
1794		The Philharmonische Gesellschaft or Filharmonična družba was founded in Ljubljana, continuing the endeavours of the earlier Academia Philharmonicorum (among its honorary members were also the most eminent composers of the time: Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms).
1797–1800		“Lublanske novice”, the first Slovene newspaper was published.
19th century		The century of intensive national awakening. In 1848, the Slovene intellectuals, many of whom were both culturally and politically active, released a programme called “Zedinjena Slovenija”, which contained expectations and demands of the Slovene nation. It was propagated among the people by two movements, “čitalništvo” and “taborsko gibanje”. An important role in spreading the Slovene language as well as heightened national consciousness was fulfilled by the Illyrian provinces (1809–1813), above all by means of a decree, which integrated the Slovene language into primary and higher schools. During the 19th century, institutions of national significance were established (1821 – the Provincial Museum of Kranjska in Ljubljana, 1904 – the National Hall in Trieste, 1864 – the Slovene Literary Society, 1872 – the Slovene Music Society (“Glasbena matica”), 1872 – the Slovene Writers’ Association, 1878 – the National Archive in Ljubljana, 1892 – the Slovene National Theatre in Ljubljana, 1894–1896 –the construction of the National Hall in Ljubljana), the Slovene language started to develop in terms of scientific discipline (Jernej Kopitar, Fran Miklošič), literary creation in Slovene began to thrive, Slovene authors belonging to different areas of artistic expression and scientific research joined the course of European development, some reaching its very peak: Impressionism (Rihard Jakopič, Ivan Grohar, Matija Jama, Matej Sternen), Romantic painting (Anton Karinger), Secession in architecture and urbanism (Jože Plečnik, Max Fabiani), Romantic and Realist literature, Romantic music (Benjamin Ipavec, Fran Gerbič).
1830		The poetic almanac “Kranjska čbelica” was published for the first time.
1834		Sonetni venec by the Slovene foremost poet Dr. France Prešeren was published. His work represents the first rise, and to this day one of the greatest achievements in Slovene poetry. Prešeren is one of the finest European Romantic poets. The poem “Zdravljica” (its seventh stanza, set to music by Stanko Premrl, was declared on 29. 3. 1990 the national Anthem of the independent Republic of Slovenia) was published in 1848.
1836		The first Slovene tale “Sreča v nesreči “ by Janez Cigler was published.
1843–1902		During this period the journal “Kmetijske in rokodelske novice”, founded by Janez Bleiweiss and intended for common people, was published.
29. 1. 1861		The first “čitalnica” (reading room) was established in Trieste. On the ninth of August 1868 the first ‘tabor’ (folk assembly) in Ljutomer was held. These two events denote the beginning of mass movements, which contributed essentially to the dissemination of national consciousness among the people.
1866		The first Slovene novel named “Deseti brat” written by Josip Jurčič, was published.
1872		The first Slovene opera “Gorenjski slavček” by Anton Foerster was performed.
1899		The first Slovene documentary film, “Razgled po Ljubljani”, was presented in Ljubljana, followed by the first Slovene amateur movie, “Odhod od maše v Ljutomeru”, turned by Karol Grossman in 1905.
1900		Following the first exhibition by the Slovene Arts Society, Impressionist painting peaks, reaching the pinnacle of European standards. The first Slovene ballet “Možiček “ was composed by Josip Ipavec in 1900.
20th century		The Slovene people witnessed the fall of the Habsburg Empire as a fully formed nation. In 1918 Slovenia joined the Yugoslav Federation and after a few decades reached its political maturity, ready to continue its existence as an Independent country after the fall of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. In attaining this independence, as many times during history, an important role was played by cultural activists. Spanning the whole century, throughout the country sprang up institutions of national significance, dedicated to cultural and artistic manifestations (1908 – “Slovenska filharmonija” in Ljubljana, 1909 – “Jakopičeva galerija” in Ljubljana, 1918 – the “Narodna galerija” in Ljubljana, 1919 – “Slovensko narodno gledališče” in Maribor, 1920 – “Lutkovno gledališče” in Ljubljana, 1923 – “Slovenski etnografski muzej” in Ljubljana, 1945 – “Slovensko gledališče” in Triest, 1948 – “Moderna galerija” in Ljubljana, 1951 – “Tehniški muzej Slovenije” in Bistra near Vrhnika, 1991 – “Slovenski verski muzej” in Stična, etc.). The establishment of the university was also of great importance. The integration of Slovene arts into the contemporary European art currents resulted in increasing recognition of Slovene authors and artists in the domestic as well as foreign areas.
1905		The archbishop A. B. Jeglič founded the first high school where the lessons were in Slovene.
1918		In Ljubljana died Ivan Cankar, the foremost Slovene literary master of prose and style. His short stories, novels, and plays all bear strong social criticism.
23. 7. 1919		The University of Ljubljana was founded.
28. 10. 1920		Radio Ljubljana started broadcasting.
1924–27		The composer Marij Kogoj wrote the Expressionist opera “Črne maske”.
11. 8. 1938		The Academy of Sciences and Arts was founded in Ljubljana (since 1943, the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts).
1945		Lists of prohibited books and writers issued by the communist regime.
1953		Slavko Avsenik published the first of a series of most popular recordings of Slovene popular music based on Slovenian folk music. Later he formed the ensemble Avsenik and won many important international rewards and sold millions of records worldwide.
1957		The first Slovene modernist novel by Zorko Simčič, “Človek na obeh straneh stene” was published in Slovene emigrant diaspora in Argentina.
11. 10. 1958		The national TV station called “Televizija Ljubljana” started broadcasting its daily programme (since 1990 “TV Slovenija”)
2. 7. 1975		The University of Maribor was founded.
1978–1982		During this period, Cankarjev dom – the Congress and Cultural Centre, which contributed a significant part to the international establishment and promotion of Slovene culture, was built.
1981		Scientific Research Centre was founded by the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Many of its institutes work on the preservation and research of the Slovene cultural heritage (Slovene language, literature, music, art, crafts).
1983		An art collective, the Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK), composed of independent groups, united by the aesthetic principles of Retrogardism (rock band Laibach, artistic group Irwin, Theatre of Sisters Scipion Nasice, since 1991 Kolektiv Noordung, design group Novi kolektivizem). NSK has attained great recognition in the international scope.
21st century		Slovene artists attain recognition in the fields of dance, digital media, visual arts and industrial design as well as in the traditional areas of literature, architecture, sculpting, painting, musical interpretation etc. Slovenia hosts numerous renowned international artists and events.
29. 1. 2003		The University of Primorska was founded in the coastal town Koper / Capodistria.

Milestones in Cultural Policy

• Period of party lead »agitprop« cultural policy (until 1953), when culture was a means of political propaganda of the communist regime and, simultaneously, also the time when about a third of all existing cultural institutions and all three academies of art were founded,
• Period of state-lead cultural policy (1953-1974) of the one party system. The period is marked by territorial decentralisation or de-concentration, which expanded the network of cultural institutions throughout Slovenia,
• The period of self-management leadership of cultural policy (1974-1990) was a time of birth of Slovene cultural policy, since culture was then transferred to the competence of the Republic of Slovenia and began fully to flourish. At the same time, this was a time of self-management experiment, based on the transfer of cultural policy decision-making to communities of producers and consumers of culture and the taking over of cultural institutions by artists and cultural workers. The attempt was not economically sustainable and collapsed. Because of the dominant role of the communist party, it also changed into state corporatism,
• Period of parliamentary democracy (1990 on), when public authority and its cultural administration again and gradually undertook traditional tasks in the field of regulation of culture, provision of cultural services and financial interventions in the cultural market.

The last period has been marked in particular by:

• changes to the political system, during which the cultural sub-system continued undisturbed development, without the shock therapy that marked most other transition countries,
• new cultural-political model, returning cultural policy to the sphere of public authorities,
• reorganisation of the Ministry of Culture, which took over conduct of cultural policy, responsibility for national public institutions and public financing of other cultural activities,
• legislation on author's rights,
• international evaluation of Slovene cultural policy within the framework of the Council of Europe in 1996 which, with constructive criticism, shook complacency and provided arguments for the urgency of changes,
• ownership transformation of cultural monuments, which became private property or the property of  municipalities or the state,
• initiation of entrepreneurship in all cultural fields,
• privatisation of publishing houses, bookshops and cinemas,
• status transformation of all other professional cultural institutions (museums, galleries, libraries, cultural centres, archives et.) into national and local public institutions that are independent legal entities. The public sector thus predominates in the field of culture,
• setting up a system of public employment for all employees in public institutions
• transformation of state supported central professional societies into program financed providers of cultural activities,
• establishment of the non-governmental sector,
• adoption of the Resolution on a National Program for Culture (2004-2007).

In 2004, Slovenia completed the association period for accession to the EU and during that time harmonised its legislation with the aquis communautaire, which means in the area of culture a welcome harmonisation of media legislation with the European TV directive, and copyright legislation with numerous EU directives in this area. Harmonisation was painful with EU Directive 6 on value added tax, because of which VAT was introduced on books (at a lower rate, but which in Slovenia is one of the highest, i.e., 8.5%) and increased tax rate on audio-visual equipment to a normal 20% tariff.