Urška and the Water Man

The most poetic room in the hotel

This exceptionally bright room boasts a reconstruction of a 17^th-century fresco and is named after a ballad by Slovenia’s greatest poet France Prešeren (1800–1849). It offers a splendid view of the emerald Ljubljanica river – the very spot where the ballad's dramatic ending unfolds.

To the other side, the view opens to the Ljubljana Castle. The room has a bright modern bathroom.

A peek into history …

The venue of the famous romantic ballad

The ballad Urška and the Water Man tells the story of a flirtatious local girl Urška, who was as vain as she was beautiful. Not far from Zlata ladjica, on the Old Market Square, a dance is taking place, and many local suitors invite fair Urška to dance, but she refuses them all. The dance is almost over when she spies a handsome youth whom she has never seen before and decides to make him her own. He asks her to dance and Urška agrees. The two of them begin to circle around the dancefloor, much to the awe of everyone there. The thunder resounds and winds whistle as they spin away at a preternatural pace toward the bank of the Ljubljanica and disappear in a whirlpool.

In the past, the river and the vicinity of today’s Zlata ladjica used to be a lively venue for dances and other public events. Dances on the Ljubljanica were very popular some 200 years ago. Boatmen would lay flooring across several boats and the dancefloor was ready.