Josip Plečnik – Central European Architect
from 2. 10. 2025 to 30. 6. 2026
Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik (1872–1957) stands as one of the defining figures of 20th-century European architecture. As a student of Otto Wagner in Vienna, he quickly developed his own distinctive style. Between 1920 and 1934, Plečnik renovated Prague Castle at the personal request of President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk – his interventions are to this day regarded as a symbol of democracy in the First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938).
In Ljubljana, he designed numerous buildings: churches, a library, bridges, and the Žale Cemetery — which led to Plečnik’s works being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Although a visionary, he always returned to tradition and folk culture. This is also why Slovakia appealed to him — in 1920, he undertook a study trip with his students through Slovak regions, seeking inspiration in folk architecture and symbolism.
A significant part of the exhibition focuses on Josip Plečnik’s relationship with Slovakia — showcasing his inspiration from folk art, the works of his students and of Dušan Jurkovič, with whom he shared a deep admiration for tradition. Among the exhibits one will find models of the Barrow on the Bradlo hill, Jurkovič House (Brno, CZ), furniture from a student dormitory, and a cross from military cemeteries in Halič.
