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The Ljubljana Castle - Erasmus tower - Section C

Office / Author:
ambient


Team and collaborators:
Miha Kerin
Majda Kregar
Edo Ravnikar jr.
Smiljan Buzeti
Brane Kregar


Location:
Ljubljana, Slovenia


Year of project / completion:
2007 / 2008


Client:
City of Ljubljana


Status (competition, project, completion) and phase:
completion


Tags:
Architecture / Rennovation


Photo:
Miha Kerin


The Erasmus Tower, with a semi-circular ground plan, is one of the six defence towers of the Ljubljana Castle. Initially, it was intended as a dungeon and for defence purposes; later, it was a part of the prison, and before the renovation it housed toilets.

Its contemporary usage has been suggested by its strategic position in relation to the revitalisation programme, since it sits at the junction of both access ramps to the courtyard ? at the extension of the bridge from the castle plateau and at the exit from the casemate, as well as at the exit from the funicular station.Therefore, the Castle Info Point is housed at the tower?s courtyard level.

The unearthed dungeon for noblemen can be visited in the tower?s basement where the coats-of-arms of the imprisoned noblemen can be observed scratched out on the walls. Even though the courtyard level stands above the tower?s gaol, the renovated tower still affords the feeling of the depth of the space the prisoners were condemned to, because the courtyard concrete pavement is shifted away from the tower wall at its semi-circular section to allow the view of the depth below. A new underground gallery intended for the visitors which enables the viewing of the wall engravings, is designed as a floating platform in order to maintain the feeling of the former drama of the dungeon?s space.