The Grand Hotel Union ( sl, Grand hotel Union) is a four-star hotel near the centre of the city of

Ljubljana Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center. During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...

, the capital of

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

. Built about a block from the city's central

Prešeren Square Prešeren Square ( sl, Prešernov trg) is the central square in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is part of the old town's pedestrian zone and a major meeting point where festivals (like the annual Ljubljana Dragon Carnival), concerts, sports ...

between 1903 and 1905, it is notable for having been Ljubljana's first modern hotel, as well as—for a few years after its construction—the city's largest building. The hotel was part of a programme of urban reconstruction during the administration of Mayor

Ivan Hribar Ivan Hribar (19 September 1851 – 18 April 1941) was a Slovene and Yugoslav banker, politician, diplomat and journalist. During the start of the 20th century, he was one of the leaders of the National Progressive Party, and one of the most ...

, initiated in the aftermath of the major 1895 earthquake that destroyed much of Ljubljana's medieval structures. Designed by the architect

Josip Vancaš Josip Vancaš (22 March 1859 – 15 December 1932) was an Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslav architect who spent most of his career in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo, where he designed over two hundred buildings. He also designed important buildings in p ...

, it is a fine example of the

Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (german: Wiener Secession; also known as ''the Union of Austrian Artists'', or ''Vereinigung Bildender Künstler Österreichs'') is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austri ...

style. Its façade is almost 100 metres long, and its complex iron roof structure was considered a technical achievement at the time. Since its completion in 1905, the hotel has been redecorated twice, but retains its original style. The ground floor of the building contains the Café Union (''Unionska kavarna'').

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* {{Ljubljana Hotels in Ljubljana Art Nouveau architecture in Ljubljana Hotel buildings completed in 1905 Hotels established in 1905 Cultural venues in Ljubljana Center District, Ljubljana Josip Vancaš buildings 1905 establishments in Austria-Hungary Art Nouveau hotels 20th-century architecture in Slovenia