Prešeren House

Gorenjski muzej - Prešernova hiša

A memorial museum was established on 8 February 1964 in the house where the most prominent Slovenian poet Dr France Prešeren (1800 – 1849) resided from autumn 1846 until 8 February 1849. 

The house comprises two parts with a joint courtyard, with construction dating back to the late Gothic period. In the 17^th century, however, they were connected to a single building with a wooden hallway, the proof of which is a preserved cantilever closure. After a fire in 1811, the wooden hallway was replaced by a vaulted hallway. In 2000 and 2001, the house was fully renovated, and a contemporary permanent exhibition established, which showcases the poet's life from his birth in the village of Vrba and his schooling in Vienna, to his life in Ljubljana and death in Kranj.  

Prešeren rented an apartment in a house in Kranj, which bore the marking "Mesto 181". The house was owned by Franc Mayr, a merchant and brewer from Kranj. In the lower rooms, where there the gallery is now located, was the first coffee house in Kranj owned by Florian Pua from Switzerland. The poet entered the first floor of the house from today’s Tavčarjeva Street. The living quarters (e.g. kitchen, Katra’s room, Prešeren’s room and Andrej Rudolf’s room) were above today’s Prešernova Street, while his law firm was located above Tavčar Street, at that time called Svinjska Street.  

Two rooms are equipped with authentic furniture: the poet’s bedroom and law firm. Exhibited items included a censured manuscript of Poems (Poezije) from 1847, an original and copy of Baptism at the Savica (Krst pri Savici) and newspapers in which the poet published his poems, including Carniola, Illyrian Gazette (Illyisches Blatt), Agricultural and Trade News (Kmetijske in rokodelske novice) and the Kranj Bee (Kranjska č’belica). The artistic flair of rooms is provided by portraits of his two friends, Matija Čop and Andrej Smole, and a portrait of his unrequited love, Julija Primic. The poet’s first visual depiction from 1850 is also on display. The author of the portrait was Goldenstein, who painted the poet from memory. Three highlights of his life are displayed: A Wreath of Sonnets (Sonetni venec), Baptism at the Savica (Krst pri Savici) and an edition of Poems (Poezije). His poem A Toast (Zdravljica) is very important to the Slovenian national identity, as one of the verses makes up the national anthem of independent Slovenia. The publications in which Dr France Prešeren published his poems included Agricultural and Trade News (Kmetijske in rokodelske novice), edited by Kranj’s compatriot Dr Janez Bleiweis, aka Trsteniški. Prešeren's portrait by Ivan Franket is displayed in the room where Andrej Rudolf used to live. The portrait was donated by Andrej Bleiweis’s great-great-great grandson. 

Also on display are many books and contemporary media on Prešeren’s life and his work, as well as several translations of his poetry into foreign languages. Slovenes are proud of the fact that Prešeren is also read in Chinese and Bengali. 

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