The year 2026 marks 142 years since the birth of the Slovenian architect and Radovljica-born professor, innovation and artist Ivan Vurnik.

Eleven years ago, the Slovenian Centre for Architecture began researching Vurnik's life and work, revealing an insight into the great architect and his wife. It is thanks to the Centre for Architecture that his work and endeavours have become more known.

In addition to Jože Plečnik and Maks Fabian, Ivan Vurnik (1884-1971) was one of the pioneers of Slovenian architecture. He was also the co-founder of the Department for Architecture at Ljubljana University. Ivan Vurnik and his wife, Helena Kottler Vurnik (1882-1962), were the pioneers of the national style of architecture and art in the 1920s. The architecture of the Cooperative Bank building in Ljubljana is the most beautiful example of joint creation and relates to the contemporary styles of expressionism and cubism in Central Europe with a strong presence of national motifs.

We invite you to taste some of Ivan Vurnik’s favourite dishes.
 
Ivan Vurnik also respected discipline in his diet and lived to a venerable old age thanks to a healthy and ascetic diet.
Before eating, he always drank a cup of tea, usually black elderberry.
He enjoyed a glass of wine during meals.
He liked lean ends of meat, preferably veal, never pork.
He strictly observed the Friday fast, when he ate trout or souffle.
Brown rolls were on the menu during the week and white buns at the weekend, when there was no shortage of veal or poultry.

VURNIK’S MENU

Herbal tea
***
Amuse bouche
 
***
Chicken soup with chicken dumplings and carrots
(at weekends)
 
OR

Wild garlic soup
Yoghurt and buckwheat
(weekdays)
 
***
Zupan Rainbow Trout Fillet
yellow “trdinka” corn (Mrkot), crayfish
vegetable ragout, white fish sauce, yellow kohlrabi and apple (Resje)

 
OR
 
Stuffed Galjot Chicken, Gorenjska Style (Sunday lunch tradition)
celeriac cream with apple, spinach and potato
chicken jus and butter sauce
 
Glass of wine
 
***
Vanilla pudding with raspberry and mint
Kral’s honey, Golar’s yoghurt, mead and homemade apricot jam
 
Price: €45
 

After lunch, take a stroll through Radovljica to take a look at the architecture of the Radovljica-born architect Ivan Vurnik.
You can see:

• Vurnik’s birth house
• Vila Savnik, which stands at the entrance to the medieval part of the town
• Grajski dvor hotel
• The Obla gorica swimming pool
• The Vurnik and Vidic-Resman family vault