Rojstna hiša Franceta Prešerna
Vrba 2, SI-4274 Žirovnica
Phone386 (0) 30 425 025
Birthplace of France Prešeren
From Culture.si
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Background
Vrba is one of the oldest villages at the foot of Stol mountain. In the past, it was inhabited by peasants whose additional sources of income used to be trade and transportation with wagons and pack-horses. When the Prešeren house was originally constructed in the 16th century it was mostly made of wood, with only the basement, hall and barn made of stone. After a fire in 1856 the house was rebuilt. It was bought and arranged into a memorial museum in 1939 following an initiative of another native, priest and writer Fran Saleški Finžgar (see Birthplace of Fran Saleški Finžgar).
The house was one of the first Slovene protected cultural monuments and remains an interesting monument of vernacular art. The building has an entrance hall with a staircase, a so-called "black kitchen" (črna kuhinja) and a cellar. Two memorial plaques are built in the entrance façade, commemorating the birth of France Prešeren and Archbishop Anton Vovk (1900–1963).
Collection
The rooms of the house contain furniture and domestic artefacts dating back to the 19th century. The most important piece of furniture is the poet's cradle. In 1985 the historical significance of the house was increased by the addition of translations of poems by France Prešeren, including 84 mutually-exclusive publications of Poezije and a range of literature on Prešeren's life and work. On 3 December 2000 a new exhibition on the life and work of France Prešeren was installed.
In front of the house stands a bust of Prešeren's first sculptural depiction, modelled in 1865 by academic sculptor Franc Ksaver Zajec. It was erected in Vrba in 2000 at the 200th anniversary of Prešeren's birth.
Renovation
Between 2024 and 2026 Prešeren’s birthplace underwent a major renovation, initiated and supported by the Ministry of Culture. As a result of the renovation, the ground floor now houses an exhibition space dedicated to Prešeren’s life and work, while the multipurpose hall on the first floor is designed for various events, including concerts, lectures, theatre performances, workshops, temporary exhibitions, and more.
The renovation project also encompassed the outbuilding which will - once the renovation is completed - host an additional permanent exhibition about Prešeren, as well as the nearby house at Vrba 1, which will accommodate an artist residence, a café and additional spaces for a variety of events.
See also
- Prešeren House
- Prešeren.net
- Birthplace of Matija Čop
- Birthplace of Fran Saleški Finžgar
- Birthplace of Janez Jalen
External links
- France Prešeren on Wikipedia
- France Prešeren's digitalised poetry on Wikivir (in Slovenian)
Gallery
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