Historical Archives Ljubljana

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Zgodovinski arhiv Ljubljana (ZAL)

Mestni trg 27, SI-1000 Ljubljana

http://www.zal-lj.si

zal@zal-lj.si

Phone386 (0) 1 306 1303

Founded byMinistry of Culture

The Historical Archives Ljubljana collect and keep records of the archives of organisations and institutions of local and regional interest and are the direct successor of the Municipal Archives of Ljubljana, founded in 1898. The Archives address the public through thematic exhibitions; the one in 2009 was dedicated to Congress Square and its Surroundings to Prešeren Market and partly displayed also in the Ljubljana City Hall.

Background

The origins of the Historical Archives Ljubljana may be traced back to the Municipal Archives of Ljubljana, which was founded in 1898 by Ljubljana's municipal authorities. Since 1966 the range of activities of the Municipal Archives has gradually extended to the whole of central Slovenia, all the way from Jesenice, through Ljubljana and its surroundings to Idrija, Novo mesto, and Metlika. The Archives have also changed their organisational structure. In October 1973, the Municipal Archives of Ljubljana were renamed the Historical Archives Ljubljana (Zgodovinski arhiv Ljubljana).

Venues, branches

Today the archives comprise six units: Municipal Archives Ljubljana Unit (Enota Mestni arhiv Ljubljana), Unit for Gorenjska Kranj (Enota za Gorenjsko Kranj), Unit for Dolenjska and Bela krajina Novo mesto (Enota za Dolenjsko in Belo krajino Novo mesto), Unit in Škofja Loka (Enota v Škofji Loki) and Unit in Idrija (Enota v Idriji). The Archives' remit includes the following state administrative units (territorial divisions other than municipalities used in state governance): Cerknica, Črnomelj, Domžale, Grosuplje, Idrija, Jesenice, Kamnik, Kočevje, Kranj, Litija, Ljubljana, Logatec, Metlika, Novo mesto, Radovljica, Ribnica, Škofja Loka, Trebnje, Tržič, and Vrhnika.

Mission

The Historical Archives Ljubljana collect and keep records of the archives of organisations and institutions of local and regional interest, while the archives of organisations and institutions at state level are cared for by the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia (ARS). The Historical Archives carry out the following tasks: the evaluation of documentary materials of public law persons, the implementation of professional supervision and training of workers who work with documentary material; the collection and expert processing of public and private archives; making inventories, guides, and other aids for the use of archival material and its publication; publishing of archival sources; maintaining and safeguarding of archives; evidencing public and private documents; recording private archives of legal and private bodies; cooperation with owners of private archives, expert advice, implementation of peer review; issuing transcripts and copies of documents and certificates based on documents; transmission of cultural values in relation to archival material; carrying out research tasks in the field of archival science, history and other disciplines related to archival material; issuing publications.

In 2010 the archives joined the archival information system SIRA.net, which interconnects the databases of five regional archives of Slovenia.

Archival records

In its depositories the Historical Archives Ljubljana keep and preserve a great variety of archives, including several notable collections of documents and manuscript books (the oldest dating from 1320), maps and charts, plans and photographs relating to the economic operation of the Municipality of Ljubljana and other towns, and minutes of councils and committees, accounting books, land registers. They also maintain the archives of other administrative bodies; of judiciary, economic, school system, socio-political organisations, associations and companies (including important archives from the quicksilver mine of Idrija); as well as of individuals and families. The majority of the older archives – more than 1,300 records, that is some 4,000 linear metres of material – are written in the German language and in Gothic characters, because until 1882 German was the official language.

The Historical Archives Ljubljana are responsible for taking care of more than 3,000 archive groups or about 11,000 linear metres of archives, which are constantly on the increase. For conservation reasons and to provide easier access to users, 1,321 microfilm copies have been made. A reference library, a microfilm laboratory, and copying machines are at the public's disposal.

Exhibitions

Since the end of 1990s the Archives produce thematic exhibitions, in the Ljubljana Unit even twice a year. The most notable is a three-year cycle of presentations of the historical transformations of Ljubljana squares. The others have highlighted Ljubljana hotels, entertainment in Ljubljana in the 19th and 20th centuries, the notorious setting up of the monument to France Prešeren etc.

The exhibitions of Novo mesto commerce and merchants, Novo mesto during the Second World War, Škofja Loka in old documents, protestantism in Škofja Loka, business as well as the streets and squares of Kranj are some of the exhibitions prepared also by the local units in the last decade.

See also

• Historical Archives Ljubljana: Dolenjska and Bela Krajina Unit, Novo mesto
• Historical Archives Ljubljana: Gorenjska Unit, Kranj
• Historical Archives Ljubljana: Idrija Unit
• Historical Archives Ljubljana: Škofja Loka Unit
• Archival Association of Slovenia (AAS)
• Archives of the Republic of Slovenia (ARS)

Other regional archives in Slovenia

• Historical Archives of Celje
• Regional Archives of Koper
• Regional Archives of Maribor
• Regional Archives of Nova Gorica
• Historical Archives of Ptuj

External links

• Historical Archives Ljubljana webpage (in Slovenian)
• 111 Years of Historical Archives Ljubljana, an illustrated chronicle (pdf, in English)