The study of stones from the periods of ancient art and architecture and the Baroque.

During archaeological excavations near SNT Drama Ljubljana  in 2023 and 2024, exceptionally well-preserved remains of the Roman colony of Emona were discovered. The exhibition features, for the first time, two mosaics: the first is distinguished by a black-and-white geometric design typical of 4th-century Emona, while the second displays mysterious letters whose meaning remains unexplained. Also on display is a fragment of an oil lamp depicting a theatrical mask—a motif that symbolically connects life in Emona with the Drama Theatre. 

The main exhibition of the Lighting Guerrilla Festival is one of the most visited projects of the Match Gallery. The 19th edition of the festival with a series of light installations is taking over the areas in the immediate surroundings of our gallery and other locations around Ljubljana. Specially for the exhibition at the Match Gallery, light installations were created by Antti Kulmala, Ida Hiršenfelder, Nika Erjavec, ::vtol:: and Laura Adel.

A special place in Ljubljana's history is reserved for Roman Emona, the traces of which have been preserved in the very centre of the city.Welcome to a trail tracing the 2000-year-old heritage of Emona. A walk through modern Ljubljana can take you further than you think! It takes you to the time of Emona, a city brimming with life between the first century and early sixth century. 

An exhibition of archaeological findings discovered during the construction of the multifunctional Emonika complex not only unveils the past but also establishes an important connection between the city's history and its future. Just as ancient Emona was a significant urban centre, Emonika in modern Ljubljana will represent a new crossroad of life, culture and innovation.  

The Emona Archaeological Park, with its 2000-year-old remains of the Roman colony of Emona, forms part of Ljubljana city centre. Development of the park began in the 1930s. During the most recent restoration work, 10 years ago, we decided to protect and revitalise the Emonan remains by creating an exciting programme and encouraging the public to visit. Today, where ancient walls once stood, we now create, learn and amuse ourselves.

In July and August 2022, during renovation of the hot water supply system in Argentina Park, archaeological research was carried out in the area between Štefanova ulica and Puharjeva ulica. The excavations uncovered part of Roman Emona’s northern cemetery. At one time, this would have extended along the road leading to Celeia (today’s Celje).

The results of current archaeological research exhibited at the museum's treasury.

From the first third of the 4th century CE to the early part of the 5th, there was a cemetery beneath present-day Gosposvetska Street, to the west of the main northern approach road to the Roman Emona. The cemetery had grown up around a structure that contained a number of graves and that had been built there in the second half of the 3rd century. The oldest of these graves, which are probably early Christian, was of a woman and contained a blue glass bowl.

Major restoration works carried out in Ljubljana over the last two decades, along with the rescue excavations that accompanied them, have again put Emona, our capital’s Roman predecessor, in the spotlight. Once more we have seen that almost everywhere in Ljubljana we have Roman remains beneath our feet.

The transparent blue glass bowl found next to the woman’s body. The 1,700-year old vessel is decorated on the outside with grapes, and vine leafs and tendrils. A Greek inscription on the inside of the bowl instructs the owner to “Drink to live forever, for many years!” 

In 2017 and 2018 excavations were carried out in Gosposvetska Street, Ljubljana, by the Archaeological Consortium for Ljubljana, under the auspices of the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana.

How well do you know the rich history of Slovenian capital? Pile-dwellers, Emona, Middle and New Ages, the 20th and 21st centuries… what is the history of Ljubljana? Get to know Ljubljana's past - see the chronological presentation of Ljubljana’s millennia of heritage with precious authentic artefacts, like the world's oldest wooden wheel with an axle!

The tombstone from arcaeological research on Gosposvetska street brings new findings of the first generation of settlers in the Roman city of Iulia Emona.

In the Treasury of the City museum of Ljubljana do not miss recently discovered and just conservated Roman pavement from beneath Slovenska cesta, made in opus signinum technique.