The most beautiful church in the Slovenian capital, the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, stands in the heart of the Ljubljana Old Town on the banks of the picturesque Ljubljanica River. The green square called Preseren (Prešernov trg) is never deserted. It hosts city events and religious festivals and attracts tourists with its unique monuments of ancient and modern architecture.

You can see the Parish Church of the Annunciation from any part of the square thanks to its bright facade painted in red (the color of the Franciscan monastic order). Interestingly, the church was founded by the Augustinian monks in the middle of the 17th century. The Augustinians spent 15 years building the beautiful church and more than 50 years decorating it. But later, the church was handed over to the Franciscans. Unfortunately, most of the temple was destroyed by the great earthquake in 1895. The consequences were so disastrous that the restoration work of the shrine continues to this day.

Almost the entire Catholic church is made in the Baroque style, as is its front facade, rebuilt with numerous Ionic and Corinthian pilasters in the 19th century. Be sure to pay special attention to the Baroque sculptures, starting with the central statue of the Mother of God, made of wrought copper, and ending with the sculptures of God the Father, Our Lady, and the angel, installed in the church niches. These delightful works of the sculptor Paolo Callalo make a strong on all the visitors, and the statue of Our Lady is considered the largest statue depicting Mary in Ljubljana.

Although the church interior has undergone many restorations, including the last one in 1993, it is still no less amazing. Its ceilings are covered with magnificent frescoes painted in 1935 by the famous Slovenian impressionist artist Matej Schreiner and more ancient, 19th-century, frescoes by Mateusz Langus that are still preserved in some places. The most valuable relic of the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation is the 18th-century well-crafted altar. It is considered Francesco Robba's masterpiece.