Metelkova

"Metelkova is an internationally renowned autonomous cultural zone situated on the site of former military barracks – the Slovene headquarters of the Yugoslav National Army. This public space which otherwise lay unused, and which the state now intends to clear, was occupied in September 1993 precisely in order to prevent its illegal demolition and to carry out various forms of autonomous creativity.



Neither the City of Ljubljana nor the Slovene state have showed any interest in maintaining the status of the autonomous zone of Metelkova, and therefore the possibilities of the people involved in it, to further develop their creativity. Instead we have witnessed attempts by the city and the state to try and legalize Metelkova or attempting to supplant it with shopping centres and other commercial ventures. The hard, yet energetic, development of Metelkova in a contrary direction, was possible due to numerous groups and individuals who consistently fought to maintain the autonomy, new spaces, contents and cultures of Metelkova.
For instance – Metelkova is one of the few places where different types of live music ranging from Free Jazz, Noise to Dub and Techno can be heard in peaceful coexistence. A number of artists have their studios at Metelkova. This also boasts one of the most open and creatively varied galleries for contemporary art not only in Slovenia but regionally, too. Metelkova is also one of the few places in Slovenia to offer migrants and asylum seekers, members of ethnic and other minorities, a possibility to openly socialize among themselves and with other people. For many years, Metelkova hosted the only fully fledged Women’s centre, and it is today still the only place in the country with community run clubs for handicapped youth, gay and lesbians. Many campaigns against racism, various forms of individual as well as social violence, have been planned and carried out at Metelkova."


Sitío que descobri graças ao completíssimo roteiro feito pelo meu primo Luís, imigrado mais em Ljubljana que na sua suposta terra erasmus de Trieste. Em pouco mais de 4 horas descobri o Hostel Celica considerado o melhor hostel do mundo, animado pela música oa vivo de um grupo esloveno. Passei ainda por vários bares com diferentes músicas e ambientes. Desde o bar do relax a cheirar a ganza, ao bar de música ao vivo e ao bar de música alternativa. No meio os diferentes bares estavam algumas centenas de pessoas, ao estilo Bairro Alto, ou seja, a beberem cerveja (que por lá custa 1,5€ ao meio litro).

Obrigado Luís.