Sociological Spatial Analysis of Prešeren Square in Ljubljana

The research analysed the public’s response to the proposal to reorganise Prešeren Square in Ljubljana in 1988. The key act of the rearrangement was the planned placement of the fountain — a fountain in the center of the square. Due to the delicate symbolic and identity meanings of this central urban area, and partly due to the specific political situation in Slovenia in 1988, the intention triggered numerous and very turbulent reactions. The analysis covered over 3,000 records collected in the comment book, which was offered at the time of dismantling the fountain in scale 1: 1 at the scheduled location. The vast majority of the comments strongly opposed the proposed reorganisation. The analysis of discourses revealed the diversity of symbolic and identity meanings and relations with the city space. In addition, the analysis also identified the “non-spatial” i.e. the general socially critical content of the comments triggered by the envisaged intervention in the sensitive urban area.