2.000 years later, in 2014, Ljubljana will mark the anniversary of Emona with a vibrant programme of events, exhibitions and experiences.

The main event of the anniversary year, scheduled to take place from 22 to 24 August 2014, has been titled "Ave, Emona!". Ljubljana's Kongresni trg square will be occupied by costumed members of historical societies from Slovenia and abroad who will put up a Roman camp and demonstrate what life was like 2000 years ago as well as a number of ancient Roman skills and arts: from military formations and gladiator fights to dances and cooking. Children will be able to join Roman-themed workshops, a Roman market will be selling handicrafts, and various refreshments will be served at a Roman taberna.

Starting in spring, Ljubljana's museums, galleries and outdoor venues will host a number of Emona- themed exhibitions. The City museum of Ljubljana will showcase the exhibition "Emona: A city within the empire" (29 May 2014 - 30 May 2015), which will shed light onto the city's birth, life and decline, the everyday life of its residents, and the heritage they left behind as well as present the new findings, yielded during the most recent archaeological explorations. The National Museum of Slovenia's new permanent exhibition "Stories from the meeting point of different worlds" (From 30 May 2014 onwards) will bring together archaeological finds from the time when the territory of the present-day Slovenia was part of the Roman Empire with the help of films, sculptural reconstructions, reconstruction paintings and over a thousand objects. Cankarjev dom cultural and congress centre will host the exhibition "Aquae Iasae" (21 May - 26 October 2014) which will show the extraordinary archaeological finds discovered during the latest excavations in the area of the Croatian town of Varaždinske Toplice. Ljubljana Castle will host an exhibition on Ljubljana's urban development (28 May - 14 September 2014). The photographic exhibition "The remains of the city", held in the open air venue along the Jakopič promenade in Tivoli Park (1 July - 1 September 2014) will feature works by both established photographers and the winners of a public photography contest on the theme of the poetics of ruins, the remains of our past. Ancient ruins caught on photographs will also be the theme of the exhibition "Vestiges" by the world renowned photographer Joseph Koudelka, held at the Jakopič Gallery (20 May - 3 September 2014).

The remains of ancient Emona in Ljubljana's streets and squares are waiting for you to explore and there's no better way to do it than taking a guided tour. Ljubljana Tourism has designed some interesting guided tours offering you an opportunity to learn what life was like in Emona. The tours in March and April will give you an opportunity to sample the ancient history of Ljubljana by exploring the traces of the 2,000-year old Roman city of Emona, which used to occupy its site. The tours of the Roman Emona starting in May (and being carried out through September) will be a truly Roman experience, where you will put on a Roman attire and walk through the remains of Emona accompanied by a Roman legionary and a tour guide dressed as a Roman. The evening tours will take place in the light of flaming torches. 

You are welcome to join the celebrations and experience the Roman Emona first hand!

For more information visit www.visitljubljana.com.