Today is a public holiday in Slovenia, in celebration of the National Poet, France Prešeren. A public holiday in honour of a poet: how wonderful! I wanted to be the first to wish you ‘Happy Prešeren Day!’ and tell you a bit more about the poet’s life and works.
France Prešeren
Prešeren was born in the town of Vrba, (now in Northern Slovenia, then part of the Habsburg Empire) in December of 1800. He was born into a relatively wealthy farming family, and his mother was passionate about the education of her children. He received a comprehensive education at the Ljubljana State Gymnasium, and later attended the University of Vienna where he studied law, but was already showing a huge talent for poetry.
He returned to Ljubljana where he worked as an assistant in a law firm, trying unsuccessfully to become an independent lawyer. He continued to write poetry and was renowned in the city’s literary circles. Here he met and fell in love with Julija Primic, daughter of a wealthy merchant. Prešeren’s love was unrequited, and Primic married another man. This unfulfilled love brought him much unhappiness, and although he started a family with another woman, Ana Jelovšek, on his deathbed he said that he had never forgotten Julija. He died in the town of Kranj (where he had eventually established his own law firm) on 8 February 1849, after an illness possibly brought on by years of alcoholism and depression.
Prešeren’s poetry and its significance to Slovenia
Prešeren wrote sonnets, ballads and epic poems on a literary par with the great Romantic Poets of his time. As such, he elevated literature in the Slovene language to an internationally-recognised level. He is revered in Slovenia as the father of modern Slovene literature, and, when Slovenia gained independence in 1991, his poem Zdravljica, ‘A Toast’ was adopted as the Slovene national anthem. Here is my translation of the first stanza:
When the taught vines have laboured
And brought forth, dear friends
Sweet wine to us
Which re-invigorates our veins
Our hearts enlightened
Our eyes brightened thus:
With cares outcast
And fears at rest
The fraught breast breathes new hope at last.
You can read a translation of the full poem on Prešeren.net.
Monuments to Prešeren

Just about every town in Slovenia has its own Prešerenov Trg, or ‘Prešeren Square.’ The most famous is of course to be found in Ljubljana. Here a statue of the poet gazes across the square towards his muse Julija, whose statue adorns one of the buildings opposite. The Slovenian €2 coin also features the poet’s portrait.
Once travel becomes possible, you can visit the poet’s birthplace in Vrba and the Prešeren Memorial Museum in Kranj to find out more about his life and works.
I hope you enjoyed finding out a little about Slovenia’s national poet, and I wish you once again Happy Prešeren Day!
Lep pozdrav,
Ingrid
A fine look at a poet, may other poets continued to be recognised thus!
Yes, what a great reason for a National holiday!
I certainly think it would be a long time before my country, Australia had a National holiday for a poet, even though there are a couple of ‘Bush Balladeers’ who some poeple may think worthy of such recognition. They are from many years ago, though, and I don’t know if they wold be recognised in such a way.
I would be interested to learn about them!
Thank you Ingrid for a very educational and interesting post.
I guess if me and Dauphy had a National holiday, it would have to be April Fool’s day!
I don’t think so! That’s one smart dog you have…🤣
Thank you so much for this 🙂
You’re welcome 😊
Ljubljana looks wonderful, I have seen a few videos and it must be a terrific place to visit — in normal times. Very fascinating piece, about Slovenia reclaiming its nationhood through your national poet France Prešeren and other cultural phenomena — I think this is so important. In Slovenian is the š pronounced more like the English ‘sh’? Also, forgive me for asking, but Ingrid (if that’s indeed your real name) doesn’t sound especially Slovenian — I might be wrong, of course. Perhaps German and other languages have been spoken in your country and the native Slovenian has regained its rightful place in more recent times. Very interesting post. We need more about our cultures put out there.
Thank you Francis! Yes, the š is pronounced ‘sh’. I’m not Slovenian but my husband is. I’m British but my paternal grandparents were Latvian, so I suppose I ended up with a name that might’ve been more common there.
Ah, of course! Fascinating, best wishes.
To you also! 😊
so lovely to honor this poet. Wow what a beautiful place to write in and be inspired by.
His poetry is beautiful and it’s too bad he couldn’t reflect the beauty he brought to himself. ❤️
I’m sure he had some wonderful times as well! ❤️🙏
Yes it sounds like he was a tortured soul – as we poets often are 😅 what a shame he didn’t have a beautiful community like this for support ❤️
I think that’s probably right sadly!
I know that’s soooo true!
How blessed we are!
How wonderful to honor a poet with a holiday! Thanks for all the information, too. (K)
My pleasure! 😊