Five advantages of Ljubljana’s premier venue for events
Venue
Cankarjev dom is located in the centre of Slovenia’s capital city, Ljubljana. Designed by Edvard Ravnikar, a student of the renowned architect Jože Plečnik, it is an architectural gem standing on the edge of the city’s largest park, Tivoli and on the other side, the Square of Republic, which it shares with the Parliament building. It is a leading event venue fit for concerts, art performances, exhibitions, congresses, and other ceremonies. With a total area spanning 36,000 m2, comprising 22 halls, the venue can host 5,000 visitors. However, Cankarjev Dom is not only a diverse venue but also employs a full staff of organisers, technical crew, and co-operators in the catering sector. It boasts a restaurant with a view from its highest floor.
22 halls with a capacity from 60 to 1545
The largest hall in Cankarjev dom has a capacity of 1545 seats. Praised for its excellent acoustics, the Gallus Hall hosts the largest variety of events from opera and ballet to symphonic, chamber, organ, jazz and other music concerts, and theatre, dance or entertainment performances, along with multimedia events as well as conventions. It allows radio- or TV-broadcast transmission and simultaneous interpretation. While the technological equipment is very impressive, the most eye-catching features of the hall are the acoustic shell and the magnificent Schuke organ.
CD is also home to Linhart hall with 562 seats, the Club of Cankarjev Dom offering space for up to 300 visitors, the Stih Hall with 253 seats, the Kosovel Hall with 170 seats, the Lily Novy Hall with 80 seats and the Duše Počkaj Hall that can host up to 60 visitors. Cankarjev Dom also utilises other spaces for events such as the Grand Foyer, the Gallery of Cankarjev Dom, mostly for exhibitions, the Little Gallery and conference rooms M and E. Lastly, there is the Hall of Alma Karlin, the latest addition that offers an outstanding panoramic view of the skyline from the fifth floor. It is divided into a theatre area for intimate performances, concerts and readings, and a book area for various lectures, round tables and recitals.
PCO Agency
Many things make Cankarjev dom stand out. Not least, it is also a PCO (Professional Congress organiser) for in-house and off-site events. Since 1980 it has hosted and organised congresses, conferences, symposiums, seminars, lectures, workshops, professional, corporate and social meetings, business exhibitions and fairs. With the advantage of an experienced team of organisers that intimately knows the venue and its technical and support staff, events are elevated to an even higher level. Cankarjev dom is also a member of the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) and the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO).
More than 30 conferences & congresses organised annually
In 2023, Cankarjev dom boasted more than 20 important gatherings and the number will only increase in 2024. In the first half of the year, the venue has already seen experts from numerous fields of study attending congresses, conferences and symposiums. Some of the most notable ones were the IAPCO Annual Meeting and General Assembly, bringing together more than 150 experts, the Congress of the European Society of Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine hosting 900 participants and the International Fotona Weekend with a record number of 1,300 participants.
Sustainability
Cankarjev dom is also a vociferous advocate of sustainability, caring for the future of our planet with actions and guidelines being incorporated into every aspect of their business model. They have adopted a ban on plastic. Some of the steps taken in this direction are the ban on using plastic water bottles and plastic cups for speakers, hosts of events and visitors. New water fountains encourage each visitor to refill their bottles with fresh water. Cankarjev dom is also one of the partners of the Planet Positive Event initiative that guides event organisers to greener strategies and more efficient, less wasteful ways of operating. At the IAPCO Annual Meeting and General Assembly, the carbon footprint was measured using the Planet Positive Event tool. One of the most interesting green actions taken by Cankarjev Dom was also establishing a bee colony on its roof in 2011. Annually, the bees produce from forty to a hundred kilograms of honey. Currently, there are six bee families in the care of Cankarjev Dom.
What clients say
Klemen Grabljevec: “AI will become a pillar of modern rehabilitation medicine”
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Jadran Lenarčič: “Conferences are fundamental for scientific progress”
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Nika Rakonjac: “Great content and marketing are essential for any career fair”
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Did you know?
1. The venue also holds the posthumous mask of the famous Slovenian writer Ivan Cankar, from whom Cankarjev Dom gets its name.
2. The newest hall, the Hall of Alma Karlin, was renovated according to the principles of sustainable living using recycled materials and energy-saving technology.
3. The Schuke Organ is the largest in this part of Europe with 73 registers and almost 800 pies.
Learn more about Cankarjev dom at their website here.
