Židovski trg/Jewish square, Maribor

The smallest square in the old Maribor

The Jewish synagogue in Maribor.

Židovski trg (pronounced "She·doughs·key terg") or Jewish square is the smallest square in Maribor located in the former Jewish ghetto (Židovska četrt). Jews came to Maribor from German lands and were successful bankers, millers and winegrowers. Due to a doctrine issued by the Pope Innocent III in 1215, Jews had to live in so called ghettos (special quarters) to be separated from the Christians. The ghetto in Maribor was located near the southeastern part of the wall, close to the river Drava. The area is almost completely intact today: You can see the Maribor Synagogue and the Jewish tower. Although Pope's doctrine tried to separate Jews and Christians, those rules weren't so strictly implemented in Maribor, a lot of times Jews were living in Christian areas and Christians in the Jewish ghetto. Jews were banned from serving a public office and they had to wear special identifying markings on their clothes. They also had to pay some extra taxes to the duke. On the other hand, they enjoyed a special protection: Killing a Jew was punished severer than killing a Christian. According to sources, in the year 1410 about 25% of the population was Jewish, which was the height of their presence in Maribor. Unfortunately they were expelled from from Maribor by a decree issued by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian I in 1497, which marked the end of the Jewish life in Maribor. However, the influence is still felt today.

See some photos of the Jewish square:

The small Jewish square.

Another angle. Photos from November 2010.

The part between the synagogue and the Jewish tower.

If you visit Maribor's Jewish square, you will see these historically important buildings:

1 The Jewish tower (Židovski stolp)

2 Maribor synagogue (Mariborska sinagoga)

[My MARIBOR page][My SLOVENIA page][Info: Source][All photos by MKL, 2010]

Maistrov trg / Maister square, Maribor

Prva Gimnazija Maribor, Maribor's first secondary school.

Trg Generala Maistra, sometimes also Maistrov Trg (pronounced "My·straw terg") or in English General Maister square is one of the squares in Maribor north o the old medieval center. It's located next to the Maribor castle and serves as the front yard of Maribor's first secondary school named Prva Gimnazija Maribor, which I had the honor to attend. Most of the area is occupied by a park. The square is named after Rudolf Maister, a famous Slovenian commander and general, a poet and political activist. He made sure, that Maribor and the surrounding countryside didn't become part of Austria in 1918. He organized the first Slovenian army and disarmed local German forces, that planned to take over control of Maribor (then Marburg an der Drau) and annex it to the First Austrian Republic. That's why Maister is deemed a hero for the people of Maribor and Slovenia, while for the Austrians, he remains a controversial historic figure. The square used to be named Leninov trg (Lenin square) in the past (1945-1992), but was renamed in honor to Rudolf Maister in 1993. A statue of the general was placed here in 1987. People like to put candles and wreaths in his honor here. Opposite of the statue a linden tree was planted on 26. June 1991, a day after Slovenia declared its independence from Yugoslavia.

See some photos from Maistrov trg:

The statue of General Rudolf Maiser Vojanov.

A plaque commemorating the day of Slovenian independence and the planting of the linden tree.

The northern part of the Maribor castle.

The newly built Maistrov dvor, office and apartment building, completed in 2010.

If you visit Maribor's Maister square, you will see these important buildings and sights:

1 Maribor castle (Mariborski grad)
2 Prva secondary school (Prva Gimnazija
3 Maister manor (Maistrov dvor)
4 Statue of Maister (Spomenik Maistru)
5 Independence linden tree (Osamosvojitvena lipa)

[My MARIBOR page][My SLOVENIA page][Info: Source][All photos by MKL, 2010]

Vodnikov trg/Vodnik square, Maribor

Vodnikov trg (pronounced as "Vod·nee·kow terg") or Vodnik square is a big square in Maribor near the river Drava and close to the Round tower and outside the former southwestern part of the defense wall around the medieval core of the city. It's named After Valentin Vodnik (1758-1819), a Slovenian poet. Today the square is used as Maribor's main day market (Mariborska tržnica). The square went through a big change in the recent two years, the new day market was redesigned. A big underground garage was built under the multiple leveled structure that facilitates Maribor's main market. Many people were not happy with the design of the architects Rok Benda, Primož Hočevar and Mitja Zorc, because it doesn't fit well in the area. But not only that. It turned out that the modern (you could say extraterrestrial) design of the umbrellas, that were praised as revolutionary, didn't do the job well. Not only is the whole level wet, when it rains, the first snow destroyed some of them, which cost a lot. The garage is mostly unoccupied, the shops inside the structure are empty and less and less people are going to the market here, they rather go to big shopping malls, because it's more convenient. The day market today (in 2010) is barely making any profit. Basically money was thrown out the window and the bad and unpractical design destroyed the once vibrant area of Maribor's daily life. It's a shame.

See some photos of Vodnik square:

The famous Round or Judgement tower and parts of the medieval defense wall.

The main level of Maribor's day market with the freaky umbrellas. Photo from August 2010.

This is how the open market looked like in November on a busy day.

The Vodnik square from near the river Drava. You can see the entrance to the garage.

This square, that used to be on a small slope is today an ugly multileveled day market, that doesn't attract people and keeps losing money. I don't know what the architects were thinking and what was on mayor's mind, but this is definitely a shame. New things are not always good for an old city such as Maribor. Sometimes all it needs is a good renovation and few additions. But well, now we have to live with this. I still hope some improvements will be made and that the market will attract more people.

If you visit Maribor's Freedom square, you will see these historically important buildings:

1 Round tower (Sodni stolp)
2 Minoriti (Franciscan monastery)

[My MARIBOR page][My SLOVENIA page][Info: Source][All photos by MKL, 2010]