Dragon Bridge

What makes it special

The dragon is the city's emblem, on Ljubljana's coat of arms, its flag and its football club's badge, and this bridge is where it is best known. Local legend says Jason and his Argonauts killed a dragon, and in time the beast became the city's protector rather than its monster.

There is a pair at each end, facing out over the Ljubljanica. Up close you can see they are hammered from copper sheet rather than cast, because bronze was too expensive. The bridge opened in 1901, one of the first concrete bridges in Europe, and its Art Nouveau design is as much the point as the dragons.

Along the railings, sixteen smaller figures complete the decoration, so walk the full length to see them all.

Visiting

Early is best, before the queue for selfies with the dragons forms. You walk onto the bridge from either bank.

Walk the riverbank from the Old Town, and stop at the near pair of dragons before you step onto the bridge. Cross on the pavement, looking at the railings as you go, then turn at the far end for the second pair.

Do cross it rather than photographing it from the bank. The bridge sits at the edge of the Old Town, where it is easy to glimpse from the river and walk past.

Tips

If a line has formed at the near plinth, photograph the far pair of dragons first and come back once it has cleared.

Almost every shop in the centre sells dragon souvenirs, so there is no need to buy the first one you see by the bridge.