Slomšek square

Slomšek Square lies in the western part of Maribor's old town. It is home to the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, whose origins date to the 12th century. In 1859, Bishop Anton Martin Slomšek transferred the seat of the Diocese of Lavant to Maribor, and the square was named after him in 1919. Previously, it was known as Church Square and later Cathedral Square.

The central park, planted in 1891, includes a monument to Bishop Slomšek by sculptor Martin Drev and a small pool with the Korlek figure by Gabrijel Kolbič. In 1938, architect Jože Plečnik designed an oval raised platform lined with stone posts; Branko Kocmut incorporated his concept into the square's layout three decades later.

Surrounding the square are the University of Maribor Rectorate, the Slovene National Theatre and the historic post office. Gravestones from the former town cemetery are set into the cathedral's outer walls, and a Roman stone lion stands nearby. Together, these details reveal different layers of the city's religious, civic and architectural history.