The renovated Kongresni trg (Congress Square) has brought new life to the centre of Ljubljana, and the car park under it welcomes its first users on 1 July 2011.

The total renovation of the area comprises the remodelling of the square's surface, Zvezda Park (Star Park), which is a place for relaxation, and extends to parts of Gosposka and Šubičeva Streets from the Kazina building to the Philharmonic Hall, a space for socialising.

Surface
With previous content now removed, the surface area in the form of a carpet set between the unique facade of the Ursuline Church on one side and the Philharmonic Hall on the other, as designed by architect Jože Plečnik, brings the most beautiful panorama back to the city. Its size and emptiness will once again bestow the character of a capital upon the city. It is exactly this void that by virtue of its original integrity will defend the square against various new gimmicks of supplementary urban furniture and other permanent additions that would distract from the monumental square crowned by the castle as a backdrop. Thus will every major event be staged and its equipment and installations swept away.

Park
Light sandy paths shape a memorial to the former real park where natural elements predominate. During the difficult construction of the car park, we endeavoured to preserve the existing plane trees, despite the misgivings of experts that recommended that it would be better to remove the trees in their entirety and replace them with new ones.

Two boundary streets
The two boundary streets have special lighting, more playful lighting that is consistent with the finest criteria of the space, devoted to social life and the passage of pedestrians and cyclists through the square. The additional lighting also illuminates the more anonymous facades of surrounding houses that until now have been shrouded in darkness at night. The new installations are in the form of garlands and are discreet and have the character of temporary arrangements.

The car park under Congress Square
The Congress Square car park comprises 720 parking spaces on five underground levels with entrance and exit ramps on Šubičeva ulica. Residents of the city centre that live in the pedestrianised zone that is closed to traffic are to have 334 parking spaces available to them in it.
The car park is to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A day ticket is from 7am to midnight, and a night ticket from midnight to 7am. During the day, the cost per hour including VAT is €1.20 for 1 to 3 hours, with each additional hour costing €2.40; the night ticket costs €1.80 per night. A residents' season ticket costs €60 per month, with a season ticket for legal entities (e.g. companies) at €240 a month.

Archaeological excavations in Congress Square
Prior to the start of construction work, full and detailed archaeological research was undertaken throughout the whole of Congress Square. At the conclusion of renovation work, the following relics are to be put on display:
• in the passageway between Bukvarna and Plečnikov prehod, remnants of a Roman road are to be displayed in situ.
• in entrance 3 near the Philharmonic Hall, the remains of a Roman fountain are to be on display in situ;
• archaeological finds are to be exhibited in glass cabinets in the passageway between Bukvarna and Plečnikov prehod;
• on Gosposka ulica near the University, there is to be a presentation of part of the medieval walling of the Vicedom city gates.
Since 18 June 2011, archaeological finds have also been on show in the vaults of the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana at 15 Gosposka ulica.

The contract value for the construction of the Congress Square car park, including external work and redesigning the park is €17,700,000. The final budget is to be known on 15 September 2011.

Prior to the official opening of the renovated Congress Square, Mayor Zoran Janković congratulated the designer, constructor Gradis skupina G with subcontractor DDC and the archaeologists who accomplished something so extraordinary and complex in record time. He pointed out that the renovated Congress Square is to be a new venue that offers better conditions for public events than Prešeren Square.

Congress Square was officially opened at the State celebration of the 20th anniversary of Slovenian independence that took place on the evening of 25 June, National Day.