To mark the 'Days of the Heritage of European Cemeteries', from 30 May to 5 June 2011 you will be able to take a free guided tour of the heritage of Plečnik and other features of Žale cemetery.

For the eighth consecutive year, Žale d.o.o, the managers of Žale cemetery and a member of the Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe (ASCE), is organising free guided tours of Žale cemetery to mark the 'Days of the Heritage of European Cemeteries',. The free tours will run twice a day at 11am and 5pm from 30 May to 5 June 2011, leaving from in front of the management building at Plečnik's Žale. With a professional guide, visitors will be able to see the wealth of Plečnik heritage and other characteristics of Žale cemetery.

The Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe (ASCE), of which the City of Ljubljana was a founding member, was set up in 2001 and already has more than 110 members. The objective of the association is to promote awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of the culture, historical and architectural heritage of cemeteries and share experience in the field of cemetery preservation and promotion. In pursuit of this objective, the association takes part in common projects, encourages the adoption of the necessary legal frameworks for the best possible cemetery management, promotes the development of technological innovations and seeks to attract the attention of universities, tourist agencies and the media.

One project with which the ASCE seeks to bring cemeteries closer to Europeans is a week designed for the discovery of European cemeteries, namely the 'Days of the Heritage of European Cemeteries', taking place this year for the eighth year running.

During the week from 30 May to 5 June, free cemetery guided tours are being run in European cities and countries, with related lectures, concerts and exhibitions.

In Ljubljana, the project is going on at Žale cemetery. Guides are to await visitors in front of the management building at Plečnik's Žale twice a day at 11am and 5pm and then present the features of Plečnik's work, the final resting places of prominent Slovenes and other important parts of the cemetery, which can also be called a sculptural museum in the open air.

We are especially proud that Plečnik's Žale is one of three places in Slovenia that are classified as 'European Heritage'. Besides this mark of 'European Heritage' granted by the European Heritage Committee (made up of EU member states' Ministries of Culture and of Heritage) in 2007, Plečnik's Žale was also given the status of a culturally significant monument of national importance in 2009.

Žale, d.o.o.