On public view until 29 February 2012 at City Hall there is a chess set produced to the plans of Jože Plečnik.

Plečnik’s chess set, lent by the Aljančič family to mark the 140th anniversary of Plečnik’s birth, is to be on public view until 29 February 2012 in the Central Atrium at City Hall.

Architect Janez Aljančič has decided to honour the 140th anniversary of Plečnik’s birth by putting the previously unknown chess set on public display. It is owned by the Aljančič family and is one of two originals produced to the plans of renowned architect Jože Plečnik.

Jože Plečnik (1872 – 1957), a master of form and space, was a versatile artist. Among a vast opus of unbelievable range of wonderful works are two chess sets. The one that is kept in the Franciscan monastery in Ljubljana has already been on show and is therefore known to the professional public. The second, which is to be showcased to the public for the first time here, is owned by the Aljančič family. The Aljančič family worked with Plečnik for a considerable period and built to his plans the Aljančič family tomb at Žale in Ljubljana in 1941 and the Aljančič monstrance in 1943, while the architect paid tribute to the family with the chess set as an expression of gratitude for long term work in his home in 1946. The chess set was accepted on behalf of the family by Jožef Aljančič, a Franciscan and priest in Ljubljana, his brother Lambert Aljančič, economist, and his son Janez Aljančič.

A peculiarity of the Plečnik chess set owned by the Aljančič family and on public display for the first time is that it was meant to be played with, as Plečnik took into account remarks on the ease of recognition of the pieces in its design. In contrast, the Franciscan set is not suitable for games by chess criteria as the pieces are hard to recognise. The Aljančič family chess set was manufactured to Plečnik’s plans by model carpenter Franc Škerl from Ljubljana.

You are warmly welcome to visit the display.