Metelkova Street 8, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Hostel Celica (pronounced "kelika," which means "Cell" in Slovenian) is located in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It emerged as a result of an art experiment involving more than 80 artists from around the world. They managed to transform 20 dull prison cells into modern rooms that could be exhibited in a museum as a vivid example of contemporary art and design. This place has a fascinating history and concept. The walls of the former prison once divided people, but today they unite people from all over the world in a positive and youthful atmosphere. Several artists breathed new life into the building and turned it into a hostel where every corner tells its own story. The main attraction of Hostel Celica is its prison cells, which have now been uniquely transformed into rooms for creativity.
The fact that this used to be a prison is reminded by the bars on the windows and doors. Besides the two- and three-bed cell-rooms with bars and individual designs, the hostel also offers traditional rooms for 3-5 people and dormitories for 7 or 12 guests.
The hostel is housed in a former military prison building, built in 1882 when Slovenia was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Later, it was handed over to the Yugoslav army when the country was still a monarchy, and it remained part of the Metelkova army barracks when it became a republic. Many prisoners were political detainees under the Yugoslav communist government. The building served its function until 1991. Hostel Celica opened its doors in 2003. Today, it is not only a hotel but also a cultural center where lectures, exhibitions, music evenings, and other interesting events are held.
One of the cells on the first floor has no bars: this is the "Place of Peace" — a room where one can pray, meditate, and reflect in silence and tranquility. This cell has six niches: five hold altars of the world’s major religions — Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism. The sixth is empty: it is open to any beliefs and views.
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