Author: Boštjan Burger

Slovenia is one of those rare European countries where exceptional natural diversity intertwines with a dense population and a rich cultural history. Precisely because of this interconnectedness, the concept of a park in our country is much broader than the classic understanding of a landscaped green space. Parks in Slovenia are not only places for recreation or nature protection but are carriers of identity, history, knowledge, and a sense of belonging to the space. From high-mountain glacial valleys to urban avenues, from karst caves to botanical gardens – all these spaces form a mosaic that can only be understood once it is categorized, explained, and connected.

1. National Park – the only one, but symbolically the strongest

Triglav National Park (TNP)

Slovenia has only one national park, but it is all the more symbolic. Triglav National Park, established in its modern form in 1981, is the heart of the Slovenian highlands and one of the oldest European parks. It encompasses almost the entire Julian Alps on the Slovenian side and protects:

• alpine flora and fauna,

• glacially reshaped valleys,

• high-mountain pastures,

• the cultural landscape shaped by humans for centuries.

A national park represents the highest level of nature protection, where the goal is to preserve ecosystems in as pristine a form as possible. In Slovenia, TNP is also a symbol of national identity – Triglav is in the coat of arms, in the anthem, and in the collective consciousness.

2. Regional Parks – protecting broader natural areas

Regional parks are spatially extensive areas with distinct natural and cultural characteristics, though they are not as strictly protected as the national park. Their purpose is to harmonize nature protection with local development.

The most important regional parks include:

• Škocjan Caves Regional Park (also a UNESCO World Heritage site),

• Kozjansko Regional Park,

• Kamnik-Savinja Alps Regional Park (in development),

• Snežnik-Pivka Regional Park (proposed).

Regional parks are often areas where nature and human use intertwine in a delicate balance – from vineyard hills to karst fields.

3. Landscape Parks – cultural landscape as a value

Landscape parks are the most common form of protected areas in Slovenia. They protect characteristic landscapes where humans have created a harmonious relationship with nature over centuries. These are areas where the cultural landscape itself is heritage.

Examples:

• Ljubljana Marshes Landscape Park,

• Sečovlje Salina Landscape Park,

• Strunjan Landscape Park,

• Logar Valley Landscape Park,

• Kolpa Landscape Park,

• Pivka Intermittent Lakes Landscape Park.

Landscape parks are often the most visited, as they combine natural values, cultural heritage, and recreational opportunities.

4. City Parks – green lungs of urban centers

City parks are spaces where nature returns to the urban environment. In Slovenia, they have a long tradition, ranging from classicist parks to modern urban designs.

Key examples:

• Tivoli Park in Ljubljana,

• Maribor City Park,

• Zvezda Park,

• Soča River Park in Nova Gorica,

• Lendava City Park.

City parks are not only recreational spaces but also cultural spaces – venues for exhibitions, concerts, socializing, and everyday life.

5. Botanical Gardens and Arboretums – living laboratories

These parks are scientific institutions, open-air museums, and educational spaces. They include:

Botanical Gardens

• University of Ljubljana Botanical Garden (1810, the oldest in Southeastern Europe)

• Sežana Botanical Garden

• Maribor Botanical Garden

Arboretums

• Arboretum Volčji Potok

• Arboretum Rogatec (smaller, specialized)

Alpine Botanical Gardens

• Juliana Alpine Botanical Garden (Trenta Valley) – the only true alpine botanical garden in Slovenia, founded in 1926; it houses more than 600 species of alpine and high-mountain plants, including rare endemics of the Julian Alps.

Juliana is a treasure of European significance — a living archive of alpine flora, set within the natural environment it represents.

6. Geoparks – stories of rocks and time

Geoparks are areas where geological heritage takes center stage. Slovenia has one official UNESCO Global Geopark:

• Karavanke/Karawanken Geopark, which connects Slovenia and Austria.

In addition, there are several local initiatives highlighting geological features:

• Idrija mining area,

• Pivka intermittent lakes,

• The Karst with its caves and collapse dolines.

Geoparks tell the story of the formation of space, tectonics, water, rocks, and time.

7. Special Parks – salt pans, wetlands, educational trails

Slovenia also has a variety of special parks that do not fall into classic categories:

• ornithological parks,

• educational parks,

• heritage parks,

• theme parks (e.g., Park of Military History Pivka),

• Mediterranean parks (e.g., Forma Viva),

• cultural landscape parks (e.g., Plečnik's parks).

These parks are often the result of local initiatives and represent the exceptional diversity of the Slovenian territory.

Conclusion – Slovenia as a Park between the Alps, Karst, and Pannonia

Although Slovenia is small, its diversity is extraordinary. Parks in our country are not just protected areas, but a way of understanding space. They are classrooms, laboratories, museums, recreational spaces, and at the same time, guardians of identity.

Slovenia is, in truth, one single large park – an intertwining of nature, culture, and human creativity.

And that is why understanding our parks is also understanding ourselves.