List of people from Ljubljana

This is a list of notable individuals who were born or lived in Ljubljana:

Coats of arms of Ljubljana

Authors

• Anton Aškerc (1856–1912), poet
• Vladimir Bartol (1903–1967), author
• Adam Bohorič (1520–1598), Protestant preacher, author and philologist
• Peter Božič (1932–2009), writer, playwright, journalist, and politician
• Ivan Cankar (1876–1918), writer, playwright, and essayist
• Peter Čeferin (born 1938), attorney, writer, playwright
• Aleš Debeljak (1961–2016), poet, essayist and sociologist
• Anton Funtek (1862–1932), writer, poet, editor and translator
• Alojz Gradnik (1882–1967), poet
• Drago Jančar (born 1948), writer and essayist
• Jože Javoršek (1920–1990), author, essayist, playwright and translator
• Taras Kermauner (1930–2008), literary historian and essayist
• Mile Klopčič (1905–1984), poet and translator
• Edvard Kocbek (1904–1981), poet, essayist, writer and politician
• Srečko Kosovel (1904–1926), poet
• Ferdo Kozak (1894–1957), writer, playwright, and politician
• Juš Kozak (1892–1964), writer
• Primož Kozak (1929–1981), playwright and essayist
• Taja Kramberger (born 1970), poet, essayist and anthropologist
• Anton Tomaž Linhart (1756–1795), playwright and historian
• Janez Menart (1929–2004), poet and translator
• Josip Murn (1879–1901), poet
• Lili Novy (1885–1958), poet
• Iztok Osojnik (born 1951), poet
• Marko Pohlin (1735–1801), author, philologist
• France Prešeren (1800–1849), poet
• Alenka Puhar (born 1945), columnist, historian, political activist
• Samo Resnik (1962–2011), Slovenian journalist, essayist, political activist, writer and poet
• Tomaž Šalamun (1941–2014), poet
• Mirca Sancin (1901–1970), composer
• Dominik Smole (1929–1992), writer and playwright
• Bojan Štih (1923–1986), stage director, literary critic and essayist
• Gregor Strniša (1930–1987), poet and playwright
• Veno Taufer (1933–2023), poet
• Ivan Tavčar (1851–1923), writer, editor and politician
• Igor Torkar (1913–2004), writer and playwright
• Primož Trubar (1508–1586), Protestant preacher and writer
• Josip Vidmar (1895–1992), literary critic, essayist and politician
• Anton Vodnik (1901–1956), poet, art historian, and critic
• France Vodnik (1903–1986), literary critic, essayist, translator and poet
• Valentin Vodnik (1758–1819), poet
• Demetrio Volčič (1931–2021), Slovenian-Italian journalist
• Constant von Wurzbach (1818–1893), Austrian biographer
• Dane Zajc (1929–2005), poet
• Vitomil Zupan (1914–1987), writer
• Oton Župančič (1872–1949), poet and playwright

Architects and visual artists

• Aleksa Ivanc Olivieri (1916–2010), Slovenian painter, graphic designer and art restorer, who lived and worked in France
• Rihard Jakopič (1869–1943), painter
• Ivana Kobilca (1861–1926), painter
• Zoran Mušič (1909–2005), painter
• Jože Plečnik (1872–1957), architect
• Edvard Ravnikar (1907–1993), architect
• Francesco Robba (1698–1757), Italian sculptor
• Jakob Savinšek (1922–1961), sculptor
• Carl Schütz (1745–1800), Austrian engraver and architect
• Barbara Jožefa Struss (1805 –1880), drawing teacher and painter
• Avgusta Šantel (1876–1968), painter, teacher and printmaker
• Vladimir Šubic (1894–1946), architect
• Damijan Stepančič (born 1969), Slovene painter and illustrator ^[1]

Statesmen, politicians, diplomats and religious leaders

• Juro Adlešič (1884–1962), politician, Mayor of Ljubljana
• Fran Albreht (1889–1963), Mayor of Ljubljana, poet
• Andrej Bajuk (1943–2011), Prime minister of Slovenia (2000)
• Joze Brilej (1910–1981), politician, diplomat, ambassador, chief justice of the supreme court of Slovenia until his death
• France Bučar (1923–2015), first Chairman of the Slovenian National Assembly (1990–1992)
• Carlos, Duke of Madrid (1848–1909), claimant to the Spanish throne. ^[2]
• Philipp von Cobenzl (1741–1810), Austrian diplomat
• Etbin Henrik Costa (1831–1875), politician, Mayor of Ljubljana
• Karel Dežman (1821–1889), Mayor of Ljubljana, historian
• Anton Füster (1808–1881), Austrian radical activist
• Anastasius Grün (1806–1876), liberal politician and poet. ^[3]
• Ivan Hribar (1851–1941), politician and diplomat, mayor of Ljubljana
• Edvard Kardelj (1910–1979), Communist leader
• Boris Kidrič (1912–1953), Communist leader
• Ciril Kotnik (1895–1948), Yugoslav diplomat and anti-fascist hero
• Milivoj Lajovic (1921–2008), Australian politician
• Janez Potočnik (born 1958), European Commissioner
• Ciril Ribičič (born 1947), politician, jurist, and author
• Anton Rop (born 1960), politician
• Dimitrij Rupel (born 1946), politician and writer
• Marjan Šarec (born 1977), Slovene prime minister
• Matjaž Šinkovec (born 1951), diplomat, author, translator and politician
• Sergiy Verigin (1868–1938), clergyman
• Gregor Virant (born 1969), public servant and politician

Performing artists

• Josipina Eleonora Hudovernik (1863–1945), nun, music teacher, headmistress and composer
• Bojan Adamič (1912–1995), composer, conductor, photographer
• Maks Bajc (1919–1983), actor
• Leo Funtek (1885–1965), violinist, conductor, arranger and music professor
• Jarmila Gerbič (1877–1964), Slovenian soprano, opera singer, concert vocalist and music teacher
• Johann Berthold von Höffer (1667–1718), nobleman and composer
• Željko Ivanek (born 1957), actor
• Lina Kuduzović (born 2002), child singer
• Peter Lovšin (born 1955), rock icon, singer, writer
• Ula Ložar (born 2002), child singer
• Dubravka Tomšič Srebotnjak (born 1940), pianist and music teacher
• Zlatko Šugman (1932–2008), actor
• DJ Umek (born 1976), deejay and music producer

Scientists and academics

• Robert Blinc (1933–2011), physicist
• Katja Boh (1929–2008), sociologist, politician and diplomat
• Miran Božovič (born 1957), philosopher
• Bibijana Čujec (1926-2022), physicist
• Božidar Debenjak (born 1935), philosopher
• Mladen Dolar (born 1952), philosopher
• Joannes Disma Floriantschitsch de Grienfeld (1691–1757), Carniolan astronomer, mathematician, geographer, and cartographer
• Bogo Grafenauer (1916–1995), historian
• Jovan Hadži (1884–1972), zoologist
• Hermann Haus (1925–2003), scientist
• Peter Jambrek (born 1940), jurist, sociologist, and public intellectual
• Taras Kermauner (1930–2008), literary historian and essayist
• Milan Komar (1921–2006), philosopher
• Emil Korytko (1813–1839), Polish philologist and ethnographer
• Janko Kos (born 1931), literary historian, theoretician, and critic
• Milos Krofta (1912–2002), Slovenian engineer and businessman
• Ernst Mally (1879–1944), philosopher
• Vasilij Melik (1921–2009), historian
• Tamara Griesser Pečar (born 1947), historian
• Anton Peterlin (1908–1993), physicist
• Fritz Pregl (1869–1930), chemist, Nobel Prize winner
• Janko Prunk (born 1942), historian
• Rado Riha (born 1948), philosopher
• Renata Salecl (born 1961), philosopher, sociologist, legal theorist and columnist
• Vasko Simoniti (born 1951), historian
• Marko Snoj (born 1959), linguist
• Janez Strnad (1934–2015), physicist and populariser of natural science
• Johann Gregor Thalnitscher (1655–1719), lawyer and historian
• Miha Tišler (1926–2021), chemist
• Gregor Tomc (born 1952), sociologist and musician
• Milan Vidmar (1885–1962), electrical engineer, chess player and philosopher
• Josef Kalasanz von Erberg (1771–1843), botanist, historian, and collector
• Johann Weikhard von Valvasor (1641–1693), scholar, polymath, member of the Royal Society
• Egon Zakrajšek (1941–2002), mathematician and computer scientist
• Slavko Ziherl (1945–2012), psychiatrist
• Slavoj Žižek (born 1949), sociologist and philosopher
• Sigismund Zois (1747–1819), natural scientist
• Alenka Zupančič (born 1966), philosopher

Athletes

• Milenko Ačimovič (born 1977), football player
• Pia Babnik (born 2004), golfer
• Alenka Bikar (born 1974), track and field
• David Brekalo (born 1998), football player ^[4]
• Brigita Bukovec (born 1970), track and field
• Miro Cerar (born 1963), gymnast
• Boštjan Cesar (born 1982), football player
• Ivo Daneu (born 1937), basketball player
• Luka Dončić (born 1999), NBA basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers
• Goran Dragić (born 1986), NBA basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks
• Zoran Dragić (born 1989), NBA basketball player
• Marko Elsner (1960–2020), football player
• Luka Gregorc (born 1984), ATP tennis player
• Samir Handanović (born 1984), football player
• Urška Hrovat (born 1974), alpine skier
• Tomaz Humar (1969–2009), mountaineer
• Kaja Juvan (born 2000), tennis player
• Srečko Katanec (1981–1994), football player
• Jaka Lakovič (born 1978), basketball player
• Zlatan Ljubijankič (born 1983), football player
• Erazem Lorbek (born 1984), basketball player
• Petra Majdic (born 1979), nordic skier
• Maksimilijan Mihelčič (1905–1958), football player
• Radoslav Nesterovič (born 1976), NBA basketball player
• Džoni Novak (born 1969), football player
• Milivoje Novakovič (born 1979), football player
• Brane Oblak (1965–1985), football player
• Jan Oblak (born 1993), football player
• Aljaž Pegan (born 1974), gymnast
• Janez Perme (born 1982), retired Slovenian footballer
• Mitja Petkovšek (born 1977), gymnast
• Rok Petrovič (1966–1993), alpine skier
• Tadej Pogačar (born 1998), cyclist
• Mateja Svet (born 1968), alpine skier
• Andraž Šporar (born 1994), football player
• Jurij Tepeš (born 1989), ski jumper
• Miran Tepeš (born 1961), ski jumper
• Sašo Udovič (born 1968), football player
• Primož Ulaga (born 1962), ski jumper
• Haris Vučkić (born 1992), football player
• Aljoša Žorga (born 1947), basketball player

People who lived in Ljubljana temporarily

• Miodrag Bulatović (1930–1991), Serb-Montenegrin writer
• Eugène de Beauharnais (1781–1824), Viceroy of Italy
• Gabriel Gruber (1740–1805), Austrian Jesuit and engineer
• Antonija Höffern (1803–1871), Slovene noblewoman and educator ^[5]
• Emil Korytko (1813–1839), Polish ethnographer, philologist and translator
• Gustav Mahler (1860–1911), Austrian composer
• Charles Nodier (1780–1844), French author
• Joseph Radetzky (1766–1858), Austrian general
• Mirko Ramovš (1935–2023), Slovene ethnochoreologist
• Boris Sket (1936–2023), Slovenian zoologist and speleobiologist
• Frančiška Urbančič Štebi (1884–after 1968), Slovenian teacher and first Slovenian woman to graduate from a Slovenian high school with permission to enroll at a university

References

1. Slovenia's Best for Young Readers by the Slovenian Book Agency Archived February 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
2. "Carlos, Don (Prince of Bourbon)"  . Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 5 (11th ed.). 1911. pp. 344–345.
3. "Anastasius Grün"  . Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. XI (9th ed.). 1880. p. 224.
4. "David Brekalo". Major League Soccer . Retrieved 14 July 2025.
5. Glonar, Joža (2013). "Höffern, Antonija, pl. (1803–1871)". Slovenian Biographical Lexicon (in Slovenian). Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts . Retrieved May 5, 2023.