Fodor's Expert Review Centromerkur

This once magnificent art nouveau building, built in 1903, is the oldest department store in town. Most of the structures in Ljubljana from this era borrowed from the Viennese Secession, making this building—which draws its inspiration more from Parisian art nouveau—a relative rarity. The entrance, off Prešernov trg, bears a flaring iron butterfly wing and is topped by a statue of Mercury, the god of merchants. A 2010 renovation created controversy when most of the interior was gutted to make way for the brand-name kiosks of the Galleria Emporium. However, there are still interesting architectural details on the exterior that, along with its history, make it worth a visit.