In Ljubljana you’ll find a memorial dedicated to Napoleon

For many nations, the arrival of Napoleon is remembered as a national disaster. But in Ljubljana, you’ll find a memorial dedicated to Napoleon. The reason? Slovenes welcomed French forces, as they expected greater cultural and state autonomy than they had in the Austrian empire. Ljubljana was also made capital of the Ilyrian provinces, which stretched down to Dalmatia. However, the French occupation lasted just a few years before Ljubljana was returned to Austrian rule. The memorial column was designed by Slovenia’s greatest architect Jože Plečnik.