World Art Utopia

Hostel Celica (former military prison) — Ljubljana

Corridor of Hostel Celica in Ljubljana, a former military prison, with white walls, a skylight and a steel ladder
Artwork FileLjubljana, Slovenia

Hostel Celica

SeenFeb 2025

Metelkova ulica 8, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Photo: Sumit Surai / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), as published on World Art Utopia.

Hostel Celica is in a former military prison at Metelkova, in the centre of Ljubljana. Its name means “cell”. The hostel opened in 2003, with more than 80 Slovene and foreign artists redesigning the old cells as 20 unique rooms. It was thoroughly renovated in 2018 and has been run by the public institute Ljubljanski grad since then; the hostel says it reopened on 1 July 2018. Source Source Source Source Reported

Seen Feb 2025: City of Ljubljana news item dated 10 Feb 2025 on the hostel winning a Hostelworld award; the Slovenian tourist board reported the same on 6 Feb 2025. Source Source Reported

More photos

A long corridor with a tiled floor and doors to the former cells inside Hostel Celica in Ljubljana, 2007
2007 A cell corridor in the hostelPhoto: Kim S / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The red outside walls of Hostel Celica in Ljubljana, a converted military prison, with a glass front and a colourful sign, 2007
2007 The hostel’s red outer wallsPhoto: Kim S / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
A long white corridor with doors to the former cells and a red tiled floor inside Hostel Celica in Ljubljana, December 2010
2010 A corridor of former cellsPhoto: Novica Nakov / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

💡 4 things to know

  1. Cells by 80+ artists
    The former cells became 20 uniquely designed rooms made by more than 80 Slovene and foreign artists, including Anthony Gormley. Source Source Checked
  2. Opened in 2003
    The hostel’s own site says it has run since its founding in 2003. The city says it marked 20 years on 30 May 2023. Source Source Source Checked
  3. Renovated in 2018
    The hostel was thoroughly renovated in 2018. According to the hostel’s own site, it reopened on 1 July 2018 under the public institute Ljubljanski grad. Source Source Reported
  4. A prison for over 100 years
    According to the Slovenia Times, the building served as a prison for over 100 years and was saved from a planned demolition. Source Reported

📍 Where it is

Metelkova ulica 8, 1000 Ljubljana. Source Source Checked

Open in Maps

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 2003

    Hostel opens (20 years marked May 2023) · City

  2. 200712 Oct

    Converted prison, Wikimedia Commons

  3. 200713 Oct

    The hostel’s red outer walls · Commons

  4. 20103 Dec

    Former prison, Wikimedia Commons

  5. 20181 Jul

    Reopens after renovation, hostelcelica.com

  6. 201813 Sep

    Hostel review, Total Slovenia News

  7. 20256 Feb

    Hostelworld award, Slovenian Tourist Board

  8. 202510 Feb

    Award news, City of Ljubljana

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

✅ The facts

Address
Metelkova ulica 8, 1000 Ljubljana Source Source Checked
Former use
Military prison, part of the Metelkova barracks complex Source Source Source Checked
Built
A 19th-century Austro-Hungarian military prison, according to Total Slovenia News (no exact year found) Source Reported
Hostel opened
2003 (first guests early July 2003) Source Source Source Checked
Reopened
2018, after a thorough renovation; the hostel gives the date as 1 July 2018 Source Source Checked
Rooms
20 artist-designed cells and 9 regular rooms (City of Ljubljana); Visit Ljubljana lists 29 rooms and 92 beds Source Source Source Checked
Founder / operator
Founded by the City of Ljubljana (culture.gov.si); run by Ljubljanski grad since 2018, earlier by the Šouhostel Institute Source Source Checked
Awards
Lonely Planet “Hippest hostel #1”; Hostelworld HOSCAR 2025, Slovenia Source Source Source Checked

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 10 November 2026. How we verify art