Cekin Mansion on the northern edge of Tivoli Park houses the Museum of Contemporary History of Slovenia. The mansion is named after Laurenz Szőgyény, the husband of Ivana Lamberg, who was given the building. The name Szőgyény was Slovenized by the townspeople into Cekin.
The mansion was commissioned in 1720 by Leopold Lamberg based on plans by the Viennese Baroque architect Fischer von Erlach. During the last years of the French occupation of Ljubljana from 1812 to 1813, it was used as a temporary residence by Eugène de Beauharnais, the viceroy of Italy and the commander of the Napoleonic armies in the Illyrian Provinces. In the mid-19th century, the mansion was purchased by the Slovenian patriot Peter Kosler, who lived there until his death. After World War II, the mansion was nationalized by the Communist authorities of the People's Republic of Slovenia. From 1990 to 1992, the mansion was renovated by the engineer Jurij Kobe, who also added a communication tower. For his work, he received the Plečnik Award, the most prestigious Slovenian award in architecture.
Since 1951, the mansion has housed the Museum of Contemporary History. The museum includes collections from World War I, the interwar period, World War II, postwar Yugoslavia, and independent Slovenia. This includes many historical items, including archives, artworks, and photographs.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.