If you arrived to Ljubljana at the main train/bus station and thought “I want to buy some soda at the closest gas station”, you most certainly passed by a strange Stonehenge-looking bunch of “stones”. And you might have thought that you’re way too tired from that long ride and a bit delusional, because “the heck – why would there be a pillar circle next to the main northern city entrance”? I mean, all the prehistoric spots that are preserved are normally quite far off.

Only this is not a prehistoric relic. And if the movie “Sign” popped into your mind … fear not, it’s not about aliens either, although its concept might be quite alien to a modern way of thinking. It derives from what was known as land art in the ’60s. It is also a derivative of the ’60s mentality, since its purpose screams new age and hippie. The pillars created by Marko and Marika Pogačnik supposedly heal the Earth in a way acupuncture heals the human body. Such lithopuncture (stone stitching) projects have been done on several spots all over the world and they apparently provide a healing environment – maybe chilling there isn’t a bad idea, huh?

These particular pillars with beautiful engravings on them represent the European Union. There is one for each member, but you will also find 7 extras – can you guess what they represent? If you don’t feel like guessing, there is a legend next to the art piece where you can find your answer.