Gambrinus, King of Beer

When we enter Laško across the main bridge, Gambrinus, the legendary king of beer, greets us beside the Savinja. He sits with his characteristic beer goblet in hand, looking towards the site of the former Kukec brewery below Šmihel. His figure therefore reminds visitors, right at the entrance to the old town, of one of Laško's most important stories — the story of beer and brewing.

The approximately 2.2-metre stone statue was donated to the town by Pivovarna Laško in 2000 to mark the brewery's 175th anniversary. It was made by academic sculptor Ferenc Király, and the sculpture originally emerged as a model at one of Laško's summer sculpture workshops.

Gambrinus is the legendary European king of beer and is regarded as the patron of brewers and hop growers. In Laško he therefore holds a special place as a symbol of the town's long brewing tradition and of beer's importance to its development.