NK Olimpija Ljubljana is a Slovenian football club based in Ljubljana, competing in the Slovenian PrvaLiga. The club’s visual identity is built around the dragon, a symbol of the city of Ljubljana that also appears on the city’s coat of arms, and the club’s green and white colours, which give supporters their nickname, the Green-Whites (Zeleno-beli) [1].
Design and History
The current crest was introduced in February 2010 as part of a renewed visual identity presented at a press conference. The new crest was designed by Miha Artnak from the agency Pristop, working in cooperation with the Green Dragons supporters group [2]. The launch was supported by an advertising campaign in print and on billboards [2].
The 2010 mark was designed to serve as the club’s official logo for the following season, which marked the approximate centenary of football in the Slovenian capital [3]. The designers drew on the history of football in Ljubljana, which began in 1911 with the founding of Ilirija, the first Slovenian football club, from which the club named Olimpija later emerged [2]. The year 1911 appears at the top of the crest [3]. This dating has been a point of contention, as the current club was formed in 2005 under the name NK Bežigrad and later adopted the Olimpija name and heritage [4].
Meaning and Symbolism
The central element of the crest is the dragon, which is a symbol of Ljubljana and is represented on the city’s coat of arms and on the club’s crest [1]. The design also incorporates the outline of Ljubljana Castle, another recognisable Ljubljana landmark [3]. The dragon motif connects the club to the city’s identity and explains the team’s nickname, the Dragons (Zmaji) [1].
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
