Some cities are metaphorically forged on political and historic fault lines; the Slovenian city of Nova Gorica actually exists right on a literal political and historic divide. It is joined at the hip with the Italian community of Gorizia, but separated by an international border. That divide is narrowing this year as both cities share centre stage as the first-ever European Capital of Borderless Culture, joining forces to shout about their charms. And this Slovenian town has plenty to shout about.
Nova Gorica’s setting is deeply dramatic in the foothills of the vaulting Julian Alps. It is the youngest city in Slovenia, a planned urban environment built by socialist Yugoslavia on striking Modernist architectural lines following the 1947 Paris Peace Treaties, which confirmed the new border with Italy. This left the older settlement of Gorizia cut off on the Italian side from the new settlement in Yugoslavia. Nova Gorica (“New Gorizia” in Slovenian) burst into life.
