In 1947 Gorizia was suddenly divided between Italy and Slovenia. In 2025, the two cities will reunite as the first transnational European Capital of Culture.
Currently, I am standing in Nova Gorica – a modest but beautifully planned Modernist town of 30,000 inhabitants in Slovenia. But with just a few steps, I can cross Italy’s invisible border and reach the medieval town of Gorizia without even showing my passport.
Once upon a time, Nova Gorica and Gorizia were one; The two cities were created and separated in 1947 after World War II, when the Treaty of Paris established Europe’s new borders and restricted travel between Italy and the former Yugoslavia. An Allied commission decided that Gorizia should belong to Italy and the less developed part of the city should become part of the Republic of Slovenia within the Socialist Federalist Republic of Yugoslavia. The new city was to be called Nova Gorica (New Gorizia), and from then on Nova Gorica and Gorizia existed as two cities divided into two countries.
However, with Slovenia’s entry into the EU in 2004, the border between them disappeared, allowing for intercultural exchange for the first time in generations. And in 2025, Gorizia/Nova Gorica will be reunited as the first transnational European Capital of Culture under a project called GO!2025.
Because of this praise, two to five million visitors are expected to come to these two towns in 2025, compared to the usual 250,000 annual tourists. Even though Gorizia was called the “Nice of Austria” when it was part of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918, that’s a big leap for a remote place that doesn’t see enough tourists. To celebrate the honour, a robust calendar of cultural events has been launched, including music and dance performances and art exhibitions. And I’m here to explore.
