In 2025, the cities of Nova Gorica (Slovenia) and Gorizia (Italy) will reunite as the first transnational European Capital of Culture, offering a unique and historic opportunity to explore the complexities and beauty of two towns once divided. This unprecedented joint bid, dubbed GO!2025, highlights the cultural, historical, and architectural charm of a region that was separated after World War II but has since been reunited as a borderless zone.
A Divided Past, A Unified Future
The towns of Nova Gorica and Gorizia were split in 1947 following the Treaty of Paris, which drew new borders in the wake of World War II. Gorizia was placed under Italian control, while Nova Gorica became part of Yugoslavia, a division that remained until Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004. Since then, the border has become largely symbolic, with no physical barriers separating the two towns.
This absence of a visible border between two countries makes Gorizia and Nova Gorica a natural choice to showcase the theme of cross-cultural exchange. GO!2025 promises to celebrate this union with a dynamic year of cultural events, drawing between 2 to 5 million visitors—an extraordinary increase from the usual 250,000 annual tourists.
Two Towns, Two Stories
Though both towns share a historical background, they offer distinct atmospheres. Gorizia, with its medieval charm, is characterized by narrow cobblestone streets, historic cafes, and an imposing castle that houses an expansive museum chronicling the town’s rich history. The town’s past includes its time as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, earning it the nickname “Austrian Nice” during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In stark contrast, Nova Gorica was purpose-built after the border split, designed in a Modernist style to reflect the aspirations of Tito’s Yugoslavia. Unlike its Italian counterpart, Nova Gorica’s concrete buildings and straightforward urban planning make it feel like a city of the future, though the town is filled with hidden gardens, historic frescoes, and remnants of its complex history.
Cultural and Artistic Celebrations
As part of the GO!2025 celebrations, both towns will be hosting an array of cultural events throughout the year, including musical performances, dance shows, art exhibits, and more. The highlight of these celebrations will be the transformation of Piazza Transalpina, a symbolic space where the two countries meet. This square, which straddles the border, will feature an underground art gallery and an amphitheater-like setting for performances, making it a key location for exploring the concept of borderlessness.
A Symbol of Borderless Harmony
The project’s focus on creating a “borderless” capital reflects an ambitious vision for the future, one where national boundaries become less relevant in the face of shared cultures and experiences. Locals from both sides of the border live and work freely in either town, speaking both Slovenian and Italian, and many have family on both sides of the border.
One notable example is Tomaž Gržeta, a Slovenian music journalist who was born in Nova Gorica but resides in Gorizia because he enjoys the atmosphere. Such stories highlight the fluidity and harmony that now characterize life between the two towns—an existence that stands in stark contrast to the difficult divisions of the past.
A Complex History and the Legacy of Smuggling
The region’s history is as complicated as its geography. From being ruled by the Habsburgs and Napoleon to becoming part of Yugoslavia and then divided by the Paris Peace Conference, Gorizia and Nova Gorica have passed through many hands.
Local tour guide Evelin Bizjak shared her family’s experience with the shifting borders: her grandmother was born under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, her father in the Kingdom of Italy, and she herself in Yugoslavia. This complex history is memorialized in two museums—Muzej na Meji in Slovenia and Lasciapassare in Italy—dedicated to the region’s border history. Visitors can experience what it was like to cross the border when it was a much stricter boundary, with both museums showcasing stories of smuggling and the restrictive travel permits of the past.
Nova Gorica’s Hidden Treasures
Nova Gorica, often overlooked by tourists, has its own share of surprises. One notable site is Kostanjevica Church, a 16th-century hilltop Franciscan church that houses the remains of French King Charles X, who died in the region after being exiled. His crypt, with polished marble coffins and French soil, is a striking testament to the area’s rich and unusual history. From this vantage point, visitors can look out over both towns, as well as the Alps and the Adriatic Sea in the distance, offering a stunning view of where these cultures and climates meet.
Looking Ahead
As the GO!2025 year unfolds, Nova Gorica and Gorizia offer a glimpse of what borderless cooperation and cultural exchange could look like in Europe’s future. Visitors from around the world will have the chance to experience firsthand how two towns, with vastly different histories, can come together in celebration of shared cultural heritage. For those interested in exploring this fascinating transnational space, GO!2025 is set to be an unforgettable experience.
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