Package tours along the Emerald Trail
Transcription
Package tours along the Emerald Trail
Nova Gorica, Slovenia Where everything is One Step Away Nova Gorica, the natural heart of the Goriška region, a small city with a mild climate, easily accessible, only a stone’s throw from the sea and hills, lies between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, where the influences of Slav, German and Roman cultures and the characteristics of the three winegrowing surrounding regions with distinct cuisine intertwine in an interesting way, in the hinterland of Venice, Trieste and Gorizia, only 100 kilometres (62 miles) away from the Slovenian capital Ljubljana. Some roads from Nova Gorica lead to the Soča Valley, up to Trenta and across to the Cerljansko and Idrijsko regions, to Brda, the Vipava Valley and, further on, towards Ljubljana, in the Karst. Here, the Goriška region opens and unfolds the hidden beauty and unique treasures waiting to be discovered. Everything is so close to Nova Gorica. Nova Gorica, together with Gorizia and Solkan, the two oldest settlements in the Goriška region on one side, and Šempeter pri Gorici on the other side, defined by two rivers, Soča and Vipava, both flowing out to the sea of the neighbouring Italy, are surrounded by sacred and secular monuments, set in the beauty of parks, natural heritage and the amazing wealth of folk tradition: a church and the Franciscan Monastery with the Bourbon tombs and a monastery library; a castle and its courtyard from the early Renaissance in Kromberk at the northern edge of the valley, a mighty basilica on Sveta Gora (the Holy Mountain), on the crossroad of Vipava and Soča Valleys, on the opposite side lying hill Sabotin, interlaced with caves and the Park of Peace, marking the cruelties of the First World War, which raged here, destroying hundreds of lives. Today a university town and important cultural centre of the region, the town was designed by architect Edvard Ravnikar immediately after the Second World War and was developed with the support of work brigades. One of the first buildings in town was the municipality building designed by architect Vinko Glanz with a remarkable portal and sculptures of the sculptor Boris Kalin. Numerous sculptures made by Primorska region sculptors, among them Zdenko Kalin, Janez Lenassi, Njegovan Nemec and Zmago Posega, give it a special character and make it a town where art significantly forms space. For more than two decades, Nova Gorica has been a well-known gaming venue, with entertainment and gaming centres in the town and nearby, inviting people to enjoy its entertainment, wine and gastronomic delights, as well as games of chance, where luck can be tried on numerous state-of-the-art gaming devices and by playing games offering both enjoyment and generous prizes. It hosts a wide range of events throughout the year for all ages in its numerous restaurants, hotels, conference premises, concert and theatre halls, galleries and museums. It is an excellent starting point for excursions to all parts of the Goriška region. On the Kostanjevica hill, above Nova Gorica, the church of the Annunciation of the Lord to Maria and the Franciscan Monastery, next to the church, are located. This old sanctuary of pilgrimage has a diverse history; its development was paused for a decade by a decree issued by Emperor Joseph II in 1781, by which in 1788 the Carmelites were exiled. It conserves rich treasures of the past, among which are also the famous incunabula and a collection of books from the 16th to the 19th centuries. In 1811, Kostanjevica was assigned to be managed by the Slovenian Franciscans. The church, destroyed in the First World War, was renovated and revived with opulent stucco works, from 1924 to 1929. Kostanjevica is also famous for its collection of Bourbon roses from the 19th century, the second largest in Europe, which flower in May and June. The cultural and historical image of Kostanjevica is completed by the tomb holding the last descendants of the French royal family of Bourbons, i.e. the Bourbon king Charles X with his family. They were removed and exiled into France after the July revolution in 1830, found refuge in Gorizia by Coronini, the count of Gorizia, and wanted to be buried on Kostanjevica. Today, the place is known as “Little St. Denis”. At Kromberk Castle, featuring excellent Renaissance architecture with distinctive towers at the corners, a portal and an entry hall, next to which a park with an amphitheatre is arranged, where different events take place during summer, the history of this place is presented in a modern way, reflected by permanent and temporary exhibitions with emphasis on either archaeology, ethnology, art history, fine arts or history. Gaming has a rich tradition in this young town next to the Italian border, attracting mostly foreign guests since its beginnings in the mid-1980s with its wide range of services and facilities, coupled with pleasant hospitality. Guests especially like to try their luck in the two largest casinos: the Park Gaming and Entertainment Centre, and the Perla Gaming and Entertainment Centre, which together offer the most gaming devices and a wide range of the most attractive games. The excitement of games on gaming tables – also in the privé and on slot machines of all types – is intensified by numerous contests, drawings, entertaining and social events and other wellness services. The Perla Gaming and Entertainment Centre is a centre of gaming and entertainment, one of the largest casinos in Europe: relaxing social gathering, games at the gaming tables and on slot machines, numerous spectacles and concerts with great stars, create unforgettable experience culminating in top gourmet dishes accompanied by the fine wines of the surrounding winegrowing regions. Staying in an elegant hotel, equipped with conference premises and enabling a successful organization of all types of events and international conferences, is upgraded by the wellness oasis with a range of wellness services, while numerous worldwide Poker tournaments, attracting a large number of guests from all over the world, give Perla a final touch. The Park Gaming and Entertainment Centre, developed from the first and widely known Hit casino, combines the most up-todate casino with gaming tables and slot machines of all types with restaurants and bars and a hotel, where all rooms are airconditioned and equipped with the latest accoutrements, including water beds. With its inclusive hospitality, it invites guests to sample excellent cuisine and enjoy a rich entertainment programme, satisfying guests of different ages. In Solkan, above the emerald Soča River, next to the border with Italy, the rocky slope of Sabotin ascends; its name was also given to the hotel located by its foothills. The Sabotin Hotel is a true refuge for athletes, especially cyclists and curious travellers who are on the way to the neighbouring hills and valleys. The Lipa Hotel in Šempeter pri Gorici was named after a lime tree (in Slovenian: Lipa), a symbol of Slovenia and a tree that starts flowering in the Goriška region first. All guests who like high-quality food, selected drinks and evenings full of fun and those who continue their way to several interesting places will enjoy this hotel. Gorizia, a town next to the Slovenian-Italian border, together with the town Nova Gorica flow into one another and form a single and unique European town of two countries. Gorizia was first mentioned in the deed of donation of the emperor Othon III to the Patriarch of Acquileia in the year 1001 as villa quae Sclavorum lingua vocatur Goriza and became important in the 11th and 12th centuries as an early urban settlement with increasing significance for a wider region. Since the middle of the 12th century, it was marked by the counts of Gorizia, which took name after the Carinthian duke Heinrich Spanheim, after the place called Goriška. The counts of Gorizia kept their name until the year 1500, when the last count Leonhard died and the property of Goriška was inherited by the Hasburgians. Gorizia From the original settlement, located under the castle, in the 17th and 18th centuries Gorizia started to develop into the area of today’s Piazza della Vittoria (main square), with the Franciscans contributing to its success and taking care of its great religious heritage. The most important secular building of Gorizia is, obviously, the castle, whose central part dates back to the 12th century; it was the seat of the counts of Gorizia until the beginning of the 16th century. Throughout its history, the castle was renovated several times, especially after the First World War. Interesting museum collections have found their place there. In 1654, on Piazza della Vittoria, the largest square in Gorizia, the Jesuits started to build their own church of St. Ignatius, dedicated in the year 1725, renowned for its exterior with brilliant arts forms and two bell towers with onion-shaped roofs from the High Baroque period. The most attractive of squares is obviously Trg Evrope (Europe Square), which is the only common square joining two countries in the world, with a mosaic created by Trieste painter Franko Vecchiet. Here the towns Nova Gorica and Gorizia flow one to another. On the Slovenian side, the railway station is the oldest public building in the town of Nova Gorica. Solkan lies at the point the Soča River leaves the Alpine and pre-Alpine world and flows towards the Adriatic Sea by crossing the Soča River plain. From prehistoric times to today, this position has given great significance to Solkan. Regarding archaeological findings dating to the Old Stone Age, to the Metal Ages, the Roman periods and the Early Middle Ages, Solkan ranks among the oldest settlements in Posočje; it is first mentioned in 1001 as a castle or a castle settlement together with Gorizia. At the intersection of the Vipava and Soča Valleys, i.e. on the passage from the Goriška plain to Friuli, Sveta gora (the Holy Mountain) stands at an altitude of 682 metres; in nice weather, it offers a splendid view on the Julian Alps, the Trnovo Forest, the Karst and up to the seaside, while on the western side, there is a view on the Brda hills, the Friuli lowland, the Carnian Alps and the Dolomites. The view of Nova Gorica and Gorizia offers a mixture of the new and old, integrated into an urban whole, which gives the Goriška region a special character. For more than 450 years, Sveta gora (the Holy Mountain) has been an important religious centre with a rich tradition of pilgrimage to Mary of the Holy Mountain. The church has three naves with a typical open roof, which was repaired in 1544; in 1656, with the arrival of Franciscans, a monastery and hospice were built next to it, while in 1786 it was pulled down and later on, renovated again. Sveta gora Solkan is famous for having the largest railway bridge in the world, which is also the second largest stone bridge in the world (as determined by the length of the opening of the stone arch). This town has a picturesque position and a patina of medieval walls with partially preserved towers – bastions, developed on the left bank of the Soča River and later on expanded on the right bank. The Church of the Assumption of Mary presumably dates from the Roman era with a preserved Gothic presbytery dating to the year 1430, an interesting facade divided by pilaster elements of the Baroque Classicism. All of this and the Fountain of Neptuno dating back to 1815 give a special charm to Kanal ob Soči, along with several important persons born here and who have their own monuments in Kanal ob Soči. Kanal, Most na Soči The gallery, which found its place in the renovated tower on Kontrada, was named after the great graphic artist, synonymous with the Ljubljana graphic school, painter and illustrator Riko Debenjak. Magnificent natural wealth is safeguarded by protected areas: Tolmin Gorges are an extraordinary natural attraction and, together with Dante’s Cave and Devil’s Bridge, is the southernmost point of the Triglav National Park. Established as a place preserving the ‘culture of Saint Lucia’, Most na Soči is an intersection of roads towards Nova Gorica along the Soča River, and by the Idrijca River towards Idrija and Ljubljana. Tolmin Due to its position on the intersection of roads and on the confluence of the Idrijca and Soča Rivers, Most na Soči was inhabited in prehistoric times, attested to by extraordinary findings from the Late Bronze Age, which were enriched especially in the Iron Age, when the settlement flourished. The place also had an important cultural and political role in the Roman Empire. The Second World War was one of the most difficult tests for humanity; one asFranja Hospital is a reconstructed monument of that time. It is a symbol of war, humanity and heroism. It is on a list of candidates to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site and bears the European Heritage Label. Photo by Rafael Marn, photo library of the Cerkno Museum pect of the Slovenian Resistance movement was hidden hospitals. The Partisan Idrija together with Almadén were entered on the UNESCO list in 2012 for their heritage of mercury mining. Since 1508, when huge veins of mercury were found in St. Anthony’s mine shaft, Idrija has been known for mercury, which brought real development to the place. Therefore, in 1575, a mighty building, Gewerkenegg, was built above the mine, looking like a castle with its corner towers, where mercury was stored; the mine management also had its premises there. A courtyard with arcade corridors and typical ornamental architectural paintings is an excellent place for shows. Temporary and permanent museum settings are on display here. Photo by Božo Uršič, photo library of the Idrija Municipal Museum St Anthony’s mine shaft is a part of the Idrija mine, the second oldest and largest mercury mine in the world accessible to tourists. By the end of the 17th century, the lace-making trade started to develop, which has been known throughout the world since the establishment of the company in 1875. Photo by Jani Peternelj, Idrija Municipality archive Photo by Jani Peternelj, Idrija Municipality archive Idrija A stormy past left a mark on the city of Kobarid; the first findings go back to the Hallstatt period and numerous archaeological remains bear witness to the Roman times: i.e. immigration after the downfall of the Roman Empire, also witnessed by the archaeological finding Tonocov Castle with the remains of the first churches in the Slovenian area. The Medieval Era was also very troubled, while during the Enlightenment the Slovenian area was invaded by the Turks and, later on, by Napoleon’s armies, which is also commemorated by the bridge over the Soča River called Napoleon’s Bridge. Kobarid The First World War especially with the ‘Soča Front 1915-17’ (Isonzo Front) deeply affected the life of the landscape and people, leaving behind numerous monuments and a museum collection, reminding us of the tragic dimension of one of the bloodiest battlegrounds of the one of the bloodiest wars with a touching message and with a thoughtful selection of exhibits. The memorial Church of the Holy Spirit in Javorca near Tolmin is an expressive monument of the First World War: in 1916 it was built by the soldiers of the 3rd mountain Austro-Hungarian Brigade and altogether 2264 names of fallen soldiers were burned in the walls. At the beginning of the 20th century, in the valley of the emerald Soča River, enriched by numerous river tributaries, waterfalls, canyons, the biggest mountain battle in the history of humanity took place, which entered history as the ‘Miracle at Kobarid’. On the mountain crests near Kobarid there are numerous remains of the Soča Front, where thousands of soldiers died in battles; their story is told in a moving way by the display in the Kobarid Museum with a high number of documents, photos and a larger collection of weapons: about the suffering of people in different roles and moments, especially in this great mountain battle between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany, which so strongly and bloodily intervened in the life of this place and its people. The Boka Waterfall is one of the most magnificent waterfalls in Slovenia; water that has accumulated in the Kanin mountain chain plummets off a mighty mountain ridge. Bovec From Bovec towards Predel, on the edge of 60-metre-high river beds of Koritnica, stands the Kluže Fortress, which was first built from wood in the second half of the 15th century, and prevented the Turkish plundering expeditions to Carinthia. In 1882, it gained its present image; at the end of the previous century it was renovated. Today it offers permanent collections, while occasionally opening its doors to temporary exhibits. During summer cultural events take place there. The life of Bovec emerged on the hill Rabelnik as early as in the Hallstatt period; it was first mentioned in 1174. Throughout the centuries, it suffered from wars and fires; during the First World War it was almost completely destroyed. Today, it is a picturesque winter centre and a lively place throughout the year. Set between the mountains and hills, High Kanin (or Monte Canin) lies below the southern slope of Rombon; on the south it is embraced by Polovnik, on the east by Javoršček, on the northern-east by Svinjak and the karst high-mountain chain of Kanin. At 2587 m in height, it is the highest peak of the Kanin mountain chain, which offers plenty of winter fun with its cross-country ski trails. Bovško is also a water-rich area. Crystal clean water glitters in the morning light and the peaks of surrounding mountains are reflected in it, while their exciting heights cry out to be climbed. Brooks (Mangrt Brook, Prelica, Sušec), rivers (Učja River, Soča River) and lakes (Krn Lakes) also show their beauty. The most beautiful among them is obviously the Soča River, unique for its emerald colours from the moment when it vigorously exits the dark karst fissure below Trenta’s Velika Dnina and, clean as a crystal, rapidly descends from its spring in Trenta towards the Adriatic Sea. Unique places, appropriate for numerous sports, from fishing to hunting, raft descent, summer bathing, canyoning, mountain excursions, ski mountaineering, sledging, and cross-country ski running await you. Trenta is beautiful in all seasons, especially exciting in spring when the forest clearings along the walking paths become blooming gardens. Trenta A horseshoe-shaped valley is deeply cut between the mountains and opens into the side gorges from the spring of the Soča River to its junction with the Lepena Valley. Here the wealth of waters can be felt: Mlinarica; Krajcarica, disappearing underground; Vrsnik, with its many pools and cutting into river beds; and Lepenca, struggling to find its way to the Soča River, flow across the overhanging, hardly passable river beds. A wealth of fauna and flora is on display here, where, in the zone of Alpine herbs, edelweiss and gentian delight you the most among other richly sown protected plant species. You can set off to the land of wine and fruit from Nova Gorica or Gorizia along the paths leading through picturesque villages and hamlets, between vineyards and orchards, passing monuments and memorials transmitting messages written by the rich past. It its bosom, Brda hides many cultural sites and, almost on each Brda hill, in the middle of an agglomerated village, there is a small church with hidden treasures and bell towers attracting your view. One marvellous place among these picturesque Brda settlements is Medana, the birth place of the Slovenian poet Alojz Gradnik and, in the recent years, a place inspiring numerous fine artists from different countries, who take part in several fine arts workshops. Goriška brda Among the manor houses and castles dispersed here, the Dobrovo Castle is the most interesting Renaissance castle dating back to the 17th century, erected on the place where the older castle had stood before, under different owners: from princes Montecuccoli to counts Colloredo, de Catterini and de Baguer. It is laid out in a typical square shape with four towers on the corners, one of which was changed into a chapel and with a wall dating to the 17th century; later it was changed into an arcade corridor. The first floor is arranged into a Knight’s Hall with the coats-of-arms of the most important noble families that once lived in the castle, where numerous cultural events take place. The wall paintings in the Hunter’s Room on the ground floor are also interesting. Since 1991, a collection of the graphic works of one of the most prominent modernists of the 20th century, the worldrenowned painter Zoran Mušič, has been on display in the castle. He donated the collection to the castle, offering one of the most beautiful overviews of his own graphic creativity. With his rich donation, Dobrovo, Brda and Slovenia have also become part of the world’s cultural heritage. The artist’s works are seen in prominent museums and galleries, mostly in Venice and Paris, where the great painter also lived and worked. He was born in Bukovica in the Vipava Valley to parents whose origins are from Brda. The wealth of ethnological heritage is shown in the village of Šmartno in the geographical centre of Brda, from which a view opens from Nanos on the east to the Carnic Alps on the northeast and from the vast Friuli region to the Adriatic Sea. On this slope with its pleasant view, a large anti-Turkish defence fortification was erected on the remains of the Roman base in the first half of the 16th century with typical walls and seven defence towers. A village with narrow streets typical of the area, an important strategic point on the Venetian-Austrian border throughout history, it was first mentioned in 1317. To feel like you are back in medieval times, simply walk along the narrow streets between more-or-less old houses, among which a special Brda house attracts attention with an interestingly shaped stone portal which marks the style echo of the Late Gothic architecture of the beginning of the 16th century with its pointed arch. From the period of the rustic Baroque in the 18th century, renovated and finally completed with a representative balcony in the beginning of the 19th century, this house gives you an insight into the way of life in the past. On the slope, to the south of the road through the Vipava Valley, there is a medieval hamlet – Vipavski Križ – a Renaissance fortress with round towers. Vipavski Križ A picturesque village made of stone, which became a city in the 16th century, is famous for the Capuchin monastery dating to the 17th century, in which numerous centuries-old books are kept, as well as two early golden altars, a famous picture of the monk Oswald, a picture of “All Saints” dating back to 1668, which is one of the biggest canvases from the 17th century in the Slovenian area. The “Crucified Jesus” from 1525 in the monastery is also famous and the chapel from 1682 is also interesting. A short walk through the old town, consisting of the hamlet with a parish church on one side and a fortified castle on the other side, becomes a full experience on the square, enriched by the Capuchin monastery on the southern side. The beauties of the Vipava Valley do not fade away throughout the seasons, since each season gives it its own image, brought together by vineyards, orchards, fields and meadows. The cultural heritage with famous mansions and with a message from the past remains a precious link to the present: soil is fertile and gives excellent grapes. The valley is especially known for excellent wines produced by numerous winemakers, while the greatest specialty are old vine varieties, such as Pinela and Zelen; the valley is also well-known for fruit trees which create different colour combinations, is home to figs, olives, peaches, cherries, pears, plums and others. In the Vipava Valley, where the famous road from Oglej (Acquilea), across Hrušica (Ad Pirum), to Ljubljana (Emona) passed, the Roman era left distinct traces: one of the most important battles in the Late Roman Period, known as the Battle of Frigidus or the Battle on the Cold River in the vicinity of the present-day Vrhpolje, and the Roman walls with fourteen towers of the famous Castra in Ajdovščina. Among vineyards on a low hill in the middle of Vipava Valley stands the Zemono Manor House with typical semi-circularly finished external arcades in the Renaissance style and excellent secular frescos. In the upper part of the Vipava Valley, next to numerous springs of the Vipava River (the only river in Europe with a delta spring), you can find Vipava with its many bridges and a rich cultural heritage, including the remains of Baumgartner Castle, dating to the 16th century, on a high hill above the place, the Lanthieri Manor House from the 17th century with a Baroque facade and diverse stucco works, typical avant-corps (risalto) and two linking tracts, continuing with a park in the axis of the building, garden arts; and the church of St. Stephan, which preserves in its interior, a ceiling fresco from 1752 of the painter Fran Jelovšek. Vipava On an exceptional location, on the edge of the Karst landscape, above the Vipava Valley and the Branik settlement, stands the Rihemberk Castle, one of the rarest medieval castles in this area. With one of the oldest Roman designs, its distinct feature is a round tower dating back to the 13th century, from which it developed in a spacious accommodation with residential characteristics of the Baroque era. Although there are also some characteristics of the Gothic era, throughout the time the Baroque style expressed itself most strongly and the castle gained its final image in the 17th and 18th centuries, with some buildings added later. Renaissance walls and the small round corner towers from the 16th century are also quite typical. Branik For thousands of years, the Karst, a limy slope in the south-western part of Slovenia, has invited the lovers of natural and cultural beauties to visit it. Although the best known synonyms for the Karst are Teran, prosciutto, and the Bora wind, the Karst also surprises you with caves, red sumac, pine trees defying the wind, colourful vines and its rich cultural heritage of picturesque places, covered in stone, from Štanjel to Lipica and back to the Goriška Karst. Stone is a distinct feature of the landscape, which is reflected in its remarkable architecture. The Karst has given name to all such phenomena around the world, including caves: to date, over 8,000 of them have been discovered. In this area, there are more than 20 caves arranged to be visited. The most popular one is the Postojna Cave, while many people are inspired by the Škocjan Cave, which is on the UNESCO List of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. A picturesque medieval city, Štanjel, whose roots go back to the Early Iron Age, flourished mostly in the Roman period due to its logistical, geographical and strategic position, when it expanded in a series of terrace houses upwards through the forest towards the Turn peak. Typical narrow streets ended in small squares, in the middle of which are stone fountains. Stone is an element beloved by Štanjel: all houses are made of stone, enriched with elements of the same material – doorways, windows, chimneys, typical consoles and even stone roof gutters. At the end of the 15th century, the city was protected with walls to keep it from dangers of the Turkish invasions. The Renaissance-Baroque castle and the church of St. Daniel from the Late Gothic Period with its typical lemon-like bell tower give the place a noble charm. In 1988, a gallery of the Trieste painter Lojze Spacal, who donated to the place an enormous collection of paintings and graphic works, opened its doors in the renovated transept of the Baroque palatium (Latin for mansion). Although the oldest remains of the castle date back to the medieval period, it gained its final image under the counts Cobenzl at the end of the 17th century, ranking it among the most excellent examples of feudal architecture of the era in the Primorska region. Like other castles, the one in Štanjel was frequently renovated, repaired, rebuilt and also changed owners throughout the time; however, the most typical change of the castle was made by a local resident: the architect Maks Fabiani arranged a castle hall in the palatium from the 16th century. Štanjel From 1924 to 1942, the architect Maks Fabiani together with Enric Ferrari arranged a terrace garden bellow the defence wall, today known as Ferrari’s Garden, with vegetable and flower beds, pergolas, a bowling green, a lookout point and a pavilion. A speciality of the park is a pool and water supply system; moreover, the eye is also attracted by a small picturesque bridge. One is moved by the elegance of remarkable Lipica horses, especially when they gallop to the rhythm of music: the Lipica Stud has been famous since 1580 and today it is one of the most beautiful cultural and historical monuments of Slovenia, with its rich tradition of breeding Lipica thoroughbreds. In Lipica, there is also the gallery of the famous painter Avgust Černigoj from the period of constructivism; he spent his final years in Lipica. Mighty architecture on the edge of the Karst slope above Miren offers a unique view on the Lower Vipava Valley to Gorizia and its hinterland, Sabotin and the Holy Mountain. The monument dedicated to defenders of the Slovenian land calls attention to historic events, which transmit symbolic messages and remind us of historical milestones of this area. Lipica, Cerje Perla, Casinò & Hotel Kidričeva 7 5000 Nova Gorica, Slovenija t +386 5 336 30 00 [email protected] www.thecasinoperla.com Park, Casinò & Hotel Delpinova 5 5000 Nova Gorica, Slovenija t +386 5 336 26 33 [email protected] www.thecasinopark.com Hotel Lipa Trg Ivana Roba 7 5290 Šempeter pri Gorici, Slovenija t +386 5 336 60 00 [email protected] www.hotellipa.com Hotel Sabotin Cesta IX. korpusa 35 5250 Solkan, Slovenija t +386 5 336 50 00 [email protected] www.hotelsabotin.com