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As with other towns in this region, the tranquillity of present-day
GORIZIA
- virtually midway along the Trieste-Udine rail line - belies the turbulence of its past. The castle that dominates the old centre was the power-base of the dukes of Gorizia, who ruled the area for four centuries. After their eclipse, Venice briefly ruled the town at the start of the sixteenth century, before the Habsburgs took over. It was controlled from Vienna uninterruptedly until August 8, 1916, when the Italian army occupied it - but only until the rout at Caporetto, some 50km north. The border settlement after World War II literally split houses in Gorizia down the middle. Italy kept the town proper but lost its eastern perimeter to what was then Yugoslavia, where the new regime resolved to build its own Gorizia:
Nova Gorica
- "New Gorizia"- is the result.
The town's appearance, like that of Trieste, is distinctly central European, stamped with the authority of Empress Maria Theresa. Numerous parks and gardens - thriving in the area's mild climate - further enhance the
fin de siEcle
atmosphere. Again like Trieste, it's a major shopping town for Slovenes, which explains the large number of electrical goods, clothes and food shops, and the good cafes and restaurants.
The main sight in town is the
Borgo Castello
, the quarter built round the castle by the Venetians, mostly in the sixteenth century. It's a pleasant place to wander, and the collection of local folkloric items and handicrafts passes a half-hour or so, but the view from the castle walls is more inspiring. The graceful rooms of the
Castle
itself (Tues-Sun: April-Sept 9.30am-1pm & 3-7.30pm; Oct-March 9.30am-6pm; L6000/e¬3.10) host occasional exhibitions, though these are of mostly local interest. The
Museo Provinciali
(Tues-Sun: summer 10am-7pm; winter 10am-1pm & 3-6.30pm; L6000/e¬3.10), in the Borgo just down from the castle entrance, is again fairly dry, with collections on textiles, fashion and World War I - the latter interesting enough for Italian speakers.
One of the finest of its Neoclassical buildings is the
Palazzo Attems
in Piazza De Amicis, built by Nicolo Pacassi, Maria Theresa's favourite architect. After restoration work is complete - at some uncertain date - it is due to house the town archives and picture gallery, the latter including some nice pieces, among them an altarpiece by Antonio Guardi. In what was once the Jewish quarter, the
Synagogue
, at Via Ascoli 19 (Mon, Fri & Sat 6-8pm; summer Tues & Thurs 6-8pm, winter 4-7pm; free), is also of Neoclassical design; the serene interior resembles those in Venice's Ghetto.
Probably the strangest sight in Gorizia is the crypt in the Franciscan monastery at
Castagnavizza
- Kostanjevica, rather, for the monastery lies across the border in Nova Gorica. This is the burial place of the last of the French Bourbons. After Louis Philippe was ousted by the bloodless revolution of July 1830, the Bourbons were exiled from France; the family eventually arrived in Gorizia in 1836, and the Habsburgs allowed them to stay. To judge by the impassioned entries in the visitors' book, the silence of the crypt is regularly disturbed by French royalists, whose withered bouquets line the walls. The French state must reckon that the republic is now strong enough to withstand any monarchist pressure, for there has been a recent agreement to return these royal relics, although the dates have yet to be decided. The monastery was also home to Brother Stanislav Skrabec (1844-1918), an important Slovene linguist, and the library of 10,000 books includes a rare copy of the first Slovene grammar, inscribed by its author, Adam Bohoric (1584). The easiest approach is to take a taxi up the hill once you're across the border; walking is the best way back. Once there, ring the bell; there's no charge, but you should offer a donation.
For information on the current status of the Palazzo Attems, ask at the
tourist office
at Via Roma 5, on the first floor (May-Sept Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 3-6pm; Oct-April 9am-1pm & 3-5pm; tel 0481.386.225), which also supplies information on the province of Gorizia as a whole. For accommodation, the only one-star
hotel
is the excellent
Sandro
at Via S. Chiara 18 (tel 0481.533.223; L60,000-90,000/e¬30.99-46.48), not far from the central Piazza della Vittoria. If that's full, try the comfortable but bland
Alla Transalpina
at Via Caprin 30 (tel 0481.530.291; L90,000-120,000/e¬46.48-61.98); the restaurant is overpriced, and it's a good 2km northeast of the centre, right on the Slovene border, but bus #1 runs every 15min from the train station through town, terminating opposite the hotel.
Gorizia is better served by
places to eat
. The
Osteria Panesale
(closed Sun), Corso Verdi 11, on the way into the old ghetto, serves beautiful local food in simple, classy surroundings. At the other end of the scale,
Al Sabatino
(closed Sun), at Via Mameli 4, is a traditional workers' trattoria serving local dishes in distinctly ordinary surroudings. More urbane is
Alle Lune
, Via Oberdan (closed Sun eve & Mon), but the prices are still moderate.
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