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Nova Gorica
Town
Nova Gorica.jpg
GO25 314021.jpg
Rathaus Mestna občina Città Comune di Nova Gorica (51589751416).jpg
Ilham Aliyev visited a memorial of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Mehdi Huseynzadeh, in the Slovenian town of Nova Gorica 9.jpg
Salvator church in Nova Gorica 02 (Tournasol7).jpg
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From top, left to right: Overview of Nova Gorica, Railway station with Square of Europe, Nova Gorica town hall, House with Mehdi Huseynzadeh Memorial, Salvator church, Kostanjevica Monastery on the hill
Coat of arms of Nova Gorica
Coat of arms
Nova Gorica is located in Slovenia
Nova Gorica
Nova Gorica
Location in Slovenia
Country Slovenia
Traditional region Slovenian Littoral
Statistical region Gorizia
Municipality Nova Gorica
Area
 • Total 3.49 km2 (1.35 sq mi)
Elevation
93.4 m (306.4 ft)
Population
 (2023)
 • Total 13,021
 • Density 3,731/km2 (9,663/sq mi)
 • Trans-border urban
71,753
Postal code
5000
Vehicle registration GO

Nova Gorica is a town in western Slovenia. It sits right on the border with Italy. Nova Gorica is a special kind of town called a planned town. It was built after 1947, when a new border was drawn between Yugoslavia (which Slovenia was part of) and Italy. This new border left the nearby city of Gorizia in Italy.

Because of this, Nova Gorica was created to be the new main city for the surrounding Slovenian areas. It was designed using modernist architecture, which means it has a clean, functional style. In 2025, Nova Gorica and Gorizia together were the European Capital of Culture. Since 2011, Nova Gorica has worked closely with Gorizia and Šempeter-Vrtojba as part of a shared area across the border.

What's in a Name?

Nova Gorica 0720069 71 retouched
View of Nova Gorica and Solkan

The name Nova Gorica simply means 'new Gorizia'. The word Gorica itself comes from a Slavic word. It means 'hill' or, in older Slovenian, 'vineyard'.

Locally, people often just call the town Gorica. They refer to the Italian city next door as Stara Gorica, which means 'old Gorizia'. You can even see this on Slovenian license plates, where GO stands for Gorica.

A Brief History

The famous square Transalpina
Nova Gorica railway station "Transalpina"

After World War II in 1947, a peace treaty changed the borders. Most of the Slovenian-speaking areas that were part of Italy became part of Yugoslavia. However, the city of Gorizia itself remained in Italy.

This new border cut off many Slovenian suburbs from Gorizia, their main city. These suburbs, like Solkan and Šempeter, had about 10,000 people. To connect these areas and create a new center, the leaders of Slovenia decided to build a brand new town. This new town was named Nova Gorica, or "New Gorizia."

The leader of Yugoslavia, Marshal Tito, supported the project. A famous Slovenian architect named Edvard Ravnikar designed the town. Construction began in 1948.

1969 postcard of Nova Gorica
1969 postcard of Nova Gorica, Yugoslavia

Nova Gorica officially became a town in 1952. It grew throughout the 1950s and 1960s. By the mid-1980s, it had reached its current size. Even though some older suburbs later became separate towns again, Nova Gorica remains an important urban area in western Slovenia.

Climate

Climate data for Nova Gorica (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1950–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.0
(66.2)
22.4
(72.3)
26.5
(79.7)
30.4
(86.7)
33.2
(91.8)
36.4
(97.5)
38.3
(100.9)
38.9
(102.0)
33.5
(92.3)
29.5
(85.1)
24.7
(76.5)
17.9
(64.2)
38.9
(102.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.4
(47.1)
10.0
(50.0)
14.1
(57.4)
18.1
(64.6)
22.8
(73.0)
26.9
(80.4)
29.4
(84.9)
29.5
(85.1)
24.1
(75.4)
18.8
(65.8)
13.4
(56.1)
9.2
(48.6)
18.7
(65.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.8
(38.8)
4.9
(40.8)
8.6
(47.5)
12.6
(54.7)
17.1
(62.8)
21.1
(70.0)
23.2
(73.8)
22.8
(73.0)
17.9
(64.2)
13.2
(55.8)
8.9
(48.0)
4.8
(40.6)
13.2
(55.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 0.5
(32.9)
0.9
(33.6)
4.1
(39.4)
7.6
(45.7)
11.7
(53.1)
15.4
(59.7)
17.2
(63.0)
17.2
(63.0)
13.3
(55.9)
9.4
(48.9)
5.5
(41.9)
1.5
(34.7)
8.7
(47.7)
Record low °C (°F) −13.2
(8.2)
−15.2
(4.6)
−9.1
(15.6)
−4.4
(24.1)
1.0
(33.8)
5.5
(41.9)
7.6
(45.7)
6.5
(43.7)
2.5
(36.5)
−3.4
(25.9)
−7.3
(18.9)
−10.7
(12.7)
−15.2
(4.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 93
(3.7)
89
(3.5)
90
(3.5)
97
(3.8)
130
(5.1)
135
(5.3)
116
(4.6)
114
(4.5)
179
(7.0)
166
(6.5)
199
(7.8)
142
(5.6)
1,552
(61.1)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 10 9 9 13 14 14 13 11 12 13 14 11 145
Mean monthly sunshine hours 105.9 131.5 173.7 192.9 235.6 258.4 303.0 287.4 200.7 150.3 98.2 96.1 2,233.7
Source 1: Slovenian Environment Agency
Source 2: NOAA (sun 1991–2020)

Culture and Education

SNG Nova Gorica (2021)
Slovenian National Theater, Nova Gorica

Nova Gorica is home to one of Slovenia's three national theaters. The Goriška Museum [sl] is also in the town, located inside Kromberk Castle.

The University of Nova Gorica is in the suburb of Rožna Dolina. The Nova Gorica Grammar School, in the city center, is a very well-known high school in Slovenia.

The cultural magazine Razpotja is also published here. Nova Gorica and Gorizia were chosen together to be the European Capital of Culture in 2025.

Kostanjevica Hill

To the south of Nova Gorica is Kostanjevica Hill. Here you'll find the Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady and a 17th-century Franciscan monastery. This monastery holds many historical treasures.

The last members of the Bourbon family, who were French royalty, are buried in a crypt under the church. This includes Charles X and other family members. They fled France after a revolution in 1830 and found safety in Gorizia.

Sveta Gora

NovaGorica-izSvGore
Nova Gorica viewed from Sveta Gora

Across from Kostanjevica Hill, to the north, is Sveta Gora. This means "Holy Mount." It's a 682-meter (about 2,238 feet) peak that has been a popular place for pilgrims for 450 years.

From the top, the view is amazing! On a clear day, you can see as far as Istria, Venice, the Dolomites, and the Kamnik and Julian Alps. At the mountain top, there's a beautiful church, a Franciscan monastery, and a museum about the Battles of the Isonzo.

Famous People from Nova Gorica

Many interesting people have come from Nova Gorica.

Arts and Sciences

  • Diego de Brea, a theater director.
  • Dean Komel, a philosopher.
  • Maja Novak, a writer.
  • Uroš Seljak, a physicist who studies the universe.
  • Marko Peljhan, an artist.

Politics and Public Service

  • Robert Golob, the current Prime Minister of Slovenia.
  • Borut Pahor, a politician who used to be the president of Slovenia.
  • Majda Širca, a film critic and politician.

Sports

  • Jure Franko, a ski champion.
  • Eva Mori, a volleyball player.
  • Matej Mugerli, a road bicycle player.

International Connections

Nova Gorica has special connections with other towns around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities."

Nova Gorica is twinned with:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Nova Gorica para niños

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