Novo mesto is celebrating 650 years

More joy and delight have been in evidence in the Dolenjska region this year, as Novo mesto is commemorating the 650th anniversary of being awarded town privileges. On this occasion, the residents of the seventh largest town in Slovenia are presenting their world famous heroes, from artists to sportspeople, and local sights which contributed to the distinctive image of the town. Welcome to the town of situlae remains, the archaeological centre of Slovenia.

This town on the bend of the Krka River was granted town privileges by the Austrian Archduke Rudolf IV 650 years ago. Novo mesto was thus established on 7 April 1365. Officially known as Rudolsfwerd, the town developed economically and politically, and became the administrative, cultural and business centre of the wine-producing Dolenjska region in the south-east of Slovenia.

Novo mesto is situated in the midst of the hilly landscape of Dolenjska in the embrace of the Krka River. Experience a wealth of natural beauty and learn about the culture and tradition of Novo mesto. The Krka River Valley is considered the most beautiful Slovenian river valley by many people, particularly the stretch before Novo mesto. Its beauty is particularly accentuated by rapids, natural river barriers and embankments adorned with trees. Experience a voyage on a Rudolf’s Raft during which the locals will proudly introduce the tradition of rafting. The raft will take you past the picturesque Breg, the Chapter Church of St Nicholas on the highest point of the town centre and the Franciscan monastery on the cliff.

The centre of Dolenjska is also known as the town of situlae due to the rich archaeological finds discovered there. Bronze situlae from the old Iron Age constitute the most important cultural heritage of the town and are considered the high point of artistic creativity of the period between the 8th and 4th centuries BC.

Many well-known Slovenians lived in Novo mesto, for example the gymnast and Olympic medallist, Leon Štukelj, who attended his first Olympic Games in 1924 in Paris, where he won his first Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. Composer Marjan Kozina wrote a great number of music soundtracks for films, among them Na svoji zemlji (On Our Own Land; the first Slovenian sound feature film) and Dolina miru (Valley of Peace) which was featured at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival. The creative spirit of Novo mesto has also been marked through the ages by exceptional figures working in the field of culture: the Baroque writer, Matija Kastelic, Julija Primic, the muse of Slovenia’s greatest poet, France Prešeren, writer Janez Trdina, after whom the Novo mesto cultural centre was named, poet Dragotin Kette, the pioneer of historic avant-garde and many others.

The capital of the Dolenjska region is today also a university and business centre. Novo mesto is the home of the world-renowned Slovenian pharmaceutical company Krka, Renault’s Revoz, which is one of the largest Slovenian exporters and the only automobile manufacturer in Slovenia and Adria Mobil, a manufacturer of caravans, motor homes and mobile homes.

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