TRAVNIK / VITTORIA SQUARE

SLO

Travnik je osrednji goriški trg in eno najstarejših urbanih središč mesta. Na izteku ulice Raštel, kjer so nekoč stala mestna vrata, se je v 16. stoletju mesto začelo širiti pod grajski hrib. Na tem prostranem območju, kjer so se včasih pasli konji, so sčasoma začele rasti palače, med prvimi je bila cerkev sv. Ignacija, ki so jo jezuiti postavljali od leta 1654 do 1767. Gre za mogočno stavbo, ki harmonično združuje baročne elemente s srednjevropskimi značilnostmi – najbolj prepoznavna sta čebulasta zvonika, delo arhitekta Christopha Taucherja.

≃ 1916 Italijanski vojaki 9. avgusta 1916 vkorakajo v mesto
Vir: Fond Giovanni Viola

Jezuiti so v mestu odprli šole in že od leta 1615 skrbeli za pridige v slovenščini ter za izobraževanje otrok v različnih jezikih v šoli, ki je stala poleg cerkve. Ta stavba je pozneje postala vojašnica 47. pehotnega polka, bila porušena med prvo svetovno vojno in dokončno odstranjena leta 1938 – danes na tem mestu stoji poslopje socialnega skrbstva (INPS).

Ob izteku Raštela stoji Casa Torriana, nekdanja palača grofov della Torre (Thurn) iz 16. stoletja. V 19. stoletju je stavba prešla v last avstrijskega finančnega urada, postala sedež okrožnega in deželnega glavarstva, danes pa v njej domuje prefektura. Med slavnimi gosti palače je bil tudi Giacomo Casanova, ki je tu prenočil leta 1773.

V središču trga stoji Neptunov vodnjak, ki ga je leta 1756 načrtoval goriški arhitekt Nicolò Pacassi. Travnik je bil do sredine 20. stoletja v italijanščini znan kot Piazza Grande, po prvi svetovni vojni pa je nova italijanska oblast trgu nadela ime Piazza Vittoria – Trg zmage.
 

Trg je bil prizorišče pomembnih zgodovinskih dogodkov. Leta 1714 so tu usmrtili enajst voditeljev tolminskega kmečkega punta, v času habsburške monarhije je bil trg prizorišče sejmov, mestnih godb, procesij. Iz Case Torriani je Gorico nagovoril Mussolini. V času po drugi svetovni vojni, ko ni bilo še jasno, komu bo pripadla Gorica, so tu potekale tako manifestacije za priključitev Italiji kot tiste za priključitev Jugoslaviji. Trg gosti tudi vsakoletni sejem sv. Andreja (30. november), ki velja za najstarejši in najpomembnejši sejem v mestu. 20. maja 1984 je tu potekala največja slovenska manifestacija po drugi svetovni vojni – zbralo se je več kot 12.000 Slovencev, ki so zahtevali sprejetje zakona za zaščito slovenske manjšine v Italiji.

ENG

Piazza Vittoria / Travnik is Gorizia’s main square and one of the city’s oldest urban hubs. At the end of via Rastello, where the old city gate once stood, the town began expanding under the castle hill in the 16th century. On this vast area – once used for grazing horses – important buildings gradually began to rise. Among the first was the Church of Saint Ignatius, built by the Jesuits between 1654 and 1767. It is a monumental building that harmoniously combines Baroque elements with Central European features – most recognisable are its onion-domed bell towers, designed by architect Christoph Taucher. The Jesuits opened schools in the city and, as early as 1615, provided sermons in Slovene and education in several languages at a school adjacent to the church. That building later became the barracks of the 47th Infantry Regiment, was destroyed during the First World War, and was finally demolished in 1938 – today, the site is occupied by the social welfare building (INPS). 

At the end of via Rastello stands Casa Torriana, formerly the palace of the Counts della Torre (Thurn) from the 16th century. In the 19th century, the building came under the ownership of the Austrian Financial Authority and later served as the seat of both the district and regional governorate. Today, it houses the prefecture. Among the palace’s famous guests was Giacomo Casanova, who stayed there in 1773.

At the centre of the square stands the Fountain of Neptune, designed in 1756 by the Gorizian architect Nicolò Pacassi. Until the mid-20th century, Piazza Vittoria was known in Italian as Piazza Grande. After the First World War, the new Italian authorities renamed it Piazza Vittoria – Victory Square.

The square has been the setting for many significant historical events. In 1714, eleven leaders of the Tolmin peasant uprising were executed here. During the Habsburg monarchy, Piazza Vittoria was the site of fairs, municipal bands performances, and religious processions. It was from Casa Torriana that Mussolini addressed the people of Gorizia. After the Second World War, when the future of Gorizia was still uncertain, the square hosted demonstrations both in favour of unification with Italy and those advocating for unification with Yugoslavia. Piazza Vittoria also hosts the annual Saint Andrew’s Fair (30 November), considered the oldest and most important fair in the city. On 20 May 1984, the square was the site of the largest Slovene demonstration in Italy since the Second World War – more than 12,000 Slovenes gathered to demand the adoption of a law protecting the Slovene minority in Italy.