Sabotin Hill Peace Park
| Region | Gorizia Statistical Region |
| Starting point | Crossroads parking lot |
| Route length | 3 km (1.15 miles) in one direction |
| route duration | 1 h |
| Best time to visit | all year |
| Appropriate for | Baby Strollers , Baby Carriers , 3-6 years of age , 6+ years of age |
| Level of difficulty | Easy route |
Route Description
Sabotin is a 609-meter (1,998-feet) high hill towering above the towns of Nova Gorica and Solkan, on the Slovenian-Italian border. This is a real treat for all the grandparents, dads and little boys, who love historical sites, while the moms can just soak in the beautiful view. After WWI, Italians proclaimed Sabotin Hill a sacred place and arranged a memorial park functioning as an open-air museum (Source: brda.si website). Today it reminds all visitors about the futility of wars and coexistence between nations.
It is a very interesting hill from a historical point of view. Even today we can walk through numerous military tunnels and caverns carved into the rock by Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers of 22 nations, when they fought on the Isonzo Front. WWI left a permanent imprint on the areas of Sabotin, Tolmin, Kobarid and Goriška regions.
After WWII, a new state border between Italy and Yugoslavia was drawn along the narrow ridge of Sabotin, which cut off this hill from Slovenia. Boundary stones wind along the top of the ridge, and abandoned bunkers and watchtowers also testify to the border.
There used to be the inscription “Naš Tito” (“Our Tito”) at the top of the hill, which was recently removed. Sabotin is a very interesting "loner", separated from other hills in the Trnovo plateau and with the famous Solkan Bridge at its foot. You can hike to the top from 6 different directions.
Despite the fact that Sabotin is a lower hill, it still has a beautiful view of the Goriška Brda Wine Region, Julian Alps, Soča River, the Karst Plateau, the Friuli Lowlands and the Alps.
Interesting Facts
The Solkan Bridge (Slovene: Solkanski most, Italian: Ponte di Salcano) is a 219.7-metre (721-feet) arch bridge over the Soča River near Nova Gorica in western Slovenia (by railway terminology it is a viaduct). With an arch span of 85 metres (279 feet), it is the longest bridge in the world and the longest stone bridge among train bridges built of stone blocks. It holds the record as later construction technology used reinforced concrete to build bridges. It was originally built in the time of the Secession, between 1900 and 1905, and officially opened in 1906. In August 1916, during the First World War, Austrian soldiers destroyed the bridge as they left Solkan to prevent the invading forces from using it. After the war the Italians first built a steel construction where the bridge once stood and in April 1925 started to build a new bridge, which was finished in 1927
Map
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Elevation chart:
Nearby Restaurants
Ošterija Žogica Inn
The Ošterija Žogica Inn has a big menu and a unique location. The interior has a very tasteful decoration, which impresses every visitor. Our kids loved the children’s playgrounds and of course the kindness of the waiters.
We will definitely be back... if not sooner, then later when we gather enough courage for a bungee jump from a nearby bridge :).
Soška cesta 52,
5250 Solkan
05 300 52 40
Mila and Staš Recommend
After finishing your lunch at the inn, you can climb to the ruins of the St. Valentine’s Church. You know, the one every couple celebrates on February 14th ;). Once upon a time, this was a church of a simple square shape, which has also served as an accommodation for Franciscan fathers since the 14th century. Now, only ruins remain, which we explored very carefully since on very warm days, horned viper snakes like to sunbathe here.
