Novo Mesto is the city on a bend of the Krka River in the City Municipality of Novo Mesto in southeastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. The town is traditionally considered the economic and cultural centre of the historical Lower Carniola region.
Country | Slovenia |
---|---|
Government | |
• Mayor | Gregor Macedoni |
Area | |
• Municipality | 298.5 km (115.3 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Municipality | 36,296 |
• Density | 120/km (310/sq mi) |
• Urban | 23,341 |
Time zone | UTC+01 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02 (CEST) |
Culture
Novo Mesto has been a hub of artistic creation in various fields: music, literature, and visual arts. The turning point is the September 1920 exhibition named Novo Mesto Spring, which brought together artists of different genres and marks the beginning of avant-garde art in Slovenia.
Music
The development of music in Novo Mesto may be traced to the 16th century, with the clergy, e.g. the provost Jurij Slatkonja, the first residential Bishop of Vienna, promulgating the development of vocal music. In 1498 Jurij Slatkonja was appointed the singing master (Singmeister) of the choir later known as the Vienna Boys’ Choir.
Accelerated development took place in the 19th century with the establishment of a brass band in 1846, and the establishment of the Lower Carniola Singing Society in 1884. The society laid the foundations of the vocal music in the wider Lower Carniola area. A significant part in the musical development of the town was contributed by students and the teaching staff of the Novo Mesto Grammar School. The school had a quality singing choir led by Hugolin Sattner, Aleš Ottokar and Ignacij Hladnik as well as a student orchestra led by Viktor Parma. In 1886, a male choir was established in the town in the frame of the Catholic Craftsman Assistants Society. Several classical composers were connected to Novo Mesto, the best known of them being Marjan Kozina, after whom the music school of the town is named, and the expressionist composer Marij Kogoj. In the 20th century, particularly after World War II, a number of influential contemporary (jazz, rock, and pop) music groups appeared and created in the town, the most notable of them being Rudolfovo, Dan D and others. In the early 21st century, the most popular pop-rock music group was Dan D, whereas classical music gained two important pieces of work in the frame of the Jurij Slatkonja Vocal Academy, a chamber opera (The Baptism on the Savica) and Te Deum, a monumental cantata work.
Literature
The central literature personalities of Novo Mesto are the writer Janez Trdina (1830–1905), the poet Dragotin Kette (1876–1899), and the poet and essayist Anton Podbevšek (1898–1981). Trdina, after whom the central cultural venue of the town is named Janez Trdina Cultural Centre, lived in Novo Mesto in exile and wrote primarily short fictional stories about the Gorjanci hill range, which he published under the title Fairytales and Stories about Gorjanci (Bajke in povesti o Gorjancih). Kette, who lived in Novo Mesto in the time of his studies, wrote lyrical poetry, particularly dedicated to Angela Smola whom he met in the town’s chapter church. Podbevšek laid the foundations of Slovene lyrical avant-garde poetry. The youngest professional theatre in Slovenia and the first theatre in the town, established in 2005, has been named after him Anton Podbevšek Theatre.
Visual and film arts
Novo Mesto is the birthplace of the painter and graphic artist Božidar Jakac (1899–1989), who produced one of the most extensive oeuvres of visual arts in Slovenia and was a key organiser of visual arts education and visual arts events in the country. Many of his works as well as of other well-known Slovenian artists are kept at the Jakac House in the town. Other known Novo Mesto visual artists were the painter Vladimir Lamut and the architect Marjan Mušič. Several notable film artists originate from Novo Mesto, besides Jakac also the film editor Jurij Moškon, and the contemporary film directors Rok Biček, Klemen Dvornik, Nejc Gazvoda, and Žiga Virc.
Economy
Old quarter of Novo Mesto
Today, tourism is increasing in Slovenia, and Novo Mesto is feeling some of the effects. The Krka Valley is becoming a place for wine enthusiasts who take tours throughout the Lower Carniola region, tasting locally produced Cviček wine, which is produced by blending several different varieties of local wine.
Major industries include:
Revoz (subsidiary of Renault), car manufacturing
Adria Mobil, camper manufacturer
Krka, pharmaceuticals
Mayor’s office
Contact:
Address: Rotovž, Glavni trg 7, 8000 Novo mesto
E-mail: kabinet@novomesto.si
Phone:
00 386 7 39 39 244 (Administration)
00 386 7 39 39 204 (Head of the Mayor’s Office)
00 386 7 39 39 239 (International Relations and Protocol)
00 386 7 39 39 341 (Public Relations)
Mayor
Mr Gregor Macedoni, M.Ec.
Contact:
E-mail: gregor.macedoni@novomesto.si
Phone: 00 386 7 39 39 244