Slovenia

Overview

Slovenia is a country conveniently placed at the crossroad of many cultures. It shares its western borders with Italy, Austria to the north, Hungary to the east and Croatia to the south. But it shares more than just borders with its neighbours. Over the centuries it has become the meeting place of peoples. Despite its smallness (it is smaller than Scotland, with only 2 million inhabitants), it is extraordinarily diverse; each corner of the country reflecting the symbiosis of different influences, which gives them an unmistakable charm. There is an ever-changing geographical and cultural landscape: from the Romanic churches of the west to the Teutonic castles of central and northern Slovenia, from the coast over the Karst to the Julian Alps and further over ancient woodland all the way to the Panonian plain. Most travellers choose only to stay for a short period, in passing, whilst exploring a somewhat unknown part of Europe. The most popular destinations being the chocolate box capital – Ljubljana, and lake Bled, with its cute little island and the magnificent Alps in the background. However Slovenia most probably deserves a bit more attention. When going there, do not expect yet another eastern European country, only just starting its long walk away from socialism. Unlike many of the countries that have recently joined the European Union, Slovenia was never a soviet satellite. It was once part of Yugoslavia, which had a special status during the cold war, neither to the West nor the East – “unaligned”....more

History

In 6th century Slovenians move into this area. The first independent state was formed then, called Karantania. In 745 independence was traded to Franks for defense against Huns. A little later another independent Slovenian state was formed in Panonian region, called Lower Pannonia. This state did not last long. The third independent state of Slovenians was formed more than thousand years later in 1991.

From as early as the ninth century Slovenia had fallen under foreign rulers including partial control by Bavarian dukes and the Republic of Venice. With the exception of Napoleon's 4-year tutelage of parts of Slovenia and Croatia -- the "Illyrian Provinces" -- Slovenia was part of the Hapsburg empire from the 14th century until 1918. Nevertheless Slovenia resisted Germanizing influences and retained its unique Slavic language and culture.

In 1918 Slovenia joined with other southern Slav states in forming the Kingdom of Serbs Croats and Slovenians as part of the peace plan at the end of World War I. Renamed in 1929 under a Serbian monarch the Kingdom of Yugoslavia fell to the Axis powers during World War II. Following communist partisan resistance to German, Hungarian and Italian occupation socialist Yugoslavia was born under the helm of Josip Broz Tito. During the communist era Slovenia became Yugoslavia's most prosperous republic at the forefront of Yugoslavia's unique mixed economic system. Within a few years of Tito's death in 1980 Belgrade initiated plans to further concentrate political and economic power in its hands. Defying the politicians in Belgrade Slovenia underwent...more