Welcome! You are sitting on the Nature Bench!

Next to You is the artwork by Damjan Komel, inspired by Nature and the Isonzo River: green, impetuous, born in Slovenia and flowing through Gorizia, carrying with it the living force of water toward the sea.
In questo video, lo scultore racconta il percorso creativo e le motivazioni che lo hanno guidato nella realizzazione dell’opera.

To immerse ourselves in the naturalistic charm that so deeply shapes the identity of our territory, we decided to link this bench to a prominent figure in Gorizia’s history, whose story is closely tied to the theme of Nature: the scholar Carl von Czoernig.. You can discover his story through a video inspired by his life, a short biography, and a selection of further readings.

And now, a few words about the “Narrating Benches” project, created by Confcommercio Gorizia for the initiative Borgo Castello. A thousand years of history at the heart of Europe.
Each of these benches is a piece of urban art and a precious chest that holds fragments of history, traditions, sounds, colors, and tales from Borgo Castello and the Gorizia region.
Imagine, for a moment, the city as a rich tapestry of threads and hues: each bench represents one motif, chosen for its importance and uniqueness.
The themes? History, Nature, Craftsmanship, and Food and Wine.

Explore the contents of this page and stroll through the Borgo in search of the other benches!
We suggest walking all the way down Via Rastello to reach Piazza Vittoria.

The Artist Speaks: Where Inspiration is Born

Damjan Komel

Once Upon a Time: Carl von Czoernig and the Austrian Nice

Carl von Czoernig (Clam-Gallas 1804 – Gorizia 1889) was a civil servant of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as a historian, ethnographer, and scholar of statistics. During his career, he worked in several cities, including Milan, Trieste, Aquileia, and Vienna.
In 1863, for health reasons, he decided to retire to Gorizia, a city with which he developed a deep and lasting bond. Enchanted by its landscapes and atmosphere, he coined the famous nickname “Austrian Nice.”
Thanks to his tireless efforts in promoting the city, Gorizia soon became a renowned holiday destination for many members of the bourgeoisie and aristocracy, drawn by its mild climate, the beauty of its parks and palaces, its vibrant cultural life, and the convenient railway connection to Vienna, the capital of the Empire.
Czoernig devoted extensive research to local history. Among his major works are Görz. Stadt und Land and his studies on the County of Gorizia, in which he highlighted the cultural uniqueness of the area.
He also promoted important cultural initiatives, such as the founding of the Museum of Aquileia and the proposal to establish a university in Gorizia, thereby helping to strengthen the city’s role within the Austro-Hungarian cultural and administrative scene.
For his contributions, he was named an honorary citizen and honored with a street named after him. His legacy remains a fundamental reference point for the appreciation of Gorizia’s history and identity.

Video created using the rotoscope technique by Armando “Miron” Polacco.