Culture

The border between Italy and Slovenia traces a common thread between the valleys that make up Benečija/Benecia.

The whole area presents a peculiar architecture created out of the dual need to use local materials and to build functional spaces for rural life. Wood, stone and straw were assembled with elegant simplicity to create kozolec, kazoni, planïne and kašče.

In this territory, in addition to Italian, the Slovenian and Friulian languages are frequently used, in their many local variants (dialects) with differences even between neighbouring towns and valleys.

This area is characterised by some distinctive traditions, such as Pust and Kres. The Pust or carnival is the festival that marks the transition between winter and spring, and sees the many traditional masks dance and have fun in the homes and hamlets of these valleys. The Kres or St John's fires characterise the rite of passage linked to the summer solstice, with the various communities gathering around large fires on the magical night between 23 and 24 June.

 

For more informaion about Benečija's culture: www.iskbenecija.eu