The thesis examines the impact of the European Capital of Culture (ECOC) title on the urban transformation of Nova Gorica, which shares the title with Gorizia, Italy, in 2025. The main purpose of the thesis is to investigate to what extent the ECOC status promotes (sustainable) urban development, contributes to the revitalization of public spaces and how effectively the planned initiatives and projects are implemented. Through a combination of secondary source analysis and visual documentation gathered through photographs, the research illuminates the key infrastructural changes triggered by the ECOC project. Among the most prominent are the renovation of Europe Square as a symbolic meeting point of the two cities, improvements to transport infrastructure and the strengthening of cross-border cooperation. However, the analysis also highlights several ideas that have not been fully implemented due to time, financial or organizational constraints. The thesis concludes by pointing to the importance of continuing to monitor the impact of the project and highlights the official ECOC self-evaluation report, which will be available at the end of 2026. This report will allow for a more comprehensive assessment of the project's actual reach and impact on the long-term development of the region.
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