The main topic of the present thesis is the Rafut villa (1909–1914), situated at Pristava in Nova
Gorica and designed by a Gorizian architect Anton Laščak (Antonio Lasciac), and its relation
to the surrounding park area from the point of view of heritage protection. Villa Rafut is highly
regarded in foreign scientific literature especially because of the many stylistic novelties. It is
these novelties that Laščak is best known for and is recognised as one of the pioneers of the
new neo-Islamic style which arose in Egypt in the 1920s. An overview of the monument’s
protection history proves that the Rafut villa was not discussed properly in the past. After
nationalisation, the villa housed the district’s Hygienic Institute, while the area that
encompasses the park was listed as natural heritage. Only in 2003 were the Rafut villa and the
park once again united as an integral whole and listed as cultural heritage on a local level. The
disproportionate valuation of both parts of the complex monument can still be observed in the
current decree, in which the heritage unit is called “the Rafut park with the villa”.
|