Old wine and young artists all part of culture in Maribor in 2012

By Verena Wolff Dec 6, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Maribor, Slovenia - The Slovenian city of Maribor celebrates 2012 as European Capital of Culture with concerts, exhibitions and a series of other events planned to help breath new life into the entire region.

Maribor's greatest attraction is probably the 'Old Vine', which is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest grape vine in the world. The 400-year-old vine yields enough modra kavcina grapes for up to 100 bottles of wine per year and most are given away as presents by the Slovenian government. Pope John Paul II, former US President Bill Clinton, and actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger are among the most prominent recipients of the wine.

'If it's a vintage year, then we can make around 30 litres of wine from the grapes,' says Jerny Lubej from Maribor's Old Vine House, the facade of which is decorated by the Old Vine. The building stands on the banks of the Drava River, which flows through the centre of Maribor and is the main reason why Slovenia's second-largest city was one of the most important industrial centres in the former Yugoslavia.

Two decades after independence, the smokestacks from the car factories no longer spew out smoke and locals speak of how things have become more challenging in recent years as a result of the global economic crisis. Prices have risen but wages have stagnated although there is optimism that there will be an improvement in 2012 thanks to Maribor's designation alongside Portugal's Guimares as Europe's Capital of Culture.

The city of nearly 120,000 residents is getting a facelift ahead of the first official event on January 13 with Maribor's mayor Franc Kangler expecting the number of tourists to increase by up to a million in the coming year.

Maribor isn't the only location for cultural events in 2012 with lectures, art exhibitions and concerts also planned in the five eastern Slovenian partner towns and cities of Murska Sobota, Novo Mesto, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec and Velenje.

'Maribor is the largest of these locations and obviously as the centre will carry the most costs,' explains coordinator Borut Pelko. With over 300 events planned, organizers have deliberately dispensed with the idea of each town having a central theme, preferring instead to allow each place host a variety of exhibitions.

The city of Novo Mesto, situated on a bend of the Krka river, is one of the most important archeological sites of the Early Iron Age and has been nicknamed the 'City of Situlas' because of the numerous situlas (bucket-shaped vessels) found in the area. Many artifacts can be seen in the Dolenjski Muzej regional museum while the Anton Podbevsek theatre is also well worth a visit.

The picturesque city of Ptuj with its beautiful old town, churches and fortress is the oldest city in Slovenia. It is best known for a ten-day-long carnival in the spring, called Kurentovanje. The carnival is believed to have its roots in hedonism and the idea of expelling winter. Like similar festivals in other parts of Europe, masks are worn. 'The city's long and eventful history as well as the tradition of masks will be a central theme of the exhibitions in Ptuj,' says Pelko.

The medieval town of Slovenj Gradec is situated just a few kilometres from the Austrian border and is hosting a project remembering the town's most famous son, composer Hugo Wolf. A dance festival is scheduled to be held in Murska Sobota, which is also home to a renowned gallery where director Robert Inhof gives knowledgeable and entertaining guided tours of the various exhibitions.

Industrial culture is particularly important in Velenje, as well as fictional Swedish character Pippi Longstocking. 'There is an annual Pippi Longstocking festival in Velenje but it will be particularly lavish in 2012,' says Pelko.

Maribor, meanwhile, will host operas, musicals and plays. The largest festivals will also take place there with exhibitions planned throughout the city, along the banks of the Drava and in old disused factories.

A cultural centre and a performance venue are planned in the former TAM car factory were 9,000 people once worked. The Odeon Theatre de l'Europe from Paris and Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre will both give performances in Maribor in 2012. 'We are also very excited about the first performance of the Black Mask opera on the opening weekend in January,' says Pelko.