THE EXHIBITION IS OPEN EVERY DAY FROM 9:00 AM TO 9:00 PM
The exhibition in the former military watchtower in Vrtojba tells the story of life along the border –
of soldiers, locals, and escapees whose lives were divided by the new border between Italy and
Yugoslavia after the Second World War. In 1947, this border split what had once been a single,
unified area and introduced many absurdities into people’s everyday lives. The border was heavily
guarded, especially until the signing of the Udine Agreement in 1955, when surveillance was
somewhat relaxed. The Yugoslav army built standardized brick watchtowers along the border, from
which border guards monitored the terrain. The tower in Vrtojba is one of the few preserved
examples of this legacy. The soldiers, mostly young men from different parts of Yugoslavia, had strict
orders – to stop escapees, even by force. Yet, despite the tension, respectful relationships often
developed between them and the locals. Farmers working the fields near the border needed special
permits and were not allowed to grow tall crops so that the soldiers would have a clear view of the
area. Until the mid-1950s, most escape attempts were political in nature, later increasingly
economic – many sought to flee to the West, to Italy, and further on to Canada, the United States, or
Australia. Today, the watchtower in Vrtojba is the smallest museum collection in Slovenia. The
exhibition reminds us how quickly political circumstances can shape the fate of individuals – and that
any one of us might one day find ourselves among those searching for a better life.