Where Europe once ended: from the bunker of Purgessimo to the protected meadows of Tribil

Background & Location

The Natisone Valleys (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy) lie right on the Italian–Slovenian border, where the Iron Curtain once divided woods, meadows and villages. On 19 September 2026, Pro Loco Nediške Doline – Valli del Natisone APS organised a one-day tour along the route between Stregna and Purgessimo. The route passes the Cold War Purgessimo Bunker (Galleria di Purgessimo), old watchtowers and the protected biotope 'Prati di Tribil Inferiore' – a place where history and nature converge. The group was guided by a Cold War historian and a naturalist.

 

Objective

The aim of the celebration was to showcase the essence of the European Green Belt: a former border that now serves as a sanctuary for wildlife and a haven of biodiversity. Specifically, there were three objectives: 

  1. Inform participants about the European Green Belt Initiative and its vision (measured by a short post-event questionnaire).
  2. Show how nature has reclaimed the former border landscape by observing the plants and wildlife along the trail and explaining the impact of the Cold War on the region.
  3. Carry the message beyond the walk by publicising the event to local media and municipalities in the area, aiming for at least three media mentions.

Celebrating the European Green Belt Days for the first time, Pro Loco Nediške Doline – Valli del Natisone APS aimed to raise awareness of the Natisone Valleys as part of the European Green Belt, highlighting the fact that the valley is a shared heritage for communities on both sides of the border.

 

Approach & Results

On 19 September 2026, participants gathered in Cividale for a journey from Stregna to Purgessimo along the former Iron Curtain. A historian explained the bunker, watchtowers and border infrastructure, while a naturalist demonstrated how the landscape, comprising meadows, chestnut woods and terraced fields, had healed over the course of more than 35 years. The bunker is privately owned and rarely open to visitors, but the owners opened it especially for the participants this time. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a traditional Natisone Valley lunch at a local agriturismo, where the chef explained the local, seasonal ingredients and recipes, thereby supporting the local business and food culture of the valley.

During the day, the participants learned about the European Green Belt, the related Initiative and the special role of the region. One participant summed it up very clearly: “I had seen the meadows before, but today I got to know them better”. Another summed it up in one line: ‘The beauty of the meadows, the ugliness of war.’ For many, Prati di Tribil was simply "a wonderful discovery'".

It was a day on which a Cold War border became a place of shared discovery of the European Green Belt.