The Transalpine Railway, also known as Bohinjska Proga or Wocheinerbahn, is a historic alpine railway line 144 km long that connects Jesenice (Allach) to Trieste. It was inaugurated the 19 luglio 1906 as part of the ambitious "Alpenbahnprogramm" of the Impero Austro-Hungarian, which aimed to connect the port of Trieste with Vienna and the Europa Centrale, thereby strengthening the imperial commercial and military network.
Historical and Political Context
The project was born dopo more than forty years of planning and was strongly desired to consolidate the strategic role of Trieste as commercial port of the vast impero.
- The railway crossed the Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca, connecting territories now Italian and Slovenian.
- It was part of a wider railway system that continued toward the Carinzia, with branches for Klagenfurt and Villaco, continuing until Praga, Salisburgo and Monaco di Baviera.
Periodo Habsburg and Development
The construction of the section was approved by law the 6 giugno 1901 and the works started immediately dopo, with an important inauguration in the presence of the Archduke Francesco Ferdinando.
This railway represented a significant technological and infrastructural innovation of the era, facilitating:
- The transport of goods toward the port of Trieste.
- The economic and social development of the surrounding area.
Events During and Dopo the Primo Postwar Period
The railway suffered serious damages during the Prima Guerra Mondiale, since it passed near the combat zones, in particular in the region of Gorizia.
With the treaty of Saint Germain (1919) and subsequently that of Rapallo (1920), the line was divided between Italia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Jugoslavia), with the border established at the tunnel of Piedicolle. This division led to a progressive decline in traffic and the strategic importance of the railway.
Trasformazioni and Post-Seconda Guerra Mondiale Setup
Dopo the Seconda Guerra Mondiale and the Treaty of Paris of 1947, the line underwent further modifications:
- The border crossing was moved to Monrupino (Repentabor in Slovenian).
- The section between Piedicolle and the station of Monrupino passed under Yugoslav control.
- To ensure an internal connection to Nova Gorica, the Yugoslav railways built a new railway branch between Sesana (Sežana) and Crepegliano (Kreplje).
- On the Italian side, between Trieste Campo Marzio, Villa Opicina and Crepegliano, the passenger service was suspended.
Architecture and Cultural Impact
The railway, in addition to its functional purpose, represents an important testimony of Central European railway engineering from the beginning of the twentieth century, with numerous tunnels, bridges and viaducts that cross suggestive alpine landscapes.
It also symbolizes the meeting and clash of different cultures between the Germanic, Latin and Slavic areas, typical of the transborder area between Italia and Slovenia.
Curiosity
The Transalpina was inaugurated with grande ceremony in the presence of the heir to the austro-hungarian throne, the Archduke Francesco Ferdinando, a figure who a few years later would be at the center of the Sarajevo incident that triggered the Prima guerra mondiale.