Novo Mesto: Tracing Melania Trump's Slovenian roots
Although it is not a large metropolis, Novo Mesto is one of the more uniquely located towns in Slovenia. With its centre occupying a small peninsula, it is a place that Slovenians, Croatians (who live nearby), and many Americans have certainly heard of. This is the hometown of Melania Trump.
Novo Mesto lies on the Krka River. Its centre - the old town - is located on a small hill, at the top of which stands the Gothic St Nicholas Church. It is surrounded by medieval walls from the 14th century.
Near the town is the Šmarješke Toplice spa, where thermal waters were discovered 200 years ago.
This is where Melania Trump grew up
Although the birthplace of Melanija Knavs (later Melania Trump) is charming and attracts American tourists seeking traces of the former First Lady of the United States in Slovenia, it is not their primary choice.
More visitors opt for Sevnica as their travel destination, where she spent her formative years. The town, located in the Alpine region, near Ljubljana, is surrounded by picturesque green hills and vineyards. The old part of town is dominated by Sevnica Castle, perched atop Castle Hill. Newer districts of the town extend along the hills to the Sava Valley.
Sevnica experienced a real surge in 2017, when Donald Trump—Melania's husband—became the President of the USA. Tourists and journalists from around the globe, especially America, suddenly began to take an interest in this charming part of Slovenia. They discovered not only tales of young Melania but also beautiful views and numerous attractions. The area offers splendid landscapes, medieval monuments, and excellent wine. "Welcome to the homeland of the new First Lady of the United States of America" was the message on a portal promoting Slovenia's attractions at the time.
Local tourist offices still offer "Melania Trump tours" today, during which you can explore the places where she lived, studied, and worked before she went abroad.
Monument to Melania
There is a wooden statue in the town in honour of Melania. The original was created in 2019, but it was set on fire a year later on 4th July 2020. A new wooden monument was erected two months later in the same location. It is a replica, and next to it is an expressive inscription, "This monument is dedicated to the eternal memory of the Melania monument that stood here."
The original statue was painted light blue to resemble the ensemble the First Lady wore during Donald Trump's presidential inauguration in January 2017.
