22 January 2019 – The village of Slapnik in Goriška Brda has been abandoned for decades, but is set to get a new lease of life this year with the news that the BBC is to renovate some of the buildings and film a reality show there.
Slapnik, a settlement with 17 houses that once had around 80 residents, mostly farmers, lost its population to larger towns in the region, as well as to immigration to the US and Australia after WW2. Since 1985 is has been designated as part of Slovenia’s immovable cultural heritage, and become a curiosity for visitors, and those interested in the region’s architecture in particular.
According to Delo, the British Broadcasting Company will film a show in the village in which couples from around Europe will live in the renovated houses. Further details remain unknown, but it’s expected that around 20 episodes of the series will be filmed.
Slapnik, and the region in general, is expected to benefit from the attention, while the renovated buildings will provide more opportunities for further commercial activity in the village. A municipality official, Anita Manfreda, told the media that after the renovation and filming, expected to last two or three years, there are proposals to develop the area into a resort for guests wishing to relax in the peace and quiet of the countryside.
