Ajdovščina is a small town with a population of about 6,700, located in the Vipava Valley (Vipavska dolina), Slovenia. The second largest town in the Vipava Valley, may seem a sleepy, rural town at first glance. Safely huddled next to the slopes of the Gora Plateau, it is tucked away in a fertile valley and influenced by the mild Mediterranean climate. But looks can be deceiving. Almost as though the town had taken on the character of the torrential Hubelj River next to which it grew, Ajdovščina is a surprisingly dynamic, on occasion even impulsive town, brimming with creative drive.
The first mentions of Ajdovščina go back to circa 2000 BC. In the Bronze Age and the Iron Age a fortified settlement stood on the nearby hill of Gradišče. In the early period of the Roman Empire, after a road was built from Aquileia towards Emona, a small post and goods station known as mansio Fluvio Frigido stood on the site of today’s Ajdovščina.
In the late 3rd century and the early 4th century a fortification system, Claustra Alpium Iuliarum, which run from the Kvarner Gulf to Cividale, was built by the Roman Empire. Its centre was the fortress of Castra or Castrum ad Fluvio Frigido, the remains of which are today still visible in Ajdovščina.
Despite the fact that the Italian border is less than 20 km away and that Ajdovščina was under Italian administration from 1918 to 1947, and from 1927 as a commune of the Province of Gorizia (as Aidussina), during Italian rule (1918–1943, nominally lasted to 1947), the style of the town does not resemble that of a typical Italian town. The strong bora winds would cause damage to the usual Italian house construction. Thus the population adopted and modified the classical Karst architecture for their own needs; for example, by putting stones on roofs to weight down the tiles against the strong winds.
After World War II Ajdovščina became the economic and cultural centre of the upper Vipava Valley. Major industries include textile fabrics, construction, food, beverages, and furniture.
Ajdovščina annexed the formerly independent settlement of Šturje (Italian: Sturie delle Fusine) in 1953.