Ustje
is a friendly village with about 400 inhabitants.
It lies in the "Primorska" (seaside) region, in the Upper Vipava Valley
on the confluence of the rivers Vipava and Hubelj. According to
tradition,
the name of the village derives from the name of its patron saint, St.
Justus. Ustje stretches on the south-eastern slope of a hill which
reaches
the height of 147 m (447 feet) above sea with the church of St.
John. In the nord, west and the south-west the slopes, covered
with vineyards,
gradually flatten. Fields in the valley are fertile and fruitful.
Although the influence of the cold continental climate and the Karst
region is strongly felt in the Vipava Valley, the climate is very mild
due to the warm air coming from the Mediterranean along the rivers Soca
and Vipava. The Vipava Valley is encircled by the mountain Caven in the
north (height 1242 m = 3778 feet), by the Gora plateau in the north-east
and the Nanos plateau (1269 m = 3860 feet) in the east. Whereas in the
south and west the Valley is surrounded by the so-called Vipava Hillocks
and the Karst region. The history of Ustje is closely connected with hard
war times, particularly in World War Two when the village was completely
burnt down on 8th August 1942 by the Italian fascists. Invading
armies throughout history have passed through this region.
Nowadays the inhabitants earn their living in agriculture, wine-growing,
cattle-breeding, small trade and work in the factories of the nearby town
Ajdovscina (pronounced Aydowscheena).
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