Trieste
Trieste is a large city and deep-water seaport on the Gulf of Trieste, in the northeast of Italy, some 430 km northeast of Rome. The city is close to the borders with Slovenia and Croatia. The surrounding landscape consists of grassland, forest and karstic areas.
Trieste was the most important seaport of the Habsburg monarchy between 1382 and 1918. During the 1960's, many international organisations and institutions were established in the city.
The city is divided in several distinct parts.
The Austrian Quarter comprises around half of the city. It dates from the Austro-Hungarian period and most buildings were constructed in Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Eclectic and Liberty styles.
The Città Vecchia (Old City) boasts narrow and croked streets, lined by medieval buildings. Almost all of the Old City is a pedestrians-only area.
Barcola is a suburb of Trieste with a special microclimate. As a result it has been popular since ancient times and its inhabitants have always had a high quality of life.
It features a sea promenade that runs for about a kilometre towards Miramare Castle. The promenade is lined with numerous cafés and restaurants and it is popular with locals and tourists alike. It has a good beach that also features Topolini: 10 popular semi-circular units that consist of a viewing platform, sanitary facilities and changing rooms.
Another popular meeting-place is Barcola's pine firest, which is located directly on the sea.
Excelsior bathing establishment is located on a sand bank, which was home to elegant Roman villas and their sports and bathing facilities in antiquity. During the 19th century, the first restaurants and cafés were established there.
Barcola is dominated by the Vittoria Light, the northernmost lighthouse on the Mediterranean.
There are numerous places of interest in Trieste.
- Much of Trieste lies directly on the sea and the city has numerous nice beaches. The bathing establishments of El Pedocin - Bagno marino La Lanterna and Bagno Marino Ferroviario.
The sea-water around Trieste is very pure, because of counterclockwise sea-currents in the Adriatic Sea. The current removes suspended matter from rivers. - The Canal Grande is Trieste's grand canal. It is in the centre of the city.
- The majestic Piazza Unità d'Italia is Trieste's central square. The buildings around the square mostly date from the 19th century. The square sits right at the sea and it is the largest seafront square in Europe.
- Piazza Venezia offers good views over the Adriatic Sea. On the square is a 8 m high monument commemorating Archduke Maximilian that was originally erected in 1875. It was removed in 1918 and returned to the square in 2009.
- Museo Revoltella is located in Piazza Venezia. It is housed in an Italian Renaissance building that features six allegorical statues of the Venetian Francesco Bosa on its roof balustrade.
- Next to the Piazza Venezia you can see the historic Antico Magazzino Vini. It was built in 1902 for the storage of wine and nowadays houses a restaurant.
- The former fish market has been beautifully restored and is used as a location for art exhibitions. It is directly by the sea.
- Also next to the seafront is Molo Sartorio is the place where the sea-level for landlocked Austria is measured. The level is published as 'metres above the Adriatic'.
- The Stazione Rogers (gas station 'Aquila') is an important example of the Italian rationalism style. It houses a centre for culture and architecture.
- Coffee (Cafè) has played an important role in Trieste's economy since Austria-Hungarian times. The city is still known as the 'coffee-capital of Italy'. Caffè San Marco is a historical coffee house in the centre of town. The oldest coffee house in Trieste is Caffè Tommaseo. It is located at the beginning of Via San Nicolò, right next to the church of San Nicolò dei Greci. It was opened in 1830.
- Castello Miramare, or Miramare Castle, is on the waterfront some 8 km (5 mi) outside the city. The castle was constructed between 1856 and 1860. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens that include a variety of trees and a small chapel.
During the 1930's the castle was the home of Prince Amedeo, who was commander of the Italian forces in East Africa during WWII.
The sea around Miramare Castle is a nature reserve. - Right next to Miramare Castle is the small bathing complex of Bagno da Sticco. Further towards Grignano and Duino you can find numerous bays and natural beaches.
- The Castel San Giusto, or Castle of San Giusto, was built over a period of 200 years, on top of the remains of previous castles that had stood there. The central part dates from 1471, while the round Venetian bastion was added in 1509. In 1830 the Hoyos-Lalio bastion and the Pomis, or 'Bastione fiorito', was added.
- There is a Roman theatre in Trieste. It faces the sea at the foot of San Giusto hill, thus exploiting the gentle slope of the terrain. The theatre was built in the 1st century. It was originally adorned by statues, which can be seen in the town museum.
- Val Rosandra is a national park that straddles the border between the Province of Trieste and Slovenia.
There are many churches in Trieste, some of which include:
- St. Justus Cathedral dates from 1320. It was named after Justus of Trieste, who was the city's patron. It was a symbol of Italian Trieste during the Risorgimento.
- The Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Spyridon was built in 1869. The building was constructed according to the Greek-cross plan with five cupolas in the Byzantine tradition.
- The Anglican Chiesa di Cristo, or Christ Church, dates from 1829.
- Sant'Antonio Taumaturgo was constructed in 1842.
- The Mekhitarist Armenian Catholic Church was established in 1859.
- The Waldensian and Helvetian Evangelical Basilica of St. Silvester is one of the oldest churches in Trieste. It was founded in the 11th century.
- The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore dates from 1682.
- The Augustan Evangelical-Lutheran Church was built in 1874.
- The Greek Orthodox Church of San Nicolò dei Greci (1787) has bell towers on both sides of its façade. It was built in the Austrian late baroque style. The church is located by the sea in Piazza Tommaseo, next to the historic Caffè Tommaseo.
- The Temple of Monte Grisa is a 1960 Roman Catholic church, just north of Trieste.
- There is also a Synagogue in Trieste. It was established in 1912.
Some of the most interesting archaeological sites around Trieste are:
- The Arco di Riccardo used to be a gate in Trieste's ancient city walls. It was built by the Romans in 33 BC. The gate stands in Piazzetta Barbacan in the Old City.
- The 2nd-century Basilica Forense.
- Palaeochristian basilica was constructed during the 4th to 6th centuries.
- Trieste features the remains of two Roman Age Temples. One was dedicated to Athena, the other one to Zeus. Both temples can be found on the San Giusto hill.
The ruins of the temple dedicated to Zeus are next to the Forum, those of Athena's temple are under the basilica.
There are several museums in Trieste, including:
- Diego de Henriquez war museum.
- Museo Sartorio.
- Revoltella Museum modern art gallery.
- Civico Museo di Storia Naturale di Trieste (natural history museum) contains fossils of Hominids.
- Civico Orto Botanico di Trieste is the municipal botanical garden.
- Orto Botanico dell'Università di Trieste is the University of Trieste's botanical garden.
- The Risiera di San Sabba (Risiera di San Sabba Museum) serves as a National monument commemorating the holocaust genocide. The building was the only Nazi concentration camp with a crematorium in Italy.
- The Foiba di Basovizza is a National monument to commemorate the killings of Italians by Yugoslav partisans after World War II.
There are around 1,500 caves in the area around Trieste and there are numerous speleological societies in the region.
The largest tourist cave in the world is Grotta Gigante (giant cave). Its main cavity measures 107 m (351 ft) high, 65 m (213 ft) wide and 130 m (430 ft) long.
The Cave of Trebiciano is 350 m (1,150 ft) deep. At its bottom flows the Timavo River, which emerges as a series of springs not far from Duino, thought by the Romans to be an entrance to Hades ('the world of the dead').
There are countless hotels, restaurants, cafés and bars in Trieste.
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