All SEE in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

The Campanile di San Marco is the bell tower of the Cathedral of San Marco, the Cathedral of Pordenone. The bell tower is located a few meters away from the church, in Piazza San Marco, near the southern end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.   SHORT HISTORY The construction of the bell tower was begun in 1291 and completed in 1347, up to the belfry. The following year, an earthquake caused the collapse of the four large corner capitals adorning the belfry. Until 1544, the ground floor of the bell tower was used as a prison. In 1820, an order was issued to destroy the tower for safety reasons, but fortunately the order was not carried out. In 1862, the tower was coated with iron, and a few years later, in 1888, it was completely renovated. Other consolidation works were carried out after the earthquake of 1976.   ARCHITECTURE The bell tower is built entirely in terracotta, in Romanesque-Gothic style. The square body of the tower is defined by pilasters and corner pillars ending with blind round arches, up to the upper block marked by bands of rich horizontal decorations. Above the belfry, there is an octagonal cusp surmounted by Read more [...]

Palazzo Comunale, also known as Palazzo del Municipio, houses the Town Hall of Pordenone. The palace is located at the southern end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, in Piazza San Marco.   SHORT HISTORY The palace, originally called lozza, was built probably at the end of the 13th century, in the oldest and most elevated part of the town, near the Cathedral of San Marco and the port on the Noncello River. For a long time, the Loggia was used for justice and official meetings, and the upper hall was used as a warehouse, armory, or for theatrical performances and entertainment. In 1542, the facade of the palace was enriched with gothic pinnacles after a design by the painter Pomponio Amalteo, pupil and son-in-law of Giovanni Antonio de’ Sacchis, better known as Il Pordenone. In 1626, the council hall was adorned with the painting of Alessandro Varotari, Il Padovanino, representing San Marco and the Justice, commissioned specifically for this space. After 1800, the same hall hosted other works of art, and became the city’s art gallery until the establishment of the Palazzo Ricchieri Museum in 1970. In the 1920s, the council decided to expand the palace, to gather in one Read more [...]

The Church of San Giorgio is a beautiful church in Pordenone, located in Largo San Giorgio, in the northern part of the historical center of the town.   SHORT HISTORY A small chapel dedicated to San Giorgio is mentioned in the will of Ricchiero Ricchieri, dated back to 1347, through which he provided a sum of money for its maintenance. In 1588, following the growth of the city, the chapel was elevated to a parish. The church was enlarged in 1625, and again starting with 1792 on the initiative of Don Lorenzo Grigoletti, uncle of the painter Michelangelo Grigoletti. The church was completed only in 1873, when the monument was consecrated and the Neoclassical facade designed by the Pordenone artist Giovanni Battista Bassi was finished. The bell tower, begun in 1852 to a design by the same architect, was completed only in 1914. In 1975, a general restoration of the church was carried out, with the reconstruction of the roof, the external plaster and the exterior painting. The church was inaugurated on Christmas 1975, but the 1976 earthquake caused further damages to its structure. Between 2001 and 2002, the building underwent further consolidation and conservative restoration.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE Read more [...]

Palazzo Badini is a beautiful palace in Pordenone, located in Piazza Cavour, near the northern end of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.   SHORT HISTORY The noble Badini family moved from Bergamo to Pordenone at the beginning of the 16th century. After receiving the title of Count in 1710, the family participated in the public and administrative life of the city, holding the office of podestà (chief magistrate) many times. The palace was built at their behest in the late 17th-early 18th century. In 1782, the palace was ready to receive the hereditary prince of Russia, Pavel Romanov and his wife Sofia of Württemberg, but the couple preferred to stay overnight in a modest inn, not far away from the palace. During the 19th century, the building was the seat of the Austrian court, during the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom. Subsequently, the palace passed from one owner to another, until it was purchased between 1926 and 1933 by Credito Veneto. Later, the palace was aquired by Banca Cattolica del Veneto, by Banco Ambrosiano Veneto and finally by Banca Popolare FriulAdria. Following a major renovation carried out between 1971 and 1973, the ground floor was completely changed from its original layout. To make Read more [...]

The Cathedral of San Marco, known also as the Duomo di San Marco, is the Cathedral of Pordenone, dedicated to Saint Mark. The cathedral is located in the historical center of the town, in Piazza San Marco, a few meters from the Communal Palace.   SHORT HISTORY The Cathedral of Saint Mark was built starting from the second half of the 13th century, in Romanesque-Gothic style, on the remains of a previous church. The imposing bell tower was completed in 1347, and raised to 79.47 meters in the 17th century, when the spire was added. The first restoration interventions were carried out in 1938. Later, in 1940, the 15th century frescoes were found in the Chapel of Saints Peter and Paul and the Resurrection fresco in the sacristy. The first global restoration project of the entire cathedral began in 1956 and was carried out on several steps, also by demolishing some surrounding buildings. Inside, the decoration of the dome of the transept was brought to light. Between 1965 and 1975, the floor was restored, under which some tombstones were found. On this occasion, the roof of the nave was rehabilitated following the original construction schemes. After the 1976 Friuli earthquake, Read more [...]

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II is the main artery of the historical center of Pordenone. The street, with its relatively sinuous course, invites you to stroll under the shelter of its arcades, being the perfect route for the local passeggiata (a leisurely walk, taken especially in the evening in Italian cities).   SHORT HISTORY Once, the street was named Contrada Maggiore, and it connected the two main city gates: Porta de Soto (or Furlana), towards the river, and Porta de Sora (or Trevisana), near Piazza Cavour, both demolished in the 19th century.   ARCHITECTURE The pedestrian street starts from Piazza Cavour, towards the Noncello River, and ends about 450 meters away, in front of the Communal Palace (Palazzo Comunale), near the Cathedral of San Marco. The power of the ancient Pordenone is still visible on the street, in the sequence of buildings belonging to the noble families of the past… Walking from Piazza Cavour, on the western side of the street, at No. 10, there is Casa Simoni, built in the 14th century. The house, with two floors, has a frescoed facade with two windows with trefoil arches in Gothic style, flanking the city’s coat of arms. At No. 44, we Read more [...]

The Loggia di San Giovanni, also known as the Porch of Saint John (Porticato di San Giovanni), is a historical monument located in Piazza della Libertà, in Udine.   SHORT HISTORY Initially, in Piazza della Libertà, there was the Church of San Giovanni which, after the earthquake of 1511, was demolished and rebuilt by the Lombard architect Bernardino da Morcote. In addition to rebuilding the church, Bernardino da Morcote designed the homonymous Loggia. Bernardino da Morcote had to face various difficulties during the building of the porch, because the new Loggia and the church had to lean on the already existing clock tower. The Loggia, after years of neglect, was completely renovated in the second half of the 19th century, returning to its original splendor. In 1917, the Austrians occupied Udine and transformed the Loggia of San Giovanni into a guard post. On November 3, 1918, Udine was liberated from the Austrian dominion. In 1921, Raimondo D’Aronco planned the restructuring of the church, transforming it into the Pantheon of the Fallen of the First World War. The works ended in December 1926.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE The Porch of San Giovanni consists of a colonnade with a triumphal arch in Read more [...]

The Church of San Francesco is one of the oldest churches in Udine, now deconsecrated and used for temporary exhibitions. The church is located in Piazza Girolamo Venerio, about 160 meters away from the Cathedral of Udine and about 350 meters away from the Loggia del Lionello.   SHORT HISTORY The presence of the first Franciscan convent in Udine is documented in 1259. The consecration of the Church of San Francesco, built nearby, dates back to July 1266, and was celebrated by Alberto da Colle, the bishop of Concordia. In 1769, the Municipality of Udine acquired the convent with the intention of turning it into a hospital. The convent was used as a hospital until 1920s, while the Church of San Francesco was used as a deposit. The church was heavily damaged by the bombing of the Second World War, then restored. In the last few decades, the church was used for temporary exhibitions, especially by local artists. The convent, on the other hand, was first used as a history museum and, after a long and heavy restoration, it became the Court of Udine.   ARCHITECTURE The church is a simple Romanesque construction, following the strict Franciscan rules – gabled Read more [...]

Casa Veneziana (Venetian House), also known as Palazzetto, is a Venetian palace in Udine, located on the eastern side of Piazza XX Settembre, about 350 meters away from Piazza della Libertà.   SHORT HISTORY The palace was built in the 15th century for the Montegnacco family, in Via Rialto, near the Loggia del Lionello. In January 1910, for the construction of the new Town Hall, the demolition of the existing buildings between Via Rialto and Via Cavour was planned. After a heated debate on whether to demolish the palazzo, perhaps the only remaining vestige from the Venetian era in Udine, it was decided to preserve this ancient building, at least in the original elements of the facade. Casa Veneziana was thus disassembled and later, in 1929, it was reassembled in Piazza XX Settembre, where is currently located. Some frescoes were lost.   ARCHITECTURE The facade of the palace, built in Venetian-Gothic style, is structured on three levels, with alternating mullioned windows of various shapes. The main portal is surmounted by a three-light window and a small balcony. The attic has four rectangular windows.   HOW TO GET THERE Casa Veneziana is located about 900 meters away from the Udine railway Read more [...]

Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, also known as Piazza San Giacomo or Mercato Nuovo (New Market), is a beautiful square in Udine, located about 120 meters away from Piazza della Libertà and Loggia del Lionello.   SHORT HISTORY Piazza San Giacomo is the oldest square in Udine after Piazza della Libertà. The square appeared in the 13th century to house the new city market, hence the name Mercato Nuovo. After the Second World War, the square was named after the deputy Giacomo Matteotti, assassinated by Fascists in 1924. Until the 1980s, the square was a rather infamous area. Today, home to numerous bars and restaurants, Piazza Giacomo Matteotti is the heart of the nightlife in Udine and one of the busiest places in the city.   ARCHITECTURE The square is surrounded by buildings dating back to the Middle Ages. Some of the buildings are still embellished by frescoes with geometric and floral decorations. The central part of the square has a large base of stone blocks. In the center of the square, there is a fountain built in 1543 by the stonemason Mastro Cipriano, on a project by the famous architect Giovanni da Udine. Also in the square, we can find the Read more [...]

The Church of San Giacomo is a church in Udine, located in Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, about 230 meters away from Piazza della Libertà and Loggia del Lionello.   SHORT HISTORY The structure was built in 1378, initially as a chapel, which was later enlarged. The facade of the church dates back to 1525, and was built by the architect and sculptor Bernardino da Morcote.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE On the facade, above the main portal of the church, there is a balcony and two mullioned windows. Above the balcony, we can find the clock, surmounted by the belfry. The interior of the church was heavily transformed during the Baroque period. The ceiling was decorated by Pietro Venier with Stories of Saint James. Inside, we can find beautiful works of art. Placed on the first altar on the right, there is The Virgin with Saints Apollonia and Agata by Fulvio Griffoni, dating back to the 17th century. On the second altar on the right, there is San Fabio interceding for souls in purgatory, a work by Pietro Venier dating back to the 18th century. On the first altar on the left, we can find The Virgin surrounded by saints by Antonio Read more [...]

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata is the cathedral of Udine. The church is located in Piazza del Duomo, about 150 meters away from Piazza della Libertà and Loggia del Lionello.   SHORT HISTORY The works on the cathedral began in 1236, at the behest of the patriarch of Aquileia, Bertoldo of Andechs-Merania. At first, the church was dedicated to Saint Odoric. In 1257, the building was already open for worship. In 1335, it was consecrated with the title of Santa Maria Maggiore. The disastrous earthquake of 1348 caused serious damage to the cathedral, but did not stop its religious activity. Only in 1368, the Venetian architect Pierpaolo dalle Masegne was called for the restoration of the church. He strengthened the walls, rebuilt the roof and made changes to the facade, including the replacement of the central rose window. Also, the two minor rose windows, corresponding to the side aisles, were modified, by inserting a fake loggia decoration between them. In the 18th century, the cathedral was almost completely transformed by the architect Domenico Rossi. In 1735, when the works were completed, the patriarch Daniele Delfino rededicated the church to Santa Maria Annunziata.   ARCHITECTURE The main portal, called the Read more [...]

Piazza della Libertà, also known as Piazza Libertà, is the oldest square in Udine, located in the valley below the Castle of Udine.   SHORT HISTORY Piazza Libertà changed its name several times over the centuries. During the Middle Ages, the square was known as Piazza del Vino (Square of the Wine). In 1350, after the town council established there, the square took the name of Piazza del Comune, and after 1500, with the arrival of the Venetians, it took the name of one of the lieutenants, becoming Piazza Contarena. After the unification of Friuli with Italy in 1866, the square was dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II. An equestrian monument dedicated to the King was inaugurated on August 26, 1883, and transfered in 1947 to the Ricasoli Gardens. Only after the Second World War, the square was named Piazza della Libertà.   ARCHITECTURE The most important building in the square is the Town Hall, Loggia del Lionello, a palace in Venetian Gothic style, built between 1448 and 1457 after a design by Nicolò Lionello. Opposite the Town Hall, we can find the Loggia di San Giovanni, built in 1533 by the Lombard architect Bernardino da Morcote. As an integral part Read more [...]

Loggia del Lionello is a palace in Udine, located in the historical center of the city, in Piazza della Libertà. The palazzo owes its name to the architect Nicolò Lionello, who completed its contruction.   SHORT HISTORY In January 24, 1441, the Municipality of Udine proposed the construction of a new building for the City Council. The work began in 1448, and the architects nominated to take care of the construction were Nicolò dei Bombeni, Raimondo della Torre, Giovanni Rainoldi and Nicolò Lionello. Until Lionello’s death in 1462, the construction of the Loggia was completed and the first meeting of the City Council took place inside the building in 1455. A new phase of work began at the end of the 15th century, more precisely on March 20, 1492, when the Council approved the acquisition and integration of the houses behind the loggia as municipal property. Shortly afterwards, the Council approved the demolition of these houses, for the enlargement and improvement of the building. On March 26, 1511, an earthquake struck Friuli, destroying numerous buildings including the Loggia. The repair works were started, however, only in 1516, and the restoration was entrusted to the lieutenant Leonardo Emo. In July 1521, Read more [...]

Palazzo Stratti, also known as the Casa Stratti (Stratti House), is a palace in Trieste, located in Piazza Unità d’Italia.   SHORT HISTORY The palace was built in 1839 at the behest of the merchant Nicolò Stratti, who entrusted the project to the architect Antonio Buttazzoni, one of the most appreciated designers in the city at the time. In 1846, due to some economic difficulties, Stratti was forced to sell the building to Assicurazioni Generali, the current owner. In the same period, the historic Caffè degli Specchi was inaugurated on the ground floor of the building. In the following decades, the Neoclassical aspect of the building was modified by the restorations carried out by the architects Andrea Seu, Eugenio Geiringer and Giovanni Righetti. Andrea Seu made changes to the facades, inserting pilasters and giving them a more symmetrical appearance, by raising the side bodies and changing the position of the balconies. In 1872, Geiringer and Righetti made a series of changes to the facade overlooking Piazza Unità d’Italia, which became more important in the context of the urban transformation of the square in the second part of the 19th century.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE The building is characterized by a Read more [...]

Palazzo Genel is an imposing palace in Trieste, located in Piazza del Ponte Rosso, near the Canal Grande.   SHORT HISTORY The palace was built in 1873 by Domenico Monti for Alessandro Genel, a wealthy textile merchant, and his brothers Felice and Agostino. The palace was built on the site of the 18th-century house of Pietro Antonio Rossetti. At the beginning of the 20th century, the palace became the headquarters of the Anglo-Austrian Bank. In 1927, it was completely renovated to house the Italian Commercial Bank, and starting with 1938 it was the headquarters of the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro in Trieste.   ARCHITECTURE The massive structure has a square plan and five floors. The main facade overlooking Piazza del Ponte Rosso is characterised by a monumental central body with six columns in Ionic style, and balconies with stone balustrades. The columns support an architrave with floral decorations, and the facade is crowned by a balustrade with six vases in Neoclassical style. The ground floor has a series of round arches with keystones on top and massive wrought iron railings, while the other floors have 11 rectangular windows enriched by stone frames. Inside, we can find a square courtyard with Read more [...]

The Grand Canal of Trieste (Canal Grande di Trieste) is a navigable canal located in the center of the city, halfway between the Trieste Centrale railway station and Piazza Unità d’Italia.   SHORT HISTORY The Grand Canal was built between 1754 and 1756 by the Venetian Matteo Pirona. The canal was built to allow boats to sail to the city center to unload and load their goods. In its initial conformation, the canal was longer than is today, and stretched as far as the Church of Sant’Antonio Taumaturgo. The final part of the canal was filled in 1934, with the rubble resulting from the demolition of the old city, thus obtaining the current Piazza Sant’Antonio Nuovo.   ARCHITECTURE The canal is overlooked by Palazzo Aedes, known as the Red Skyscraper, built in 1928 by the architect Arduino Berlam, by the Palazzo Gopcevich, built in 1850 by the architect Giovanni Andrea Berlam, by the Neoclassical Church of Sant’Antonio Taumaturgo, built in 1849 by the architect Pietro Nobile, and by the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Spyridon, built in 1869 by the architect Carlo Maciachini. Other notable buildings near the Grand Canal are Palazzo Genel, built in 1873 by Domenico Monti, Palazzo Read more [...]

Palazzo Gopcevich is a palace in Trieste, located near the harbour, on the bank of the Canal Grande. Since 2006, the palace houses the Civic Theater Museum Carlo Schmidl.   SHORT HISTORY The building was commisioned by a member of a noble Serbian family, Spiridione Gopcevich, and designed by the Triestine architect Giovanni Berlam. The construction of the palace began in 1850. The palace was bought in 1998 by the Municipality of Trieste. The Theater Museum of Trieste was founded in 1924 by the Triestine music publisher and collector Carlo Schmidl, and until 1991 it was hosted in the Municipal Theater Giuseppe Verdi. In 1992, the museum was temporarily moved to Palazzo Morpurgo, and on December 16, 2006, it was opened in Palazzo Gopcevich.   ARCHITECTURE With its double arched windows and the plasterwork inspired by the decoration of Palazzo Vendramin Calergi, in Venice, Palazzo Gopcevich is one the most important examples of Eclecticism in Trieste. The windows on the first floor are decorated by lunettes with marble statues representing the Serbian monarchs. Inside the palace, especially on the first floor, we can find rich ceiling decorations with plaster and tempera and refined wooden floors with mother-of-pearl marquetry.   THE Read more [...]

Piazza della Borsa is a square in Trieste, located between Corso Italia, an important artery of the city, and Piazza Unità d’Italia. The square was the economic center of the city throughout the 19th century.   SHORT HISTORY The square was initially called Piazza della Dogana (Customs Square), from the name of the building that stood in place of the current Palazzo del Tergesteo. Its current name derives from the Palazzo della Borsa Vecchia (Palace of the Old Stock Exchange), built in 1806 by the architect Antonio Mollari to house the activities of the stock market traders. Palazzo della Borsa, which is one of the most important examples of Trieste’s Neoclassical buildings, is currently the seat of the Trieste Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture. The palace is called the Old Stock Exchange, as the Stock Exchange moved in 1844 in the Palazzo del Tergesteo, and then, in 1928, in an adjoining building (Palazzo Dreher), which became known as the New Exchange. Next to Palazzo della Borsa, there was once the Canal Piccolo, still remembered today by the name of the street. The canal was filled in 1816. In the square, we can find the Art Nouveau palace built Read more [...]

Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino is a palace in Trieste, located in the beautiful Piazza Unità d’Italia. Formerly the headquarters of the shipping company Lloyd Triestino di Navigazione, the palace now houses the offices of the Presidency and Council of the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.   SHORT HISTORY Lloyd Triestino shipping company was established in 1833, and had its first headquarters in Piazza Tommaseo, then in Piazza della Borsa. In 1880, a property was purchased in Piazza Unità d’Italia and a competition was held for the design of the new building, in which architects from Vienna and Trieste participated. Seven projects were submitted, but none of them met the needs of the company’s council, so it was decided to entrust the construction to the senior Austrian architect Heinrich von Ferstel. The first stone was laid on December 6, 1880, and the construction was completed in 1883. On May 1st, 1945, during the Second World War, the palace was seriously damaged by the artillery shells fired by the Germans. During the years 1966 and 1967, the building underwent a radical restoration, consolidation and extension, with the internal floor raised towards the courtyard. In 1991, the building became the seat of the Read more [...]

The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, also known as the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a church in Trieste, located at the foot of the San Giusto Hill.   SHORT HISTORY The history of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore is closely linked to that of the Jesuit congregation of Trieste. In 1619, two Jesuits, Giuseppe Mezler and Gregorio Salateo, arrived in Trieste. Thanks to its good relationship with the government of the time, the Jesuit order developed rapidly. The congregation commissioned the construction of a school, which is now located next to the current Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Shortly after, it was decided to build the church, dedicated to the Madonna, which became the largest church in the city at that time. The first stone was laid on October 10, 1627, by the bishop Rinaldo Scarlicchio. However, the completion of the church took decades. When the church was consecrated on October 11, 1682, by the bishop Giacomo Ferdinando Gorizutti, the roof of the building was still partially uncovered. In November of the same year, the church’s wooden dome was destroyed by a fire that broke out in a nearby oil mill. When Read more [...]

Teatro Romano is a roman amphitheater located in Trieste, at the foot of the San Giusto Hill, on the edge of the old city.   SHORT HISTORY At the time of its construction, dated to the end of the 1st century BC, the theater was located outside the city walls. Back then, the sea reached up to this area, and the theater was practically on its shore. At the beginning of the 2nd century AD, the theater was expanded, probably at the behest of Quinto Petronio Modesto, procurator of the emperor Trajan, mentioned in several inscriptions. Over the centuries, the theater was hidden by the structures that rose around it. Considered lost, it was rediscovered in 1814 by the architect Pietro Nobile, but only in 1938 was it brought to light, during the demolition of a part of the old city. The statues and inscriptions found in the excavations are kept at the Tergestino Lapidarium, in the Castle of San Giusto. Nowadays, the amphitheater is still occasionally used for outdoor summer shows.   ARCHITECTURE According to the Greek custom, the amphitheater takes advantage of the natural slope of the hill. The seating area is divided into four main sections by Read more [...]

Castello di San Giusto is a castle in Trieste, located on the hill of the same name, a few meters away from the Cathedral of San Giusto.   SHORT HISTORY After the sack of the city by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III in 1469, remembered as the Destruction of Trieste, after the massacres, looting and plague that followed, the people of Trieste were punished to build a fortress at their own expense. The castle was built on the Capitoline Hill, on the ruins of a Venetian castle. It was a two-story building with an adjacent tower. In the early 16th century, when the city temporarily came under the domination of the Republic of Venice, the fortress was extended with a semicircular bastion. After the return of the Empire, the works continued, but without haste. First, between 1551 and 1561, the southeast bastion was built, called Lalio after its designer, Domenico de Lalio. The northern part, already planned by the Venetians, was completed in 1595, and the last bastion, called Pomis, after the imperial architect Giovanni Pietro de Pomis, was finished in 1630. In 1930, the Italian authorities identified the tourist opportunity of the site. The fortress was restored, became a Read more [...]

The Cathedral of San Giusto is the cathedral of Trieste, dedicated to Saint Justus of Trieste. The church is located on the top of the homonymous hill, overlooking the city, only a few meters from the San Giusto Castle. Saint Justus of Trieste is a Roman Catholic saint, martyred on November 2, 293. Because he refused to worship the Roman gods, he was found guilty of sacrilege and sentenced to death by drowning. SHORT HISTORY Two churches were erected on this site between the 9th and 11th century – one dedicated to Saint Mary of the Assumption, and the other to San Giusto. Between 1302 and 1320, Bishop Rodolfo Pedrazzani joined the two existing churches under one roof, also building a simple asymmetrical facade. Between 1337 and 1343, the bell tower of the former church of Santa Maria was restored, being covered with a thick wall, but the works on the church were completed at the end of the century. The bell tower was originally higher, but in 1422 it was struck by lightning and was reduced to its current height. On November 27, 1385, the first German bishop of Trieste, Enrico de Wildenstein, consecrated the main altar of the Read more [...]

The Church of Sant’Antonio Taumaturgo, commonly known as the Church of Sant’Antonio Nuovo, is the largest Catholic church in Trieste. The church, dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, is located on the square with the same name, at the end of the Grand Canal of Trieste.   SHORT HISTORY A private chapel dedicated to the Annunciation stood on this place until the middle of the 18th century. After the chapel was opened to the public, the structure became insufficient for worshippers, so it was decided to raise a larger church dedicated to Sant’Antonio Nuovo. Around 1771, the church was completed, but soon the new structure became also inadequate for the large number of believers who attended the services. Therefore, in 1808, a competition was held for a new church dedicated to Saint Anthony. The same year, the Neoclassical project of the Swiss architect Pietro Nobile won the competition. However, the work began only in 1825, and the consecration of the imposing church took place only in 1849. In 1958, the two pipe organs of the church were built by the Mascioni company, both with electric transmission.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE The facade of the church is characterized by a majestic Read more [...]

Palazzo del Municipio is a palace located in Piazza Unità d’Italia, which houses the seat of the Municipality of Trieste.   SHORT HISTORY In the second half of the 19th century, the old Palazzo Pubblico or Palazzo del Magistrato was demolished, to make room for a new building dedicated to the municipality. For the new building, was chosen the project of the Trieste architect Giuseppe Bruni, who a few years earlier designed Palazzo Modello, located on the same square. The project was approved on September 17, 1873, and the work began at the end of the same year under the direction of the engineer and architect Eugenio Geiringer. The works ended in 1875. From a stage in front of the palace, Mussolini announced in 1938 the promulgation of racial laws in Italy, while on November 4, 1954, from the central balcony of the building, the president Luigi Einaudi and the mayor of the city, Gianni Bartoli, greeted the crowd gathered in the square during the celebrations for the return of Trieste to Italy.   ARCHITECTURE The facade of the building, which overlooks Piazza Unità d’Italia, is built in an eclectic style, and consists of two lateral bodies of four floors, Read more [...]

Palazzo della Luogotenenza Austriaca (Palace of the Austrian Lieutenancy) or Palazzo della Prefettura (Palace of the Prefecture) is one of the most important palaces in Trieste, located in Piazza Unità d’Italia. Dating back to the Habsburg rule in Trieste, the palace was the seat of the Austrian Lieutenancy, and today houses the Prefecture of Trieste.   SHORT HISTORY The Palace of the Austrian Lieutenancy replaced an old Governmental Palace, built in 1764 by the order of Maria Theresa of Austria, according to the design of the architect Giovanni Fusconi, where the offices of the Imperial Arsenal were located. Demolished in 1899, the old building gave way to the new construction, the last of the monumental buildings in the square, built between 1901 and 1905, after a design by the architect Emil Artmann. After being the residence of the last three Austrian lieutenants, in 1918 the palace became the seat of the military governor of Venezia Giulia, Carlo Petitti di Roreto, and after the establishment of the province of Trieste in 1922, the seat of the prefecture.   ARCHITECTURE The sumptuous facade of the palace has a double loggia located in the center, which functioned as a stage for the governor Read more [...]