Piazza Unità d’Italia (Unity of Italy Square) is the main square of Trieste. The rectangular piazza, located at the foot of the San Giusto Hill, opens on one side onto the Gulf of Trieste. With an area of 12,280 square meters, it is considered the largest seafront square in Europe. SHORT HISTORY In ancient times, the square was called Piazza San Pietro, after the name of a church located there. Starting with 1863, the square was called Piazza Grande. During the Austrian period, the name of the square was changed to Piazza Francesco Giuseppe, after the name of the Emperor Franz Joseph. Only in 1918, the square took the name of Piazza Unità, when Trieste was annexed to Italy. In 1955, when the city returned to Italy after the dissolution of the Free Territory of Trieste, it took its current name, Piazza Unità d’Italia. Over the centuries, the square was remodeled several times. Its current appearance comes from the complete renovation made between 2001 and 2005, when all the surrounding buildings were restored. On this occasion, the pavement was replaced with sandstone blocks, the Fountain of the Four Continents (Fontana dei Quattro Continenti) was positioned in front of the Read more [...]
All Squares in Friuli-Venezia Giulia
In Italy, a city square, commonly found at the meeting of two or more streets, is a piazza. Every Italian city has a piazza or more, with streets radiating from the center, with green areas and places to rest. As key points in a city, in the squares you can find shops and public transport stations, but the Italians use it especially for evening walks and meetings with friends. Also, the city's main events take place in the central square.
The worlds best known square may be the Piazza San Marco, in Venice, but we must not forget other beautiful squares like Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Piazza del Campo in Siena, Campo dei Miracoli in Pisa, Prato della Valle in Padua, Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, Piazza San Pietro in Vatican, Piazza Navona and Piazza di Spagna in Rome, or Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples. Moreover, every town in Italy, no matter how small, has a beautiful main square that we invite you to discover.
Piazza Giacomo Matteotti
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 [...]
Piazza della Libertà
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 [...]
Piazza della Borsa
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 [...]