Palazzo Gopcevich

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 MUSEUM

The Civic Theater Museum Carlo Schmidl focuses on the theater and music scene in Trieste from the 18th century until today. Inside, we can find stage jewels and costumes, posters, fliers, photographs, prints, medals, paintings, musical instruments and autographed manuscripts, together with other objects and archive material.

A substantial section of the exhibition is a collection of musical instruments, which also hosts a faithful reconstruction of the workshop of the Triestine luthier Francesco Zapelli.

HOW TO GET THERE

Palazzo Gopcevich is located about 550 meters away from the Trieste Centrale railway station, or about 10 minutes on foot. The closest bus stop is in Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi 2, about 120 meters away, on the bus Lines 8 and 30. To find the palace on foot, use the map below.