Trieste (Italy)

Суббота, 13 Августа 2011 г. 09:25 + в цитатник

A view of the Gulf of Trieste, looking towards the coast of Istria:

Piazza Unità d’Italia is the city’s largest square, facing directly the sea :

During Roman times, this area was part of the Adriatic Sea. It was only through the centuries that it was landfilled. The square was initially much smaller and called Piazza Grande. During the middle ages it was not oriented towards the sea, and was adjacent to a small harbor (Il Mandracchio).

Some rare images of the square’s aspect before it’s expansion I found in a book (sorry for the bad quality). It definitely looked more cozy and less grand:

A map of the Piazza’s former layout and of the former dock which was subsequently landfilled:

Now to the buildings facing the square.

Trieste’s City Hall, built in 1875 in eclectic style:

Palazzo Modello, built in 1873 in eclectic style, was supposed to be a model to be imitated by other buildings on the town’s square:

Palazzo Stratti (1839) housing the Caffè degli Specchi (one of Trieste’s most famous coffeehouses) on its ground floor is on the left, and Palazzo Modello on the right:

Palazzo Pitteri in the background. The Fontana dei Quattro Continenti (Four Continents Fountain), built in 1751, is in the foreground: it has been moved to different locations of the square since I can remember. Also, a 1728 statue of Emperor Charles VI of Habsburg (Trieste was the Austrian empire’s main port until 1918) is next to the fountain.

Hotel Duchi D’Aosta:

Palazzo del Governo (1904-1905):

Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino (1880s):

A look towards the Rive, Trieste’s waterfront promenade:

The Molo Audace (Audace pier), named after the Italian navy ship that docked here after unification with Italy:

The Rive, with the former Fish-market (now used for exhibitions) in the background:

A view in the opposite direction, towards the Borgo Teresiano (translation: The Theresian Quarter):

My sorry attempt to take photos of the area at night. The harbor:

The promenade:

Piazza Unità (I dislike the rows of blue lights which make it look like an airport runway by night):

A few photos exploring the area between Piazza Unità and Piazza della Borsa (translation: stock exchange square). Capo di Piazza Gianni Bartoli, connecting Piazza Unità with Piazza della Borsa (seen on the backgroun):

Before getting to Piazza della Borsa, one comes across the Tergesteo (the city’s name in antiquity was Tergeste), built in 1842 and hosting a gallery that is strategically placed between Piazza Unità, Piazza della Borsa, and Piazza Verdi.

The Tergesteo’s entrance:

The gallery located inside:

The gallery connects Piazza della Borsa with Piazza Verdi. A view of the Tergesteo from Piazza Verdi:

Piazza Verdi is named after the Teatro Verdi, the city’s most known theater built by Matteo Pertsch and inspired on the outside by the famous La Scala in Milan:

Looking towards the Palazzo del Governo and Piazza Unità:

Looking towards Capo di Piazza Gianni Bartoli:

Back to Capo di Piazza Gianni Bartoli, looking towards Palazzo Modello and Piazza Unità:

The neo-classic Palazzo della Borsa (the former stock-exchange) in Piazza della Borsa, was built at the beginning of the 19th century and designed by Mollari with doric columns and statues representing the four continents, Volcano, and Mercury. It was the seat of the Trieste’s stock-exchange until 1928 and is now the headquarters of the chamber of commerce :

The stock-exchange moved next door to Palazzo Dreher on the corner of Corso Italia and Via Cassa di Risparmio:

Here is a historic view of the area when it was still occupied by the Salt Works:

The buildings facing the waterfront are in the Borgo Teresiano. They are, from left to right: Palazzo Aedes , Palazzo Carciotti (by architect Pertsch, 1802), the former Hotel de la Ville (by architect DeGasperi, 1839), and the Greek-Orthodox church of San Nicola (façade by architect Pertsch, 1787):

An image of the interior of the Greek-Orthodox church that I found on the net:

Now some photos of the individual buildings located along the Borgo Teresiano’s waterfront from upclose. Palazzo Aedes (also called Grattacielo rosso, or red skyscraper, despite its lack of height) by architect Arduino Berlam, built in 1928:

Palazzo Carciotti, by architect Matteo Pertsch, built in 1802 for a Greek merchant family:

Palazzo Assicurazioni Generali, built by the architects Geiringer and Zabeo in 1886 is the headquarters of the Generali insurance company which has operations worldwide:

On the opposite side of the street from the Palazzo Aedes one finds the Casa del Lavoratore Portuale (Hose of the Dock Woker), built in 1931 by architect Pollack:

A view down Corso Cavour, which separates the Borgo Teresiano from the harbor:

The central element of the Borgo Teresiano is the Canal Grande, built in the 1700s to enable sail ships to dock in the heart of the city:

The canal by night:

The canal is flanked by some interesting structures and open spaces. Palazzo Gopcevich:

Piazza Ponterosso (red bridge square), named after a bridge crossing the canal, is the site of an open-air market where fruits, vegetables, as well as all sorts of fake clothing are sold:

A view of Via Roma (connecting Piazza Ponterosso and Piazza della Borsa):

The Banca Nazionale del Lavoro

Taking a look at Via Cassa del Risparmio, between Palazzo Carciotti and Banca Nazionale del Lavoro:

The Serbian-Orthodox church of Ss. Trinità e S. Spiridione, unfortunately covered for renovation work, is my favorite church in town. It was built between 1861 and 1869 by Milanese architect Carlo Maciachini with a bizantine style. Previously the Serbian-Orthodox and Greek-Orthodox shared the same church, then the two religious communities split and the Greek-Orthodox community moved to the waterfront.

Here’s how it looks like from outside (image from the net):

image hosted on flickr

The neoclassical Sant’Antonio Nuovo church was designed by architect Pietro Nobile and inspired by Rome’s Pantheon. It was completed in 1842 and is located at the end of the canal. Originally the canal was slightly longer and arrived almost at the steps of the church, however, during the Fascist period, the portion of the canal between Via Dante Alighieri and Via San Spiridione was landfilled:

A building next to Sant’Antonio Nuovo:

The rear of Sant’Antonio Nuovo from Piazza San Giovanni:

Statue of composer Giuseppe Verdi in the piazza (the statue was in stone until the Austrian destroyed it in 1915, after WWI it was rebuilt in metal):

Sponges behind a storefront:

Clock at the corner of Via delle Torri and Via San Lazzaro:

More pics from the Borgo Teresiano. Via San Nicoló:

Corner of Via S. Nicoló and Via Roma:

The former R.A.S. (Riunone Adriatica di Securtà) in Via Mazzini:

A very decorated building on the corner of Via Dante Alighieri and Via S. Nicoló:

Piazza Goldoni: certainly not the prettiest townsquare in the city, in part due to all the bus and car traffic that goes through it. However, it underwent restyling recently which has sensibly improved it. Here it is:

Looking towards Via Ginnastica:

The façade of a building in Via Carducci, near Piazza Goldoni:

Viale XX Settembre: a pedestrian street lined with shops, cafes, and gelaterie

New fountain at the southern end of the viale:

Via Giusto Muratti:

This curious old map shows plans to expand the City walls that protected Trieste during the Middle Ages to San Vito Hill. These plans never materialized and the city remained constrained to the area you see at the bottom:

Let’s start the journey with the ruins of the Roman Theater, built in the I century AD (nowadays basically unused and the home of many cats):

Now to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (the large one) and San Silvestro (the smaller one). Santa Maria Maggiore was built by the Jeusit Order in 1632, while the façade is more recent. San Silvestro is one of the oldest churches in Trieste, and is currently used by the Waldesian community.

The rear of San Silvestro:

The Arco di Riccardo used to be one of the gates of the Roman walls built during Emperor Ottaviano’s reign:

Some buildings in the Cittavecchia are in bad shape like this one:

But in the last years, many more are getting fixed-up and have gotten a new coat of paint like these ones in Piazzetta San Silvestro and the whole area may even become trendy in the future:

The Cittavecchia has lots of narrow roads and corners thus offers many interesting views:

Walking up towards the top of the hill, I took a few shots of San Vito hill, a more residential area with more recent buildings:

Walking up the hill, San Giusto cathedral becomes visible on the top (unfortunately I didn’t go inside to take photos since a Mass was being held):

The medieval cathedral has a beautiful rose-window of the 14th century:

The façade and tower contain several Roman elements, some belonging to a pre-existing Roman building: the main entranceway-jambs are of a Roman tombstone, the left entrance belonged to the Roman propylaeum etc. The façade also includes the busts of three bishops of Trieste (one of them became Pope Pius II).

The statue of San Giusto, Saint patron of Trieste:

The small church of San Michele al Carnale, located right next to the cathedral:

Two symbols of Trieste on top of this column from 1844: the melón (mellon), and the alabarda. The symbol of the melón used to be on top of the cathedral’s bell-tower until lighting struck it in 1421 and it was never replaced.

The Melón with the cathedral bell-tower and St. John’s baptistry in the background:

Someone’s views over the harbor:

The top of San Giusto hill also hosts a castle built over 30 some years: started by the Venetians and completed by the Austrians. It was built exclusively for defensive purposes, and today hosts some exhibitions:

The entrance to the castle:

A peak towards the gulf through the trees:

The rear of the cathedral and the castle walls:

The remains of the Roman era forum basilica: once a two-story structure:

Next to the Roman remains is a monument to the fallen of World War I:

Views of the city and the gulf from San Giusto hill:

The other side of the hill offers some views of Trieste’s inland periphery:

Cittàvecchia.

Photographs taken from the Parco della Rimembranza (right next to San Giusto castle) overlooking Piazza Goldoni and Viale Carducci:

Descending from the top of San Giusto Hill:

I couldn’t resist taking more photos of the city and the sea

More shots of Cittàvecchia:

The narrow street and windy streets of Cittàvecchia are what makes it the most charming area of Trieste to me:

Tor Cucherna, was one of the defensive towers along the old city walls:

Via Donota:

The remains of Tor Donota, another tower of the old city walls:

Now to the low-lying areas of the old city: the former Jewish Ghetto and the area of Piazza Cavana. Both areas were disconnected from the higher areas of Cittàvecchia during an urban renewal plan implemented during the fascist dictatorship