Trieste is a beautiful, hilly city on the Adriatic and was the main port for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Until the end of World War I, Trieste was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It also contains Roman ruins that were uncovered during the time of Mussolini. The Americans & British occupied the city after the end of World War II and did a lot of work restoring damage from the war. It is on the border with Slovenia. Francesco drove us up to the border for a fabulous dinner.
We started the tour at the Miramare gardens & castle. All of this was built by Maximilian and Charlotte. Unfortunately, he never lived to enjoy it because he was killed in Mexico. It is a fantastic place with many of the original furnishing restored and on display. (Sorry no pics allowed inside.)
We saw many parts of the city, including the many churches. The Serbian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox churches were especially interesting; the icons are exceptional. I'll have to have my friend, Pam Collins, translate the information on the signs. All the mosaic work was beautiful.
The main mode of transportation is motorcycle or motor scooter. The narrow streets and lack of parking makes this the best way to get around. Italy has a helmet law which is adhered to strictly in Trieste. Based on my observation, I think it is generally ignored by the time you get to Rome.
I highly recommend visiting Trieste; it's a short trip from Venice. Here's a few pictures from the 2 days. If you are not a regular viewer of F1 racing, the music is the Italian National Anthem.
More interesting facts about Miramare:
During the First World War all the furniture and works of art belonging to the Castle were moved to Vienna and stored in the Schönbrunn and Belvedere Palaces and in the court libraries. At the end of the war the whole territory of Miramare passed under the direct control of the Italian government. Between October 1925 and March 1926, by mutual consent of the two governments, Austria returned all the furnishings in order to make possible the reconstruction of the Castle’s original interior. The restoration of the furnishings and rooms, under the direction of the Royal Superintendence, meant that the museum could be opened to the public on March 24, 1929.
Two years later the government assigned Miramare to Duke Amedeo of Aosta, captain of the first air division stationed in Gorizia, who lived there continuously till 1937 when he was appointed viceroy of Ethiopia. The Castle was also inhabited off and on by the Duke’s family until the middle of 1943.
Nonetheless, the visitors were allowed access to the upper part of the Park and, from 1931, to the Castelletto, furnished with the Archduke Maximilian’s fittings which had not formed part of the Duke of Aosta’s furnishings. Afterwards the Castle was used as a school for officers by the German troops who occupied the city. As a result of the opposition of the Gauleiter Friedrich Rainer to the conversion of the Castle into a Nazi headquarters the building was saved from the possible danger of bombardment. In the meantime, the furnishings had been removed and were kept in various buildings in the city.
At the end of 1945, the New Zealand troops under the command of the General Freyberg entered Trieste and settled in the Castle, making many changes to the interior. The British troops followed, and set up the headquarters of XIII Corps in Miramare. Finally the Americans came and the castle served as headquarters for the American garrison (TRUST) from 1951 to October 3, 1954. The Superintendence immediately began the work of restoration of the interior of the Castle and the Castelletto and the layout of the Park. On the basis of drawings and period photographs, wood decorations were restored in the rooms and furniture, furnishings, pictures and tapestries were rearranged.
Finally, in March 1955, the Park was reopened free of charge to the public and from June 2 of the same year, Maximilian of Habsburg’s residence was officially named The Historical Museum of the Castle of Miramare and entrusted to the Sopraintendenza per i Beni Architettonici ed il Paesaggio e per il Patrimonio Storico, Artistico ed Etnoantropologico of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. Over the years it has become an attraction for thousands of tourists interested in experiencing full immersion in one of the very few examples of European historical residences which have preserved almost entirely their original furnishings and which, still today, transmit the charm of living around the middle of the Nineteenth century.
During the First World War all the furniture and works of art belonging to the Castle were moved to Vienna and stored in the Schönbrunn and Belvedere Palaces and in the court libraries. At the end of the war the whole territory of Miramare passed under the direct control of the Italian government. Between October 1925 and March 1926, by mutual consent of the two governments, Austria returned all the furnishings in order to make possible the reconstruction of the Castle’s original interior. The restoration of the furnishings and rooms, under the direction of the Royal Superintendence, meant that the museum could be opened to the public on March 24, 1929.
Two years later the government assigned Miramare to Duke Amedeo of Aosta, captain of the first air division stationed in Gorizia, who lived there continuously till 1937 when he was appointed viceroy of Ethiopia. The Castle was also inhabited off and on by the Duke’s family until the middle of 1943.
Nonetheless, the visitors were allowed access to the upper part of the Park and, from 1931, to the Castelletto, furnished with the Archduke Maximilian’s fittings which had not formed part of the Duke of Aosta’s furnishings. Afterwards the Castle was used as a school for officers by the German troops who occupied the city. As a result of the opposition of the Gauleiter Friedrich Rainer to the conversion of the Castle into a Nazi headquarters the building was saved from the possible danger of bombardment. In the meantime, the furnishings had been removed and were kept in various buildings in the city.
At the end of 1945, the New Zealand troops under the command of the General Freyberg entered Trieste and settled in the Castle, making many changes to the interior. The British troops followed, and set up the headquarters of XIII Corps in Miramare. Finally the Americans came and the castle served as headquarters for the American garrison (TRUST) from 1951 to October 3, 1954. The Superintendence immediately began the work of restoration of the interior of the Castle and the Castelletto and the layout of the Park. On the basis of drawings and period photographs, wood decorations were restored in the rooms and furniture, furnishings, pictures and tapestries were rearranged.
Finally, in March 1955, the Park was reopened free of charge to the public and from June 2 of the same year, Maximilian of Habsburg’s residence was officially named The Historical Museum of the Castle of Miramare and entrusted to the Sopraintendenza per i Beni Architettonici ed il Paesaggio e per il Patrimonio Storico, Artistico ed Etnoantropologico of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. Over the years it has become an attraction for thousands of tourists interested in experiencing full immersion in one of the very few examples of European historical residences which have preserved almost entirely their original furnishings and which, still today, transmit the charm of living around the middle of the Nineteenth century.
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