ITALY - TRIESTE

My dear friends ,

How can a city so fascinating?I love this quaint harbor town,

Trieste is a great city to visit and makes a great entry or exit point for visiting Slovenia!With priority Trieste, Slovenia - Croatia - Hungary and Serbia are very close to a city.

It's location means that it is only a hop and a jump to:

The Slovenian coast and charming seaside towns of Piran and Portoroz
The famous Lippanzer horse stud at Lipica
The wonderous Skocjan Caves
The amazing underworld at Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle
The Karst region famous for its Teran Wine and Prsut

Name

The original pre-Roman name of the city Tergeste derives from the Illyrian and Venetic words terg- (market) and est- (place) is etymologically related with theScandinavian torg(et), Old Church Slavonic tьrgъ, Slovenian and Croatian 'trg'/'tržište' meaning market and 'mesto'/'mjesto' meaning place, Romanian tirgu, and Albanianword treg, all meaning "market". Roman authors also transliterated the name as Tergestum. Modern names of the city include: Italian: Trieste, Slovene: Trst,German: Triest, Hungarian: Trieszt; Croatian: Trst.


Trieste is situated in the northernmost part of the high Adriatic in North-east Italy, near the border with Slovenia. The city lies on the Gulf of Trieste.

Satellite view of Trieste
Built mostly on a hillside that becomes a mountain, Trieste's urban territory is situated at the foot of an imposing escarpment that comes down abruptly from the Kras Plateautowards the sea. The Kras heights, close to the city, reach an altitude of 458 metres above sea level.From Slovenia, while there was a dip down from the mountains compulsory.Quite enjoyable and a great way.

Trie is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city. Trieste is located at the head of the Gulf of Trieste and throughout history it has been influenced by its location at the crossroads of Germanic, Latin and Slavic cultures. In 2009, it had a population of about 205,000[2] and it is the capital of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trieste province.

Trieste was one of the oldest parts of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1382 until 1918. In the 19th century, it was the most important port of one of the Great Powers of Europe. 

As a prosperous seaport in the Mediterranean region, Trieste became the fourth largest city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (after Vienna, Budapest, and Prague). In the fin-de-siecle period, it emerged as an important hub for literature and music. However, the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Trieste's union to Italy after World War Iled to some decline of its "Mittel-European" cultural and commercial importance. Enjoying an economic revival during the 1930s and throughout the Cold War, Trieste was an important spot in the struggle between the Eastern and Western blocs. Today, the city is in one of the richest regions of Italy, and has been a great centre for shipping, through its port (Port of Trieste), shipbuilding and financial services.

Built mostly on a hillside that becomes a mountain, Trieste's urban territory is situated at the foot of an imposing escarpment that comes down abruptly from the Kras Plateautowards the sea. The Kras heights, close to the city, reach an altitude of 458 metres (1,502 ft) above sea level.
Climate

The territory of Trieste is composed of several different climate zones depending on the distance from the sea and elevation. The average temperatures are 5.7 °C (42 °F) in January and 24.1 °C (75 °F) in July.[citation needed] Climatic setting of the city closely resembles mildly warm humid subtropical climate Cfa (according to Köppen climate classification) with some Mediterranean influences. On average, humidity levels are pleasantly low (~65%), while only two months (January & February) receive slightly less than 60 mm of precipitation. Trieste along with Istrian peninsula enjoys evenly distributed rainfall above 1,000 mm in total; it is noteworthy that no true summer drought occurs. Temperatures are very mild - lows below zero are very rare (with just 9 days per a year) and highs above 30°C similarly can be expected 15 days a year only. Winter maxima are lower than in typical Mediterranean zone (~ 5 - 11°C) with quite high minima (~2 - 8°C). Two basic weather patterns interchange - sunny, sometimes windy but often very cold days (max. +7, min. 0; frequently connected to an occurrence of northwest wind called Bora ) and rainy days with temperatures about 6 - 11°C. Absolute minimal temperature came with Arctic winter of 1956, -14.6°C. Summer is very warm with maxima about 28 degrees and lows above 20 degrees. Absolute maximum from 2003 is +37.2°C. Average year temperature, +15°C, is the same as Earth's average. The year 2011 brought unusually dry conditions with 630 mm of precipitation and 54% humidity; the lowest temperature was -2.0°C and maximum was +33.8°C with average +15.9°C, higher than usual. Average speed of wind was 6.4 km/h, a very light wind when compared to other coastal cities of Mediterranean. Trieste is divided into 8a-10a zones according to USDA hardiness zoning; Villa Opicina (320 to 420 MSL) with 8a in upper suburban area down to 10a in especially shielded and windproof valleys close to the Adriatic sea.

The climate can be severely affected by the Bora, a very dry and usually cool north to northeast katabatic wind that can reach speeds of up to 200 km per hour and could last for several days, thus sometimes bringing all-day subzero temperatures in whole city.

The Piazza Unità d’Italia serves as the city’s main gathering place.



The Miramare Castle.
The Piazza Unità d’Italia serves as the city’s main gathering place. 





The gardens of Miramare Castle.


The view of the coastline from the Rilke path.



Caffe San Marco.
fotos: Tarık Tekeş

The Palazzo delle Poste, or Post Office.
fotos: Tarık Tekeş

History

Ancient era

Remains of a Roman arch in Trieste's old town

Originally an Illyrian settlement the town was later captured by the Carni. From 177 BC Tergeste was under the Romans. It was granted the status of colony underJulius Caesar, who recorded its name as Tergeste in his Commentarii de bello Gallico (51 BC). During Roman times, Tergeste was defined an "Illyrian city" byArtemidorus of Ephesus, a Greek geographer, and "Carnic" by Strabo.

In imperial times the border of "Roman Italia" moved from the Timavo river to Formione (today Risano). The Roman Tergeste lived a flourishing period due to its position as a crossroad from Aquileia, the main Roman city in the area, and Istria, and as a port as well, some ruins of which are still visible. Augustus built a line of walls around the city in 33-32 BC, while Trajan built a theatre in the 2nd century AD.

In the Early Christian era it remained a flourishing center, and after the end of the Western Roman Empire (in 476), Trieste was a Byzantine military outpost. In 567 AD the city was destroyed by the Lombards, in the course of their invasion of northern Italy. In 788 it became part of the Frankish kingdom, under the authority of their count-bishop. From 1081 the city came loosely under the Patriarchate of Aquileia, developing into a free commune by the end of the 12th century.

Habsburg Empire

See also: Austrian Empire and Austro-Hungarian Empire

Trieste in the 17th century, in a contemporary image by the Carniolan historian Johann Weikhard von Valvasor

After two centuries of war against the nearby major power, the Republic of Venice(which occupied it briefly from 1369 to 1372), the main citizens of Trieste petitioned Leopold III of Habsburg, Duke of Austria to become part of his domains. The agreement of cessation was signed in October 1382, in St. Bartholomew'schurch in the village of Šiška (apud Sisciam), today one of the city quarters ofLjubljana. The citizens, however, maintained a certain degree of autonomy up until the 17th century.

Following an unsuccessful Habsburg invasion of Venice in the prelude to the War of the League of Cambrai, the Venetians occupied Trieste again in 1508, and under the terms of the peace were allowed to keep the city. The Habsburg Empire recovered Trieste a little over one year later, however, when conflict resumed.

Trieste became an important port and trade hub. In 1719, it was made a free port within theHabsburg Empire by Emperor Charles VI, and remained a free port until 1 July 1891. The reign of his successor, Maria Theresa of Austria, marked the beginning of a flourishing era for the city.

In 1768, the German art historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann was murdered by a robber in Trieste, while on his way from Vienna to Italy.

Trieste was occupied by French troops three times during the Napoleonic Wars, in 1797, 1805 and in 1809. Between 1809 and 1813, it was annexed to the Illyrian Provinces, interrupting its status of free port and losing its autonomy. The municipal autonomy was not restored after the return of the city to the Austrian Empire in 1813. Following the Napoleonic Wars, Trieste continued to prosper as the Free Imperial City of Trieste (Reichsunmittelbare Stadt Triest), a status that granted economic freedom, but limited its political self-government. The city's role as main Austrian trading port and shipbuilding centre was later emphasized with the foundation of the merchant shipping line Austrian Lloyd in 1836, whose headquarters stood at the corner of the Piazza Grande and Sanità. By 1913 Austrian Lloyd had a fleet of 62 ships comprising a total of 236,000 tons.^[6] With the introduction of the constitutionalism in the Austrian Empire in 1860, the municipal autonomy of the city was restored, with Trieste became capital of the Adriatisches Küstenland, the Austrian Littoral region.

The Stock Exchange Square in 1854

The particular Friulian dialect, called Tergestino, spoken until the beginning of the 19th century, was gradually overcome by the Triestine dialect of Venetian (a language deriving directly from vulgar Latin) and other languages, including German grammar, Slovene and standard Italian languages. While Triestine was spoken by the largest part of the population, German was the language of the Austrian bureaucracy and Slovene was predominant in the surrounding villages. From the last decades of the 19th century, Slovene language speakers grew steadily, reaching 25% of the overall population of the municipality of Trieste in 1911 (30% of the Austro-Hungarian citizens in Trieste).^[7]

According to the 1911 census, the proportion of Slovene speakers amounted to 12.6% in the city center, 47.6% in the suburbs, and 90.5% in the surroundings.^[8] They were the largest ethnic group in 9 of the 19 urban neighborhoods of Trieste, and represented an absolute majority in 7 of them.^[8] The Italian speakers, on the other hand, were 60.1% of the population in the city center, 38.1% in the suburbs, and 6.0% in the surroundings. They were the largest linguistic group in 10 of the 19 urban neighborhoods, and represented the majority in 7 of them (including all 6 in the city center). Of the 11 villages included within the city limits, the Slovene speakers had an overwhelming majority in 10, and the German speakers in one (Miramare).

German speakers amounted to 5% of the city's population, with the highest proportions in the city center.

A small number of the population spoke Croatian (around 1.3% in 1911), and the city also counted several other smaller ethnic communities: Czechs, Istro-Romanians, Serbs andGreeks, which mostly assimilated either to the Italian or Slovene-speaking community.

A view of Trieste in 1885

In the later part of the 19th century, Pope Leo XIII considered moving his residence to Trieste (or to Salzburg), due to what he considered a hostile anti-Catholic climate in Italy, following the Capture of Rome by the newly-foundedKingdom of Italy. However, the Austrian monarch Franz Josef I gently rejected this idea.^[9]

The modern Austro-Hungarian Navy used Trieste's shipbuilding facilities for construction and as a base. The construction of the first major trunk railway in the Empire, the Vienna-Trieste Austrian Southern Railway, was completed in 1857, a valuable asset for trade and the supply of coal.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Trieste was a buzzing cosmopolitan city frequented by artists and philosophes such as James Joyce, Italo Svevo, Sigmund Freud, Dragotin Kette,Ivan Cankar, Scipio Slataper, and Umberto Saba. The city was the major port of theAustrian Riviera, and perhaps the only real enclave of Mitteleuropa south of the Alps. Viennese architecture and coffeehouses still dominate the streets of Trieste to this day.

Annexation to Italy

See also: Battles of the Isonzo and Julian March

Ethnic distribution in Istria and Trieste in 1910/1911:

  Italians

  Croats

  Slovenes

  Istro-Romanians

Together with Trento, Trieste was a main focus of the irredentistmovement^{[citation needed]}, which aimed for the annexation to Italy of all the lands they claimed were inhabited by an Italian speaking population. Many local Italians enrolled voluntarily in the Royal Italian Army (a notable example is the writerScipio Slataper).^[10]

After the end of World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved, and many of its border areas, including the Austrian Littoral, were disputed among its successor states. On November 3, 1918, the Armistice of villa Giusti was signed ending hostilities between Italy and Austria-Hungary. Trieste was occupied by the Italian Army (warmly welcomed by the Italian portion of the local population)^{[citation needed]} after the Austro-Hungarian troops had been ordered to lay down their arms, a day before the Armistice was due to enter into effect, effectively allowing the Italians to claim the region had been taken before the cessation of hostilities (a similar situation occurred in South Tyrol). Trieste was officially annexed to the Kingdom of Italy only with the Treaty of Rapallo in 1920. Immediately a policy of "deslavification" started with the Italianisation of the Slovene toponyms. The region reorganized under a new administrative unit, known as the Julian March (Venezia Giulia).

The Narodni dom, Slovene Hall of Trieste, burned down by the Fascist squads in 1920

The union to Italy, however, brought a loss of importance to the city, as the new state border deprived it of its former hinterland.^{[citation needed]} The Slovene ethnic group (around 25% of the population according to the 1910 census^[11]) suffered persecution by rising Italian Fascism. The period of violent persecution of Slovenes began with riots in April 13, 1920, which were organized as a retaliation for the assault on Italian occupying troops in Split by the local Croatian population. Many Slovene-owned shops and buildings were destroyed during the riots, which culminated when a group of Italian Fascists, led by Francesco Giunta, burned down the Narodni dom ("National House"), the community hall of Trieste's Slovenes.

After the emergence of the Fascist regime in 1922, an official policy of Italianizationcontinued. Public use of the Slovene language was prohibited, by 1927 all Slovene associations were dissolved, while names and surnames of Slavic and German origin were Italianized by the end of 1930. Several thousand Slovenes from Trieste, especially intellectuals, emigrated to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and to South America, where many became prominent in their field. Among the notable Slovene émigrés from Trieste were the writers Vladimir Bartol and Josip Ribičič, the legal theorist Boris Furlan, and the architectViktor Sulčič. Meanwhile several thousands ethnic Italians from Dalmatia moved to Trieste from the newly created Yugoslavia.^[12]

In the late 1920s, Yugoslav irredentism started to appear, and the Slovene militant anti-fascist organization TIGR carried out several bomb attacks in the city centre. In 1930 and 1941, two trials against Slovene activists were held in Trieste by the fascist Special Tribunal for the Security of the State.

Despite the demise of its traditional multicultural and pluri-linguistic character, and the emigration of many Slovene and most of the German speakers, the overall population continued to grow. Even the economy enjoyed a significant improvement in the late 1930s, with development of industrial activities.^[13]

The Fascist Regime built several new infrastructures and public buildings, including the almost 70 m (229.66 ft) high Victory Lighthouse (Faro della Vittoria), which became one of the city's landmarks. The University of Trieste was also established in this period.

Several artistic and intellectual subcultures continued to swarm even under the repressive Fascist regime. In the 1920s, the city was home to an important avant-gardist movement in visual arts, centered around the futurist Tullio Crali and the constructivist Avgust Černigoj. In the same period, Trieste consolidated its role as one of the centres of modern Italian literature, with authors such as Umberto Saba, Biagio Marin, Giani Stuparich, and Salvatore Satta. Among the non-Italian authors and intellectuals that remained in Trieste, the most notable were the Austrian Julius Kugy and the Slovene Boris Pahor. Intellectuals were frequently associated with Caffè San Marco, a cafè in the city still open today.

The promulgation of the anti-Jewish racial laws in 1938 was a severe blow to the city's Jewish community, the third largest in Italy. The Fascist anti-semitic campaign resulted in a series of attacks on Jewish property and individuals, culminating in July 1942, when theGreat Synagogue was raided and devastated by the Fascist Squads and the mob.^[14]

World War II and its aftermath

Foibe memorial in Basovizza neighborhood

With the invasion and occupation of Yugoslavia in April 1941, World War Two came close to Trieste. Starting from the winter of 1941, the first Yugoslav partisan units appeared in Trieste province, although the resistance movement did not reach the city itself until late 1943.

After the Italian armistice in September 1943, the city was occupied by German troops. Trieste became nominally part of the newly constituted Italian Social Republic, but it was de facto ruled by Nazi Germany: the Nazis created theOperation Zone of the Adriatic Littoral out of former Italian north-eastern regions, with Trieste as the administrative center. The new administrative entity was headed by Friedrich Rainer. Under the Nazi occupation, the only concentration camp with a crematorium on Italian soil was built in a suburb of Trieste, at theRisiera di San Sabba, on 4 April 1944. Around 3,000 Jews, South Slavs and Italian anti Fascists were killed in the Risiera, while thousands of others were imprisoned before being transferred to other concentration camps.

The city saw intense Italian and Yugoslav partisan activity, and suffered from Alliedbombings. The city's Jewish community was deported to extermination camps, where most of them died.

On April 30, 1945, the Italian anti-Fascist National Liberation Committee (Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale, or CLN) of don Marzari and Savio Fonda, constituted of approximately 3,500 volunteers, incited a riot against the German occupiers. On May 1,Allied forces of the Yugoslav Partisans' 8th Dalmatian Corps arrived and took over most of the city, except for the courts and the castle of San Giusto, where the German garrisons refused to surrender to any force other than New Zealanders.^{[citation needed]} The 2nd New Zealand Division continued to advance towards Trieste along Route 14 around the northern coast of the Adriatic sea and arrived in the city the next day (see official histories The Italian Campaign and Through the Venetian Line). The German forces capitulated on the evening of May 2, but were then turned over to the Yugoslav forces.

The Yugoslavs held full control of the city until June 12, a period known in the Italian historiography as the "forty days of Trieste".^[15] During this period, hundreds of local Italians and anti-Communist Slovenes were arrested by the Yugoslav authorities, and many of them disappeared.^[16] These included former Fascists and Nazi collaborators, but also Italian nationalists, and any other real or potential opponents of Yugoslav Communism. Some were interned in Yugoslav concentration camps (in particular at Borovnica, Slovenia), while others were murdered and thrown into the potholes ("foibe") on the Karst plateau.^[17]

After an agreement between the Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito and the British Field Marshal Harold Alexander, the Yugoslav forces withdrew from Trieste, which came under a joint British-U.S. military administration. The Julian March was divided between Anglo-American and Yugoslav military administration until September 1947, when the Paris Peace Treaty established the Free Territory of Trieste.

Zone A of the Free Territory of Trieste (1947-54)

Zone A and Zone B of the Free Territory of Trieste(1947–1954)

Boundary between Free Territory of Trieste and Italywest of Duino

In 1947, Trieste was declared an independent city state under the protection of theUnited Nations as the Free Territory of Trieste. The territory was divided into two zones, A and B, along the Morgan Line, established in 1945.
From 1947 to 1954, the A Zone was governed by the Allied Military Government, composed of the American "Trieste United States Troops" (TRUST), commanded by Major General Bryant E. Moore, the commanding general of the American 88th Infantry Division, and the "British Element Trieste Forces" (BETFOR), commanded by Sir Terence Airey, who were the joint forces commander and also the military governors. Zone A covered almost the same area of the current ItalianProvince of Trieste, except for four small villages south of Muggia, which were given to Yugoslavia after the dissolution[citation needed] of the Free Territory in 1954. Zone B, which remained under the military administration of the Yugoslav People's Army, was composed of the north-westernmost portion of the Istrian peninsula, between the river Mirna and the Debeli Rtič cape.
In 1954, the Free Territory of Trieste was dissolved[citation needed]. The vast majority of Zone A, including the city of Trieste, was ceded to Italy. Zone B became part of Yugoslavia, along with four villages from the Zone A (Plavje, Spodnje Škofije,Hrvatini, and Jelarji), and was divided among the Socialist Republic of Slovenia andCroatia. The annexation of Trieste to Italy was officially announced on 26 October 1954, and was welcomed by the majority of the Trieste population.
The final border line with Yugoslavia, and the status of the ethnic minorities in the areas, was settled in 1975 with the Treaty of Osimo. This line is now the border between Italy and Slovenia.

Economy

During the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Trieste became a leading European city ineconomy, trade and commerce, and was the fourth largest and most important centre in the Empire, after Vienna, Budapest and Prague. The economy of Trieste, however, fell into a small decline after the city's annexation to Italy after World War I. But Fascist Italy promoted a huge development of Trieste in the 1930s, with new manufacturing activities related even to naval and armament industries (like the famous "Cantieri Aeronautici Navali Triestini (CANT)").^[18] Allied bombings during World War II destroyed the industrial section of the city (mainly the shipyards).

As a consequence, Trieste was a mainly peripheral city during the Cold War. However, since the 1970s, Trieste has had a huge economic boom, thanks to a significant commercial shipping business to the container terminal, steel works and an oil terminal which feeds theTransalpine Pipeline to Austria and Southern Germany. Trieste is also Italy's andMediterranean's (and one of Europe's) greatest coffee ports, as the city supplies more than 40% of Italy's coffee.^[19] Many coffee brands were founded and are headquartered in the city. Currently, Trieste is one of Europe's most important ports and centres for trade andtransport, with Trieste being part of the "Corridor 5" plan, to create a bigger transport connection between Western and Eastern European countries.^[20] Therefore, the economy depends largely on the Port of Trieste and on trade with its neighbouring regions.

Trieste is a lively and cosmopolitan city, with more than 7.7% of its population being from abroad, and it is rebuilding some of its former cultural, economic and political influence. The city is a major centre in the EU for trade, politics, culture, shipbuilding, education, transportand commerce. The city is part of the Corridor 5, which aims at ensuring a bigger transport connection between countries in Western Europe and Eastern European nations, such asSlovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Ukraine and Bosnia.^[20] This will be also a great impetus for a further boost to the economy of Trieste.^[19]

Trieste is also home to some Italian mega-companies, such as Assicurazioni Generali, which was in 2005, Italy's 2nd and the world's 24th biggest company by revenue.^[21]Fincantieri, one of the world's leading shipbuilding companies is headquartered in Trieste.

Other large companies based in Trieste are: AcegasAps, Allianz Italia, Autamarocchi SpA, Banca Generali SpA, Illy, Italia Marittima SpA, Jindal Steel and Power Italia SpA; Pacorini SpA, Telit Communications, Wärtsilä Italia, and polling and marketing company SWG. With two main banking institutions, the Zadruzna Kraska Banka, and a branch of the Nova Ljubljanska Banka the Slovene community contributes vigorously to the economy.

Demographics

Historical populations
Year	Pop.	±%
1921	239,558	—
1931	250,170	+4.4%
1936	248,307	−0.7%
1951	272,522	+9.8%
1961	272,723	+0.1%
1971	271,879	−0.3%
1981	252,369	−7.2%
1991	231,100	−8.4%
2001	211,184	−8.6%
2009 Est.	205,507	−2.7%
Source: ISTAT 2001

ISTAT 2007 [1]
	Trieste, FVG	Italy
Median age	46 years	42 years
Under 18 years old	13.8%	18.1%
Over 65 years old	27.9%	20.1%
Foreign Population	6.2%	5.8%
Births/1000 people	7.63 b	9.45 b

As of April 2009, there were 205,507 people residing in Trieste, located in the province of Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, of whom 46.7% were male and 53.3% were female. Trieste had lost roughly 1/3 of its population since the 1970s, due to the crisis of the historical industrial sectors of steel and shipbuilding, a dramatic drop in fertility rates and fast population aging. Minors (children aged 18 and younger) totalled 13.78% of the population compared to pensioners who number 27.9%. This compares with the Italian average of 18.06% (minors) and 19.94% (pensioners). The average age of Trieste residents is 46 compared to the Italian average of 42. In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the population of Trieste declined by 3.5%, while Italy as a whole grew by 3.85%. However, in the last two years the city has shown signs of stabilizing thanks to growing immigration fluxes. The crude birth rate in Trieste is only 7.63 per 1,000, one of the lowest in eastern Italy, while the Italian average is 9.45 births.^{[citation needed]}

The dominant local dialect of Trieste is called Triestine ("Triestin", pronounced [triɛsˈtin]), influenced by a form of Venetian. This dialect and the official Italian language are spoken in the city, while Slovene is spoken in some of the immediate suburbs.^[7] The Triestin is considered an autochthonous of the area (along with Slovenian, German, and Istro-Romanian). There are also small numbers of Serbian,^[22]Croatian, German, and Hungarianspeakers.^{[citation needed]}

At the end of 2009, ISTAT estimated that there were 15,795 foreign born residents in Trieste, representing 7.7% of the total city population. The largest autochthonous minority are Slovenes, but there is also a large immigrant group from Balkan nations (particularly nearby Croatia, Albania and Romania): 4.95%, Asia: 0.52%, and sub-saharan Africa: 0.2%.Serbian community consists of both autochthonous^[23] and immigrant groups.^[24] Trieste is predominantly Roman Catholic, but also has large numbers of Orthodox Christians, mainlySerbs, due to the city's large migrant population from Eastern Europe and its Balkan influence.^{[citation needed]}

The city's most spoken language is Italian and Slovene, Venetian^{[citation needed]} and Friulian language speakers.^{[citation needed]} There are also small groups of native German, Istro-Romanians and Hungarian speakers.^{[citation needed]}

The top ten countries of origin of the inhabitants of Trieste with foreign citizenship at December 31, 2010 were:^[25]

•  Serbia 5938
•  Romania 2066
•  Croatia 1515
•  China 1051
•  Albania 945
•  Bosnia 637
•  Ukraine 518
•  Kosovo 400
•  Moldova 383
•  Slovenia 382

Main sights

Trieste seafront

Piazza Unità d'Italia

Piazza Unità d'Italia by night

Castles

The Miramare Castle.

The Trieste Cathedral dedicated to Saint Justus

Serbian Orthodox Saint Spyridon Church, mid 19th century

Trieste City Hall.

The old city stock exchange

Miramar Castle

The Schloß Miramar, on the waterfront 8 km from Trieste, was built between 1856 and 1860 from a project by Carl Junker working under Archduke Maximilian. The Castle gardens provide a setting of beauty with a variety of trees, chosen by and planted on the orders of Maximilian, that today make a remarkable collection^{[citation needed]}. Features of particular attraction in the gardens include two ponds, one noted for its swans and the other for lotus flowers, the Castle annexe ("Castelletto"), a bronze statue of Maximilian, and a small chapel where is kept a cross made from the remains of the "Novara", the flagship on which Maximilian, brother of Emperor Franz Josef, set sail to become Emperor of Mexico. Much later, the castle was also the home of Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, the last commander of Italian forces in East Africa during the Second World War. During the period of the application of the Instrument for the Provisional Regime of the Free Territory of Trieste, as establish in the Treaty of Peace with Italy (Paris 10/02/1947), the castle served as headquarters for the United States Army's TRUST force.

Castle of San Giusto

Designed on the remains of previous castles on the site, it took almost two centuries to build. The stages of the development of the Castle's defensive structures are marked by the central part built under Frederick III (1470-1), the round Venetian bastion (1508-9), the Hoyos-Lalio bastion and the Pomis, or "Bastione fiorito" dated 1630.^{[citation needed]}

Places of worship

• The St. Justus Cathedral. Symbol of Italian Trieste during the Risorgimento. Named after the city's Patron, St. Justus.
• The Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity and St. Spyridon (1869). The building adopts the Greek-cross plan with five cupolas in the Byzantine tradition.[26]
• The Anglican Chiesa di Cristo (Christ Church) (1829)
• The Waldensian and Helvetian Evangelical Basilica of St. Silvester (11th century)
• The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (1682)
• The Augustan Evangelical-Lutheran Church (1874)
• The Greek Orthodox Church of San Nicolò dei Greci (1787). This church by the architect Matteo Pertsch (1818), with bell towers on both sides of the facade, follows the Austrian late baroque style.
• The Synagogue of Trieste (1912)
• The Temple of Monte Grisa (1960)
• Archaeological remains
• 
  
• Arch of Riccardo (33 BC)[citation needed]. It is a Roman gate built in the Roman walls in 33. It stands in Piazzetta Barbacan, in the narrow streets of the old town. It's called Arco di Riccardo ("Richard's Arch") because is believed to have been crossed by King Richard of England on the way back from the Crusades.
• Basilica Forense (2nd century)
• Palaeochristian basilica
• Roman Age Temples" : one dedicated to Athena, one to Zeus, both on the S.Giusto hill.
• The ruins of the temple dedicated to Zeus are next to the Forum, those of Athena's temple are under the basilica, visitors can see its basement.

Roman theatre

Trieste or Tergeste, which dates to the protohistoric period, was enclosed by walls built in 33–32 BC on Emperor Octavian’s orders. The city developed greatly during the 1st and 2nd centuries.

The Roman theatre lies at the foot of the San Giusto hill, facing the sea. The construction partially exploits the gentle slope of the hill, and much of the theatre is made of stone. The topmost portion of the amphitheatre steps and the stage were supposedly made of wood.

The statues that adorned the theatre, brought back to light in the 1930s, are now preserved at the Town Museum. Three inscriptions from the Trajan period mention a certain Q. Petronius Modestus, someone closely connected to the development of the theatre, which was erected during the second half of the 1st century.

Caves

In the whole Trieste province, there are 10 speleological groups out of 24 in the whole Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The Trieste plateau (Altopiano Triestino), called Kras or the Carso and covering an area of about 200 km² within Italy has approximately 1,500 caves of various sizes (like that of Basovizza, now a monument to the Foibe massacres).

Among the most famous are the Grotta Gigante, the largest tourist cave in the world, with a single cavity large enough to contain St Peter's in Rome, and the Cave of Trebiciano (350 m (1,148.29 ft) deep) at the bottom of which flows the Timavo River. This river dives underground at Škocjan Caves in Slovenia (they are on UNESCO list and only a few kilometres from Trieste) and flows about 30 km before emerging about 1 km from the sea in a series of springs near Duino, reputed by the Romans to be an entrance to Hades ("the world of the dead").

Others

• The Revoltella Museum - modern art gallery
• The Risiera di San Sabba (Risiera di San Sabba Museum)', a National monument. It was the only Nazi concentration camp with crematorium in Italy.
• The Foiba di Basovizza, a National monument. It is a reminder of the killings of Italians (and other ethnic groups) by Yugoslav partisans after World War II, the last episode of an interethnic violence begun in the 19th century, with the rise of nationalism, and heavily intensified by the Fascist government.
• Civico Museo di Storia Naturale di Trieste (natural history museum) containing fossils ofearly man.
• Civico Orto Botanico di Trieste, a municipal botanical garden
• Orto Botanico dell'Università di Trieste, the University of Trieste's botanical garden
• Val Rosandra, a national park on the border between the Province of Trieste and Slovenia.
• Caffè San Marco, historical cafè in the center of the city.
• Piazza Unità d'Italia, Trieste's central square surrounded by 19th century beautiful buildings.

Culture

Trieste has a lively cultural scene with various theatres. Among these are the Opera Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, Politeama Rossetti, the Teatro La Contrada, the Slovene language Slovensko Stalno Gledalisce, Teatro Miela, and a several smaller ones.

In the area of culture, the Slovenska gospodarsko-kulturna zveza - Unione Economica-Culturale Slovena is the umbrella organization bringing together cultural and economic associations belonging to the slovene-speaking minority.

Media

Newspaper

• Il Piccolo
• Primorski dnevnik

BROADCASTING

Television

• RAI Friuli Venezia-Giulia
• Tele Quattro

Radio

• Radio Fragola
• Radio Punto Zero

Publishing

• Asterios Editore
• Lint Editoriale

Education

The origins of the University of Trieste begin with the establishment of the Pasquale Revoltella Foundation for Economic and Business Studies in 1877. University facilities are located on two sites: the science and law faculties are located on a hill overlooking the city, and the arts faculties are located in the historical district close to the waterfront. The university has three centers of excellence: the Centre for Bio-Crystallography, the Centre of Telegeomatics, and the Centre of Nanotechnology. The university also coordinates the Central European Initiative (CEI) Network. Total enrollment: 27,000.

There are three international schools offering primary and secondary education programs in English in the greater metropolitan area: the International School of Trieste, the European School of Trieste, and the United World College of the Adriatic.The University of Trieste is a medium-size state supported institution that consists of 12 faculties, boasts a wide and almost complete range of university courses and currently has about 23,000 students enrolled and 1,000 professors. It was founded in 1924. Trieste also hosts the Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati(SISSA), a leading graduate and postgraduate teaching and research institution in the study of mathematics and theoretical physics, and the MIB School of Management Trieste, a private, ASFOR accredited business school.

The city hosts numerous national and international scientific institutions, among which:AREA Science Park, which comprises ELETTRA, a syncrotron particle accelerator with free-electron laser capabilities for research and industrial applications; the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, which operates under a tripartite agreement among the Italian Government, UNESCO, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); the Trieste Astronomical Observatory; the Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), which carries out research on oceans and geophysics; the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, a United Nations centre of excellence for research and training in genetic engineering and biotechnology for the benefit of developing countries; ICS-UNIDO, a UNIDO research centre in the areas of renewable energies, biofuels, medicinal plants, food safety and sustainable development; the Carso Center for Advanced Research in Space Optics; and the secretariats of the Third World Academy of Sciences(TWAS) and of the InterAcademy Panel: The Global Network of Science Academies (IAP).

Sports

The local "calcio" club is called Triestina, one of the oldest in Italy. Indeed, the U.S. Triestina Calcio in 1947/48 was the runner up in the Italian Serie "A" after the champion Torino.

Trieste is notable for having had two football clubs participating in the championships of two different nations at the same time during the period of the Free Territory of Trieste.Triestina played in the Italian Serie A. Although it faced relegation after the first seasonafter the Second World War, the FIGC changed the rules to keep it in, as it was seen as important to keep a club of the city in the Italian league, while Yugoslavia had its eye on the city. In the championship of next season the club played its best season with a 3rd place finish. Meanwhile, Yugoslavia bought A.S.D. Ponziana, a small team in Trieste, which under a new name, Amatori Ponziana Trst, played in the Yugoslavian league for 3 years.^[27]Triestina went bankrupt in the 1990s, but after being re-founded regained a position in the Italian second division Serie B in 2002. Ponziana was renamed as "Circolo Sportivo Ponziana 1912" and currently plays in Friuli-Venezia Giulia Group of Promozione, who is 7th level of Italian league.

Trieste also boasts a famous basketball team Pallacanestro Trieste, which reached its zenith in the 1990s when, with large financial backing from sponsors Stefanel, it was able to sign players such as Dejan Bodiroga, Fernando Gentile and Gregor Fučka, all stars of European basketball.

Many sailing clubs have roots in the city which contribute to Trieste's strong tradition in that sport. The Barcolana regatta, which had its first edition in 1969, is the world's largest sailing race by number of participants.

Local sporting facilities include Stadio Nereo Rocco with seating capacity of 32500;Palatrieste, an indoor sporting arena sitting 8500, and Piscina Bruno Bianchi, a large olympic size swimming pool,

Transport

The Porto Vecchio, also showing Trieste Centrale railway station

Trieste Centrale railway station

A car of the Opicina Tramway

Maritime transport

Trieste's maritime location and its former long term status as part of the Austrianand Austro-Hungarian empires made the Port of Trieste the major commercial port for much of the landlocked areas of central Europe. In the 19th century, a new port district known as the Porto Nuovo was built northeast to the city centre.

In modern times, Trieste's importance as a port has declined, both due to the annexation to Italy, for Italy's wider choice of better located ports, and the competition with the nearby new port of Koper in Slovenia. However, there is significant commercial shipping to the container terminal, steel works and oil terminal, all located to the south of the city centre. After many years of stagnation, a change in the leadership placed the port on a steady growth path, recording a 40% increase[clarification needed] in shipping traffic as of 2007.

Rail transport

Railways came early to Trieste, due to its port and the need to transport people and goods inland. The first railroad line to reach Trieste was the Südbahn in 1857. This railway stretches for 1400 km to Lviv, Ukraine, via Ljubljana, Slovenia;Sopron, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; and Kraków, Poland, crossing the backbone of the Alps mountains through the Semmering Pass near Graz. It approaches Trieste through the village of Villa Opicina, a few kilometres from the big city but over 300 metres higher in elevation. Due to this, the line takes a 32 kilometer detour to the north, gradually descending before terminating at the Trieste Centrale railway station.

A second trans-Alpine railway was dedicated in 1906, with the opening of theTransalpina Railway from Vienna, Austria via Jesenice and Nova Gorica. This railway also approached Trieste via Villa Opicina, but it took a rather shorter loop southwards towards Trieste's other main railway station, the Trieste Campo Marzio railway station, south of the central station. This line no longer operates, and the Campo Marzio station is now a railway museum.

To facilitate freight traffic between the two stations and the nearby dock areas, a temporary railway line known as the Rivabahn was built along the waterfront in 1887.[citation needed]This railway survived until 1981, when it was replaced by the Galleria di Circonvallazione, a 5.7 kilometer railway tunnel route, to the east of the city. Freight services from the dock area now include container services to northern Italy and to Budapest, Hungary, together with rolling highway services to Salzburg, Austria and Frankfurt, Germany.

Passenger rail service to Trieste now mostly consists of trains to and from Venice, Italy, connecting there with trains to Rome and Milan at Mestre. These trains reach the Trieste central station bypassing the Gulf of Trieste, connecting with the Südbahn's northern loop. International trains between Italy and Slovenia now pass through Villa Opicina, bypassing Trieste.

Trieste will be connected to the Italian TAV railway network: a 300 km/hour fast train route is going to connect Trieste with Venice in the next years.

Air transport

Trieste is served by Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport (IATA code: TRS), located at Ronchi nearMonfalcone at the head of the Gulf of Trieste.

Local transport

Local public transport in Trieste is operated by Trieste Trasporti, which operates a network of around 60 bus routes and two boat services. They also operate the Opicina Tramway, a hybrid between tramway and funicular railway providing a more direct link between the city centre and Villa Opicina.

Notable people

Main article: People from Trieste

International relations

Trieste hosts the Secretariat of the Central European Initiative, an intergovernmental organization among Central and South-Eastern European states.

1. Piazza dell'Unita d'Italia

Description:

The Piazza and main square in Trieste is one of the biggest in Europe that faces the sea and is certainly an imposing sight for those coming into Trieste for the first time. 

The LowDown:
The Piazza of Italian Unity is certainly an impressive sight due to its size and the buildings that surround it on 3 sides and the sea on the other. It was given its current name in 1955 when Trieste was ceded to Italy and its current architecture is mostly from the Austrian period of rule around the 1800 to 1900's.

In summer it is a favourite meeting spot with cosy sidewalk cafes serving coffee, drinks and snacks. It is also sometimes used for concerts. Dusk is a great time to take photos in the square and at night the building facades are illuminated bringing the whole square to life. Blue mood lighting on the ground throughout the square giving the square a timeless yet at the same time, modern feel. The Piazza is an amazing place to spend an evening. 

Where is it \ How to get there?: 
The Piazza is hard to miss if you are in Trieste. From the train\bus station, walk south about 600m along the waterfront past the canale and it will appear before you!

2. Miramare Castle

Description:
A trip to Trieste is not complete without a visit to the maginificent Miramare Castle, built by the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian so that the Commander of the Imperial Navy could gaze out at the often turbulent blue seas of the Adriatic.

The Low Down: 
Situated just 8km north of the city of Trieste, the beautiful white castle sits on the seas edge and comprises of the castle plus an impressive 54 acres of parks and gardens. Designed by the Archduke himself, they comprise of tropical and native plants within beautifully landscaped surroundings.

Designed and built between 1856 and 1860, the Archduke and his wife Charlotte had little use of the castle as he was appointed Emperor of Mexico in 1864 and was subsequently shot and died in 1867. Charlotte returned in 1866 and had a nervous breakdown before leaving for Belgium shortly afterwards.

All the rooms still feature the original furnishings, ornaments, furniture and objects dating back to the middle of the 19th century. As a result the castle has remained largely intact and gives the visitor an insight into the personality of Maximilian.Where is it \ How to get there?: 
BY CAR:
From the motorway coming into Trieste:
Take the Motorway A4 and exit from the tollgate Monfalcone Est (“Lisert”), continue until you turn into the slip road to “Sistiana”; then continue on the SR14 (Regional Road, formerly the SS14, panoramic coastal road) until the turning to the right towards “Grignano Mare” (secondary entrance of Miramare Park in Grignano)
or
towards the following road sign “Castello di Miramare” (main entrance on the sea-front - Viale Miramare).
From Trieste:
Take viale Miramare close to the railway station of Trieste Centrale, continue on it following the road signs to Miramare Castle.
From Slovenia:
From the border post of Sesana-Fernetti: continue in the direction of Opicina, follow the road signs to Trieste and Miramare. Kilometres from the border post: 9,5. From the border post of Skofie-Rabuiese: continue in the direction of Aquilinia, follow the road signs toward Trieste and Miramare. Kilometres from the border post: 16.

BY TRAIN:
Get off at the railway station of Trieste C.le, and nearby you will find a bus stop for No. 6 and No. 36 bus to Miramare - Grignano (lines with seasonal variations). Alternatively: get off at the railway station of Miramare, where some regional trains stop (secondary entrance of Miramare Park “Via Beirut”, about 15 – 20 minutes’ walking distance from the entrance of the Castle).
www.ferroviedellostato.it

BY BUS:
By public Bus:
In winter: get on the Bus no. 36 to Grignano (from “piazza Oberdan”: every 20 minutes, the bus can also be boarded at the bus stop on “viale Miramare” close to the railway station of Trieste C.le) and get off at the bus stop immediately after the two tunnels of Miramare (access “SR 14” to the Park, located between the two tunnels; about a 15 minutes’ walk to reach the Castle) or
get off at the Grignano terminus (next to Grignano harbour go up stairs until Park gate, about a 20 minutes’ walk to reach the Castle)
In summer: (from 13th June to 12th September 2010): get on the Bus no. 6 to Grignano (get off at the bus stop immediately after the two tunnels of Miramare or at the Grignano terminus, because its route is like that of the bus no. 36 in winter) or get on the Bus no. 36 to Bivio - Miramare (get off at the Grignano terminus). However, it is strongly advised to check on the website www.triestetrasporti.it to verify the actual functioning of the service and the timetable.
By suburban bus route:
Lines no. 1, 26, 51 of APT - “Azienda Provinciale Trasporti di Gorizia” www.aptgorizia.it

During the summer a sea link is available: sailing from the city centre (“Molo Audace”) or from Barcola or Sistiana, there is a ferry that leads straight to Grignano Bay. www.triestetrasporti.it
courtesy www.castello-miramare.it 

Price List:	Castle Hours:	Park Hours:
Adults: 6 euros EU citizens <18 and >65: free EU citizens 18-25: 4 euros	Every day 0900-1900	Nov-Feb 0800-1700 Mar+Oct 0800-1800 Apr-Sep 0800-1900

3. Canal and Saint Antonio

Description:
The Canal is the prized jewel in the centre of Trieste and is lined with beautiful buildings and outdoor cafes which lead up to the amazing sight of Saint Antonio Church, the largest in Trieste. If in Trieste, you are sure to end up here and it is a great spot to stop for a coffee. 
The Low Down:
The canal was built in the 18th century so that larger ships could come into Trieste and unload their cargo. Today, only smaller boats line the canal walls and the canal is a beautiful place to wander at night when the streetlights glisten and reflect on the water.

The church of Saint Antonio was built 100 years later and is a fitting sight at the head of the canal just beyond The Piazza Ponterosso. The interior is well worth a visit. The Piazza Ponterosso is a high point for fans of James Joyce. At number 3 lies the house of Joyce and his wife Nora, who stayed in Trieste from 1904 to 1915 and again in 1919-20. In the centre of the Piazza you will find an interesting fountain, known as the Fontana del Giovannin del Ponterosso. It was built in 1753.

The Palazzo Gopcevich, located at the end of the Canale Grande, is a magnificent building that is frequently overlooked because of the imposing St. Anthonio. It was constructed in the 19th century in the neo-Renaissance style and was ordered as part of Maria Theresa's revitalization of the central area. Today, the Palazzo Gopcevich is used more as an exhibition space than any sort of architectural temple. Art and other such shows are frequently held here (so check with the Comune as to what is on when you visit). Even if nothing is on, or it isn't to your taste, there is still quite a lot of joy that comes from marvelling at the pink-and-white façade 

Where is it\How to get there?: 
The Grande Canale is located half way between the train station and the Piazza Unita. Simply take the Corso Cavour from the train station and you will come across the beautiful canal a few blocks down. 

4. Castello di San Giusto

Description:
The Castello di San Giusto is a distinctive and beautiful church and museum which sits above Trieste offering stunning views of the town and sea below. It is often the focal point of the town when religious and military celebrations take place and is a great place to visit! 

The Low Down:
What we see today is two basilicas from the 9-11th centuries that were joined together around the 14th-15th century on the site of a Roman place of worship. The castle has many rooms open to the public. Inside the castle you can visit the Casa del Capitano which houses a collection of weaponry and a collection of furniture and other things. The mosaics in the apse and on the walls are particularly stunning. Casa del Capitano is the oldest building in the castle (1470-1630). Moreover temporary exhibitions are held at the castle.

Walking through the Roman forum and along the terraces of the castle one can take in lovely views of Trieste, the Gulf and nearby hills. The surrounding Parco della Rimembranza (Rememberance Park) was built to honour the memory of those who died in WWI. It is a great little oasis of peace and quiet, away from the hustle and bustle below. 

Where is it\How to get there?:
The Castello di San Giusto is located up the hill as you head inwards from the Piazza D'Italia. Looking at the Hill from the Piazza, you can approach the summit from either the left or right side (Corso Italia or the Via della Cattedrale\Via del Castello).

5. Roman Theatre

Description:
There arent many roman remains to be found in Trieste but the Theatre in the centre of town is a must-see!

The Low Down:
Dating back to the 1st-2nd century, the Roman Theatre was only unearthed last century by archaeologists. The theatre seated about 6000 spectators and looked over the sea which was much closer to the theatre than it is today.

Where is it \ How to get there?:
The Teatro Romano lies at the foot of the San Guisto hill and a few blocks behind the Piazza Unita d'Italia.

6. Opcina Tramway

Description:
The Opcina Tram is a fun way to get to and from Trieste and Villa Opcina and there are great views from the top. If you have time, then please climb aboard!

The Low Down:
The 6 trams that make up this Trieste icon have been running since 1920. The hybrid Tram\Funicular leaves from the Oberdan Piazza near the centre of Trieste and tourists are treated to some great views along the way as it snakes its way up to its highest point of 348m at the Obelisk before arriving in Villa Opcina some 5km away.

During its journey on flat terrain, it operates as a normal tram. On the rise, it needs to be pushed up by cable tractors and the gradient is 26%. This is a great way to visit Villa Opcina, Slovenia and the Giant Cave. 

Where is it \ How to get there?:
Catch the tram from the Oberdan Piazza near the centre of Trieste and only a short walk south of the train station. 

Price List:

Adults: 1.10 euros

Operating Hours:

The tram runs every 20 minutes from Trieste from 0700-2000 at 11,31 and 51 minutes and from Villa Opcina every 00, 20 and 40 minutes of the hour.

7. Museums

Description: 
Trieste has a good selection of great museums to visit on a rainy day including the Civico Museo della Risiera di San Sabba and the Museo Revoltella.

The Low Down:
Civico Museo della Risiera di San Sabba
A former rice husking facility, this building is famous for being the site of the only extermination camp in Italy during the German occupation in WW2. Since 1965, the Civico Museo della Risiera di San Sabba has been a national monument to the memory of up to 5,000 people who lost their lives here. At the end of the war the building was partially destroyed by fleeing Nazis, trying to eliminate proof of the horrors they committed.
Restored in 1975, this is a frightening place to visit; the death cells are open to visit as well as 17 detention cells, and a historic, photographic exhibition. Do not miss out on a visit.
Museo della Risera di San Sabba

Museo Revoltella
The Revoltella Museum is an important modern art gallery that originated from an institution founded in 1872 by Baron Pasquale Revoltella (1795 – 1869).
Revoltella bequeathed his palace and his art collection to the city of Trieste; but in addition to the building and the objects contained within he also bestowed a conspicuous revenue to the museum. This allowed for the continuous increase of patrimony and accumulation, in a remarkably short time, of a considerable art collection.
By the end of the 19th century the collection included a number of important Italian artists, such as Francesco Hayez, Domenico Morelli, Giacomo Favretto, Urbano Nono and Filippo Palizzi, as well as a good number of foreign artists.
Today the Museum occupies a complex of three buildings, forming an entire block (enclosed by Piazza Venezia, Via Diaz, Via Cadorna and Via San Giorgio). The Basevi building, the third and smallest palace faces Via San Giorgio and houses the museum's management and administration offices.
Museo Revoltella

San Guisto Civic Museum (Lapidarium Tergestino)\ San Giusto City Museum of Armoury
Located inside the Castle of S. Giusto in the 16th century Bastione Lalio / Sotterraneo, the museum it exhibits Roman tombstone findings. Inside the Lapidarium Tergestino it is possible to see the history of many different locations around Trieste.

The city museum, located in the Captain's House, inside the San Guisto Castle, hosts a rich collection of spears, edged weapons and firearms (armour, swords, daggers, guns, etc) both Italian and European, from the 12th to the 19th centuries.

Joyce Museum
The Joyce museum of Trieste has collected and preserved original material and documents pertaining to the period that Joyce spent in Trieste. Great for all those looking to deepen their knowledge of this historic figure and the works of the Irish writer. The Joyce museum has an up to date library including editions of his works, and a complete collection of some of the major magazines speaking about Joyce the man and his works in English. (As well as videos and multimedia technology.)
Museo James Joyce Trieste

.

Museo Risorgimento
The museum of Risorgimento is hosted on the first floor of the Combatant's House and it preserves documents, photographs, uniforms, relics, decorations and paintings concerning facts and people of the Italian Risorgimento, from the 1848 uprisings to the First World War, with particular reference to Trieste and to the Julian area. It is laid-out in six halls: The Origins and 1848; Garibaldi and the Julian garibaldini Mazzini and Trieste; Oberdan and the preparations for the intervention; the volunteers; the Gold Medals; Trieste and the "Redemption". Outside there is the Sacrarium, dedicated to the memory of the patriot from Trieste, Guglielmo Oberdan, with the prison cell and the monumental statue by Attilio Selva.

8. Duino Castle

Description:

The road to Trieste reveals yet another spectacular castle that is every bit as enchanting and beautiful as the Miramare. Tour the castle and the grounds and then simply admire the stunning views of the sea, coastline and surrounding area. Superb. 

The Low Down:
Looking out at the Gulf of Trieste and built on a former Roman military post, the current structure of the imposing Castello di Duino began in the 14th century. The one time prison is still residence to the Princes Von Thurn and Taxis, who have maintained it well through the years.
The highlight of the castle is the view from the 16th century tower and visitors can tour the 18 superb rooms before having a peek at the bookstore and bar. The Palladio staircase is also a masterpiece of its time and there is even a bunker from WW2 that has been restored and now houses period antiques.
Outside there are terraces overlooking the vast blue sea. The castle has been opened to the public as a museum and park since 2003 , it can be booked for weddings, dinners and other events.
There is a magnificent 2km walking path between the castle and Sistiana offering superb views over the sea from the edge of the cliffs.

Where is it\How to get there?:

The Duino Castle is situated 25km north of Trieste along the coast at Duino.

Price List:

Adults: 8 euros Children 7-16: 3.50 euros Seniors\Students: 5 euros Under 7: free

Operating Hours:

From 17th March to 31st March 2012: from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays) From April 2012 to mid-October 2012: from 9.30 a.m to 5.30 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays) From second half of October 2012 to 4th November 2012: from 9.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays)

9. Muggia

Description:
The chain of hills leading down to its 7km coastline has many charms to lure people to this beautiful little territory between Trieste and Slovenia. Come and spend a day exploring all that Muggia has to offer!

The Low Down:
Muggia (Slovene: Milje) is a small Italian comune in the extreme south-east of Trieste lying on the border with Slovenia. Technically, Muggia is the last and only piece of Istria still in Italian territory, after the dissolution of the Free Territory of Trieste in 1954.

Just before the year 1000, a settlement was built on the seashore and in the 13th century the new town of Muggia pronounced itself a municipality. The Duomo and Palazzo del Comune date back to this time. Visitors can also bear witness to its Prehistoric, Roman and Medieval past at sites like Castelliere on Mt Castellier and the Basilica de Muggia Vecchia. Under Austrian rule, it was an important ship building and naval centre until WW2.

Muggia has something for everyone to enjoy. Inland, it is bordered by the beauty of Mt Castellier, Mt San Michele and Monte D'Oro before sweeping down to the bathing resorts around the small but bustling harbour at San Bartolomeo. A new nautical leisure centre was built at Porto San Rocco a few years ago. At the heart of the town is the wonderful Piazza Marconi. Muggia is a charming town to explore on foot.

Don't miss the Carnival of Muggia or "Carneval de Muja", with traditional Venetian origins and with influences from the Istrian peninsula. It absorbs the entire population who assist in making colorful Carnival floats and colourful masks during mid February.Where is it \ How to get there?: 
By Car:
Either pass through the town centre of Trieste and follow the signs for Muggia or bypass Trieste and keep driving along the motorway until you find the signs for Muggia. This road is not as scenic, but it is the shortest way to reach Muggia.
By Train:
From the train station of Trieste , take bus number 20, which will lead you to Muggia in approximately 40 minutes.
By Boat:
There is a ferry that runs from Trieste to Muggia, leaving every hour from the 'Molo Pescheria'. 

10. Lighthouse

Description:
The beautiful Victory or Vittoria Lighthouse, shines down on the Gulf of Trieste and is one of the tallest in the world. If you have time to spare, it is well worth the trip to visit the site of the lighthouse where you can take some magnificent pictures of the Gulf and city below. 

The Low Down:
The Vittoria Light (or Victory Lighthouse), sits on Gretta Hill and sends its beam down towards Trieste helping ships navigate the Gulf below. At a height of 223 feet (68 m) it is one of the tallest lighthouses in the world.

The lighthouse designed by Arduino Berlam and sculptor Giovanni Mayer was completed in 1927 and the structure also commemorates the fallen of the first world war, as testified by the inscription "SHINE AND REMIND OF THE FALLEN AT SEA MCMXV-MCMXVIII" The Crow's Nest covered with a copper dome is topped by the famous statue from Mayer called "Winged Victory".

The site of the lighthouse is open to the public but only the lower part is accessible. The lighthouse is open daily except Wednesdays from April 1 through September 30 and on Sundays and major feast days during the rest of the year.

The lantern stands at about 130 meters above average sea-level and it is made up by a lighting body of an average power of 1,250,000 candles with a range of 34 - 35 nautical miles.

Where is it\How to get there?:
The Lighthouse is situated about 3km north of Trieste on Strada del Friuli which is just off the main coastal road that leads into Trieste (Viale Miramare). 

11. Grotto Gigante (Giant Cave)

Description:
The Giant Cave lives up to its name as many are left in awe at the sheer scale of the central cavern and the beauty of the many stalactities and stalagmites. Located just north of Trieste and Villa Opcina, this is a great place to visit whilst in Trieste so don't miss out! 

The Low Down:
The Grotta Gigante (giant cave) got its name from the huge central cavern. Measuring 107 metres (351 ft) high, 65 metres (213 ft) wide and 130 metres (430 ft), it entered the Guiness Book of Records in the 90's as the world's largest tourist cave.

A guide will lead you down a flight of 500 steep steps that lead you down into the enormous cave system where guests are left in awe to view the stalactities and stalagmites that cover the floor and ceiling. The most impressive is said to be the Colonna Ruggero which stands at 12 metres and 200,000 years old.

After you walk through the main cave, you are led through a short tunnel where you are greeted with an amazing view of the vast chamber below. A few moments later you climb another 500 steps and reach the surface again to end your tour which lasts around 45 minutes to an hour.

Opened in 1908, the cave's temperature sits at a cool 11 degrees celsius so make sure you are dressed appropriately and have good walking shoes as the cave is damp and you'll enjoy good traction under your feet! Like most other caves, no photography is allowed. There is a small cafe and stall selling souvenirs at the entrance.Where is it \ How to get there?: 
The Caves are located north of Trieste and just north of Villa Opcina.
By Bus: From the centre Trieste take bus no42 from Piazza Oberdan to Borgo Grotta Gigante;
By Tram: Also from Piazza Oberdan, take the tram to Opicina, then take bus no42 for another 15 minutes to Borgo Grotta Gigante.
Buses operate every 30 minutes or so during the main daylight hours. 

Price List:	Operating Hours:
Adults: 11 euros Children 6-16: 8 euros Youngies 3-6: 1 euro Infants under 3: Free Seniors\Students: 9 euros	October to March 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600 April to September 1000, 1030, 1100, 1130, 1200, 1230, 1300, 1330, 1400, 1430, 1500, 1530, 1600, 1630, 1700, 1730, 1800

12. Viale XX Septembre

Description:
This elegant avenue could be said to be Trieste's social hub. A great place to meet and socialise or just people watch. 

The Low Down:
The Viale stretches over a kilometer and takes in four of the seven districts of Trieste. The first section is completely closed to traffic but not the second. The avenue is named after the breach of Porta Pia (see your Italian history), which occurred precisely on 20 September 1870. In the past, the road was known as the Aqueduct Street, since even today the aqueduct passes under the concrete city.

The avenue is a great place of recreation for young people, and offers many attractions. For example, during the period of St. Nicholas or carnival, stalls are set up. At this time of the year the road is crowded with people. The street is also home to many of the cinemas in Trieste (National Ambassadors, Fellini and Giotto). It is also the home of Rossetti Politeama, a school and numerous restaurants, pubs, bars and fast food.Where is it \ How to get there?: 
From the Canale, follow the road inland until you reach Via Giosue Carducci and Viale 20 Septembre is located just over the road slightly off Via Cesare Battisti.