Trieste

Today is Trieste day. We were met by our local guide, Daniella, and went on a walk around Trieste in the spring sunshine. OK, spring overcast. Most of the locals were still in puffer jackets, scarves and boots, but I braved it in shorts and short sleeves…it was brisk, sure, but not winter.

We started off in the main square, which is full of main square-type buildings. Daniella explained the history of Trieste, how it became the second-biggest port in Europe when the Austro-Hungarian empire was at its height. Students of geography will note that Austria and Hungary aren’t famed for their coastlines – the Habsburg empire had very little coastline, so when Trieste (then part of Slovenia) came under their rule, they expanded the small village to a huge port city. After the end of WWI, it was decided that Trieste would become part of Italy, and started to decline – Italy already had ports! In fact, Italy is almost all coastline!

Square-type building

Another square-type building

We visited the site of a Roman theatre, which was excavated during Mussolini’s time – he was big on Roman stuff, and was keen to show that Trieste had always been part of Italy, not Slovenia. We also visited two Orthodox churches: one Greek, and the other Serbian, full of mosaics and other churchy stuff. We also crossed the Grand Canal – basically an extension of the port so that goods could be brought further inland. Much of it has now actually been paved over.

The Roman theatre

Greek Orthodox church

 

Serbian Orthodox church

We also stopped by a statue of James Joyce. He lived in Trieste before the outbreak of WW1 – indeed, he and his wife Nora had just started decorating their apartment with the intention to remain – when war broke out and he returned to Ireland. He’d already written the first chapter of Ulysses here, and if he’d remained, who knows? We might be calling the author Giacomo Joccio. He returned after the war, but then said he no longer liked it.

We had an hour’s break for lunch, so selected a restaurant right next to the hotel. The breeze was still a bit fresh so we asked if we could sit inside? “No”. No explanation, no apology, just “No”. Ah well. We ate pasta and drank local beer.

Local beer

At 1:30pm we reconvened, this time to explore the outer regions of the city by bus. Our first stop was at the top of a hill, where two churches had been amalgamated into one. They date back to the Middle Ages originally, and contain more mosaics borrowed from Constantinople, as well as relics of their saints – San Giusto and San Sergius. San Giusto may or may not be the person that St Just is named for, but no-one really knows.    

Basilica San Giusto

We drove on, and up, to a modern church situated at the top of a hill. Whilst the church had little to recommend it (60s brutalist concrete), the views from the top are the best in, and of, the city. On a clear day you can see Venice to the West, and Slovenia and Croatia to the south-west. We didn’t have a clear day but could still see a long way.

Trieste from above

Our final stop was the rose garden of the former lunatic asylum. Long since closed down, the garden is still maintained, with 5,000 different varieties of rose. But I’ve seen flowers before.

In the evening we had an early dinner at the hotel – finally! Some seafood!, then went to see Rossini’s La Cenerentola – Cinderella to you and me. Performed in a traditional setting, but very well done all the same, and jolly good fun. You know the story.