| IntroductionTrieste is an Adriatic coastal city in | | | | central European and Eastern Mediterranean culture |
| northeastern Italy, close | | | | in |
| to the border with Slovenia. The sea in the Gulf of | | | | Trieste is said to have had a great influence on his |
| Trieste is | | | | writing.Joyce was English tutor to Itali Svevo, the |
| very clear and clean, with limestone cliffs and rocky | | | | Italian novelist. |
| beaches. The centre of the city has a mid-European | | | | Svevo was born in Trieste in 1861, his Mother was |
| feel, | | | | part of a |
| more Austrian than Italian, Trieste was the seaport | | | | Triestian Jewish family, and his Father was of |
| of the | | | | German |
| Hapsburg Empire.Unique PointsYou can enjoy a | | | | descent. Joyce encouraged and praised Svevo's |
| combination of a sea/beach holiday and the | | | | work and |
| attractions of a cultural city.It is an ideal destination | | | | Svevo wrote critiques of Joyce's work.Svevo's |
| for a short break but you could | | | | book, "The Confessions of Zeno", was virtually |
| easily spend a week here too. The Verdi Theatre | | | | ignored in Italy. However Joyce recommended the |
| hosts an | | | | book to |
| opera season in the winter and an operetta festival | | | | publishers in France, where it was hailed as a |
| in | | | | masterpiece. |
| summer. You can swim in the beautiful clear sea, | | | | The book is an autobiography of Zeno, written for |
| stroll the | | | | Zeno's |
| promenade, and walk along the cliff paths. Take in | | | | psychoanalyst, to help get to the bottom of his |
| the | | | | smoking |
| wonderful art collection at the Revoltella Museum. | | | | addiction.Svevo is credited by Welleck as "an Italian |
| You can | | | | novelist with |
| sip coffee on Piazza Unita Italia with its grand 19th | | | | permanent appeal as a psychoanalytical psychologist |
| century | | | | and |
| buildings, which face onto the sea.Getting | | | | as a portrayer of the inhabitants of Austrian and |
| thereRyanair flies into Trieste from London | | | | later Italian |
| Standsted. The | | | | Trieste and their often uncertain national |
| airport is 35 kms west of Trieste but there is regular | | | | allegiance."Jan Morris wrote the book, "Trieste and |
| public | | | | the Meaning of |
| transport on Coach 51 into Trieste.Getting aroundIf | | | | Nowhere". Morris claims this is her final book, a self- |
| you do decide to hire a car, it is worth checking that | | | | examination based in Trieste. Morris changed gender. |
| you | | | | Jan Morris first visited Trieste at the end of the |
| can take it into Slovenia and Croatia if you are | | | | Second |
| considering | | | | World War as young Welsh soldier. She describes |
| day trips there.Trieste has a good public transport | | | | how the |
| network.There is a "Trieste by Bus" city tour in 13 | | | | city "curiously haunted her" . She revisited the city |
| stops. This is | | | | as an |
| available on Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm from | | | | elderly woman.Morris describes Trieste as "natural |
| the end of | | | | capital of the nation of |
| June to mid October. The two and a half hour trip | | | | nowhere". By this she means a home for the |
| allows | | | | so-called |
| you to see the city's main attractions. The cost is | | | | "Fourth World" . This is a scattered group with the |
| around | | | | common |
| five euros per person.You can take the Opicani tram | | | | values of humour and understanding, usually exiles in |
| up to the Carso plateau, 348 | | | | their |
| metres above sea level. This funicular tramway was | | | | own communities but probably numerous enough to |
| built in | | | | form |
| 1902. The tram leaves from Piazza Oberdan in the | | | | their own nation.I laughed at Clay Risen's comment in |
| city | | | | his piece about |
| centre up Scorolo hill to the plateau | | | | Trieste in the Square Table in Spring 2003. He |
| above.HistoryAccording to folklore Trieste was | | | | observed |
| founded by Tergeste, a | | | | that "Trieste is the only city in Eruope which appears |
| friend of Jason and the Argonauts. Ancient Tergeste | | | | more |
| as a | | | | often in reflective essays than in guide books of |
| Roman colony is dated to around 178 BC. It became | | | | newspaper |
| more | | | | travel sections."Exploring the cityThe best way to |
| important during the reign of Octavian when roads | | | | explore the city is to walk around.The Piazza dell' |
| were | | | | Unita d'Italia is the heart of the city. The |
| improved.The city has had many rulers during its | | | | square was created towards the end of the 19th |
| history: Goths, | | | | century. It |
| Byzantines, and Lombards. In the 13th century | | | | houses the City Hall, with its clock tower featuring |
| Trieste was | | | | statues of |
| forced to swear allegiance to Venice. To escape | | | | Mikeze and Lakeze, figures from Trieste folklore; |
| Venetian | | | | Government House, with its gilded mosaic wall |
| domination, Trieste sought the protection of Duke | | | | decorations; and the former Head Office of Lloyd |
| Leopold | | | | Triestino, |
| of Austria. Trieste was of great importance to the | | | | built in Renaissance style by an Austrian |
| Hapsburg | | | | architect.The Victory Lighthouse lights the Gulf of |
| Empire as a seaport and was made a Freeport in | | | | Trieste and |
| 1719. | | | | commemorates the dead of the First World War. It |
| Without customs barriers the port and city | | | | stands |
| flourished.At the end of the First World War with | | | | almost 70 metres high with a scaled dome containing |
| collapse of the | | | | a |
| Hapsburg Empire, Trieste was returned to Italy in | | | | statue of winged Victory. At the base of the |
| 1918. | | | | column is the |
| Trieste was taken over by the Third Riech when | | | | anchor of the torpedo boat Audace, the first Italian |
| Italy | | | | ship to |
| withdrew from the Second World Ward in | | | | enter the harbour in 1918. The lighthouse took 4 |
| September 1943. | | | | years to |
| Two years later there was a 40-day Occupation by | | | | complete and was officially opened in 1927.The Old |
| Tito's | | | | Stock Exchange is a fine example of neo-classical |
| Yugoslav forces. After 9 years under an | | | | architecture, resembling a Greek temple. The Old |
| Anglo-American | | | | Stock |
| government Trieste was handed over to the Italian | | | | Exchange stands by the so called Grand Canal. |
| government.Trieste's history may help explain why | | | | However |
| 70% of Italians | | | | this is rather an misnomer as the canal is very short. |
| apparently did not know that Trieste was part of | | | | There |
| Italy in a | | | | is a statue of Joyce by one of the bridges.The Arco |
| recent opinion poll! | | | | di Riccard is a Roman gate to the city thought to |
| With EU enlargement Trieste is ideally placed as the | | | | date from 33 AD. It is in Piazzetta di Ricordo in the |
| only | | | | old city. |
| natural port in the centre of Europe. Trieste is one | | | | You can see the Roman amphitheatre at the foot |
| of three | | | | of San |
| finalists to host the international Expo of Science, | | | | Guisto hill.The Verdi Opera Theatre opened in 1801. |
| Technology and Culture in 2008. If its bid is | | | | It is of a similar |
| successful | | | | style to La Scala in Milan.MuseumsThere are many |
| there will be more investment in the area and | | | | museums in Trieste, most of which are |
| Trieste will | | | | closed on Mondays.Probably the best is The |
| become better known on the world map.Literary | | | | Revoltella Museum, which was |
| ConnectionsThe Irish author James Joyce lived in | | | | founded in 1872 when Baron Revoletta left his home |
| Trieste during the | | | | and art |
| early part of the 20th century. When he first arrived | | | | collection to the city of Trieste. He also set up an |
| he | | | | endowment, which enabled a larger collection to be |
| worked as a tutor at the Berlitz School of English. He | | | | acquired. The Art Gallery has now spread over three |
| went | | | | |
| on to write "The Dubliners", "The Portrait of an | | | | buildings in order to house the ever-expanding |
| Artist as a | | | | collection by |
| Young Man" and start "Ulysses" in Trieste. The rich | | | | many Italian and other artists. |
| mix of | | | | |