Piazza Unità d'Italia, Riva, Waterfront
- Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino, Government Palace, Il Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino, The fountain of the four continents, Palazzo Berlam, Palazzo Modell, Palazzo Carciotti, MSC Splendida cruise ship
Piazza Unità d'Italia (Italian Unity Square) is the main square and heart of Trieste. Until 1918 it was the 4th largest city in Austria-Hungary and the most important port city in the powerful Habsburg Dynasty, 1382-1918. The architecture of the palaces along the perimeter of the square is Austrian, and not Italian. This large square faces the Adriatic Sea and around the square is the City Hall – Palazzo Municipale di Trieste (built 1873-1875 and designed by Giuseppe Bruni) with its iconic clock tower, Prefettura di Trieste (Government Palace), Il Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino (the Building of Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Palazzo Modello and Palazzo Pitteri. Many beautiful sculptures can be found in the buildings, for example the Venus sculpture that is part of the façade of the Government Palace and two thin columns stand on the waterfront side. “The fountain of the four continents” (La fontana del bergamasco Giovanni Battista Mazzoleni) is a large, beautiful and signifant sculpture and fountain by Giovanni Mazzoli, in front of the City Hall. It is a symbol of the then known four continents of the world. Piazza Unità d'Italia is sometimes used for concerts, in 2016 Iron Maiden played on the square for 15,000 fans and in 2013 Green Day played there. Before 1919 Piazza Unità d'Italia was called Piazza Grande (Great Square) and it is often used for states of heads and meeting. When we visited the square, and outdoor wedding was taking place in front of the City Hall, to the tunes of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”.
Riva is the waterfront that follows the city center, and is also the waterfront side of Piazza Unità d'Italia. It switches names were it goes, from Northeast to Southwest; Riva Tre Novembre, Riva del Mandracchio, Riva Nazario Sauro, and Riva Grumula. Many grandiose palaces can be seen here, marinas with boats, yachts and sometimes huge cruise ships. The most remarkable palaces, besides the ones that also connects to the Italian Unity Square, are Palazzo Berlam or Palazzo Aedes -a red brick New York inspired art deco building from 1928 that was Trieste’s first highrise -, Palazzo Carciotti with its Corinthian columns and dome, the pink neo-classicist Generali Bank, Savoia Excelsior Hotel and Teatro Verdi Trieste. There is also a church along Riva, the baroque/neo-classical Chiesa Greco Ortodossa di San Nicolò (Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas) and a landmark red brick clock tower that is part of the Marine Aquarium Building, that resembles the famous clock tower in Hong Kong. Molo Audace is a pier that goes about 200m out in the sea from Riva, with views of the city.
Piazza Unità d'Italia:
Riva, waterfront boulevard:
