Regions

Trieste

Italy’s Vienna

A part of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1382 to 1918, Trieste reflects the influence of the Austrian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Because of this, the city is often referred to as the “Vienna by the sea.” It served as the monarchy’s main port on the Adriatic Sea and, for that reason, it grew to be the Empire’s fourth largest city—following Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. The location of Trieste made it a natural gateway for trade to Northern Italy, Austria, Central Europe, and Germany. Due to its connection to the Suez Canal and Turkey, it became known as the end of the Maritime Silk Road.

The history of Trieste, especially as it relates to Italy, is rather tumultuous. It did not become a part of Italy until it was annexed at the end of World War I, as a result of the provisions of the 1915 Treaty of London and the Italian-Yugoslav 1920 Treaty of Rapallo. For joining the Allied Powers in World War I, Italy had been promised significant land, and at the time, Trieste had a substantial Italian population. the level of tourism that other regional capitals do. The most notable landmark is the Castello Miramare, built from white Istrian stone in the 19th century for Archduke Maximilian of Austria. In addition to that are the 14th century cathedral of San Giusto and, opposite that, a Roman arch—Arco di Riccardo—which is believed to have been built in the 1st century BC. The city’s main square is the Piazza dell’Unità.

Today, a calm and pleasant ambiance spreads over the city, which was rated as one of the 25 best small towns in the world in 2020 and one of the ten safest cities in the world in 2021. Though a part of Italy, Trieste is a great way to experience Eastern European culture. In fact, because the city is located a few miles from an international border, buses make daily trips to Slovenia and back.

INTERESTING FACT: The only concentration camp with a crematorium that existed on Italian soil was constructed in Trieste following Italy’s armistice, which led to German occupation.

This did not, however, cement Trieste as a permanent part of Italy. The city was left fractured and war-torn since it was a main target of allied bombing during World War II. Following the war, Trieste was designated an independent city state—the Free Territory of Trieste—and was overseen by the United Nations. The territory was split into Zone A and Zone B, the former becoming a part of Italy in 1954 and the latter becoming a part of Yugoslavia (in today’s countries of Slovenia and Croatia).

Trieste lies in Italy’s northeastern region of FriuliVenezia Giulia, which serves as Italy’s border to Slovenia. While Italian is Trieste’s official and most widely used language, several other languages—including Slovene, German, and local dialect—are also prevalent.

Trieste sits on the Gulf of Trieste, perched on the Karst Plateau, which drops steeply into the sea. Though it serves as an important port city, Trieste does not attract

A port city on the Adriatic Sea, Trieste architecture reflects its history as a part of the Austrian Empire.

Trieste

Capital of: Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region Province: Trieste Population: 204,338 U.S. Sister Cities: None