San Giusto Castle, Trieste, Italy

In the prehistoric age on the hill of San Giusto there was a castelliere (fortified borough), which in the Roman age became an important urban centre. The fortress, built by the Venetians in the Middle Ages, was pulled down in the 14th century by will of the Patriarch of Aquileia and, in 1470 only, it was rebuilt by Friedrich II of Habsburg; the square tower and the two-storey building, which today houses the Castle Museum, date back to this period.

Under the rule of the Republic of Venice, which at the beginning of the 16th century had re-established its rule over Trieste, the castle's defences were strengthened and, under the Austrian rule again, the works continued until the building, in 1630, of the large ramparts and of the linking walls.

The fortified complex can be accessed from a ramp ending in a wooden drawbridge, over a not very wide moat; after crossing the cross-vaulted hall, you will reach the Piazzale delle Milizie (Square of the Troops), where stairs and allures lead to the ramparts.Since 1930 the castle has been a property of the Municipality, which has equipped it for tourist purposes and uses it for cultural events, shows and temporary exhibitions.

Since 2001 the Lalio rampart of the Castle of San Giusto has been housing the new Lapidario Tergestino, which preserves all the Roman stone finds that were previously displayed in the Orto Lapidario garden.

References:

Friuli Venezia Giulia Tourism

User Reviews

James Doohan (2 years ago)
Nice but a little difficult to find the entrance. Most nice views are from outside, not within, the castle.

Tomislav Brekalo (2 years ago)
Great way to see city panorama. Affordable price for ticket.

Matheus Anversa (2 years ago)
One of the most representative symbols of the city, San Giusto Castle stands on the hill of the same name, overlooking Trieste, its gulf and the hinterland. Built in stages between 1468 and 1636 by will of the Austrian emperors, it now appears as a triangular fortified complex with bastions at the vertices. The Castle has been open to the public since 1936, when it was restored and transformed into a museum. From its ramparts, visitors can admire magnificent views, while inside they can visit two important sections of the Civic Museum of History and Art: the Civic Museum of San Giusto Castle-Armoury, and the Lapidario Tergestino, inside the Lalio Bastion.

Hari Krishnareddy (2 years ago)
This place should be visited and I recommend it. Very historic place

Ármin Telegdi (3 years ago)
An amazing historical remnant kept in a great shape. The fortress sits on the hilltop near to the port, and is easy to access from the city center. There's a smaller exhibition which is fascinating to visit -if weapons are parts of your interest-, but this place is a must-see because of the panorama! From the rounded tower there's a great view to the city and all the surrounding heights. At the entrance only cash is accepted, which can cause some trouble, as there's no ATM near the castle. This is hardly understandable in my opinion.

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Roman Walls of Lugo are an exceptional architectural, archaeological and constructive legacy of Roman engineering, dating from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. The Walls are built of internal and external stone facings of slate with some granite, with a core filling of a conglomerate of slate slabs and worked stone pieces from Roman buildings, interlocked with lime mortar.

Their total length of 2117 m in the shape of an oblong rectangle occupies an area of 1.68 ha. Their height varies between 8 and 10 m, with a width of 4.2 m, reaching 7 m in some specific points. The walls still contain 85 external towers, 10 gates (five of which are original and five that were opened in modern times), four staircases and two ramps providing access to the walkway along the top of the walls, one of which is internal and the other external. Each tower contained access stairs leading from the intervallum to the wall walk of town wall, of which a total of 21 have been discovered to date.

The defences of Lugo are the most complete and best preserved example of Roman military architecture in the Western Roman Empire.

Despite the renovation work carried out, the walls conserve their original layout and the construction features associated with their defensive purpose, with walls, battlements, towers, fortifications, both modern and original gates and stairways, and a moat.

Since they were built, the walls have defined the layout and growth of the city, which was declared a Historical-Artistic Ensemble in 1973, forming a part of it and becoming an emblematic structure that can be freely accessed to walk along. The local inhabitants and visitors alike have used them as an area for enjoyment and as a part of urban life for centuries.

The fortifications were added to UNESCO"s World Heritage List in late 2000 and are a popular tourist attraction.

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