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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Photo from Flickr, copyright Kurayba

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Beckov Castle

The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.

The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.

The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.

The history of the castle is the subject of different legends. One of them narrates the origin of the name of castle derived from that of jester Becko for whom the Duke Stibor had the castle built.

Another legend has it that the lord of the castle had his servant thrown down from the rock because he protected his child from the lords favourite dog. Before his death, the servant pronounced a curse saying that they would meet in a year and days time, and indeed precisely after that time the lord was bitten by a snake and fell down to the same abyss.

The well-conserved ruins of the castle, now the National Cultural Monument, are frequently visited by tourists, above all in July when the castle festival takes place. The former Ambro curia situated below the castle now shelters the exhibition of the local history.

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