With a multicultural, multireligious and mitteleuropean history, Trieste bears testimony to a rich past, which is still part of the city today. Such as the castles, which now host museums and events, and the churches, open and frequented as in the past.
Adored by Triestini and Umberto Saba, who would climb up here to collect ideas and thoughts and to admire the “surly grace” of his city, Colle San Giusto is one of the most fascinating places to see in Trieste. Along the way up, a plaque celebrates the poet’s verses:
“I crossed the whole city,
then climbed a slope,
crowded at first, deserted higher up,
closed off by a low wall,
a niche where I can sit alone,
and it seems to me that where the slope ends
the city also ends…”
Climbing up from the historic center, from the Roman Theater, along via della Cattedrale, you can start to catch glimpses of the medieval cathedral among the trees, with its magnificent rose window, then the grandiose castle, both dedicated to San Giusto, patron of Trieste. At the top of the hill was the first settlement in Roman times, attested by the remains of the basilica dating back to the 1st century CE, next to the castle, and from here you can still enjoy the extraordinary view of Trieste and its Gulf. In summer, the Cortile delle Milizie of San Giusto Castle becomes a splendid setting for a prestigious theater and music season.
