Demolitions in the Area of Via Riborgo

This photograph documents the demolitions in the area of via Riborgo in Trieste in 1939. The image shows an urban area in full transformation: in the foreground, piles of rubble, stones, and wooden beams are stacked, while in the background some buildings appear already partially demolished, with facades gutted and the upper floors still accessible to the workers. Some people are visible both among the ruins and on the roofs, engaged in demolition work. The scene conveys the atmosphere of great urban change that affected Trieste on the eve of the Seconda guerra mondiale, when entire historic neighborhoods were demolished to make way for new constructions and to “modernizzare” the city according to the standards of the era.