Caffè Stella Polare is one of the most famous and historic venues in Trieste, a witness to the rich cultural and social fabric of the city.
Historical Context
Situated in the heart of the city, the Caffè Stella Polare was founded around the middle of the nineteenth century, during the Habsburg period, when Trieste was one of the most important ports of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At that time, caffè like this represented:
- Vital centers for the gathering of intellectuals, merchants, and travelers
- A sophisticated environment inspired by the Central European Viennese Kaffeehaus
Architecture and Transformations
The building that houses the caffè still preserves original elements of its nineteenth-century structure today. During the Habsburg period, the arrangement of the spaces and the refined decoration of the interiors were designed to evoke the elegance of Viennese salons, with:
- High ceilings
- Wooden boiserie
- Large mirrors
Over the course of the twentieth century, the venue underwent restorations and modernizations but has always maintained its historical charm intact.
The First Postwar Period
With the conclusion of the First World War and the annexation of Trieste to Italy, the Caffè Stella Polare became a meeting point for various strata of society:
- Nobles
- Officials
- Artists
- Famous exiles and refugees from Istria and Dalmatia who found a new home in Trieste
The caffè maintained its cosmopolitan vocation and established itself as a symbolic place of the city's cultural resilience.
Significant Events and Curiosities
During the Second World War, and in the difficult climate of the postwar period, the caffè remained a place of sociality and discussion, also frequented by Allied soldiers. Today the Stella Polare is famous also for having hosted writers, musicians, and artists, keeping alive the tradition of the Triestine literary caffè.
Note: Some sources differ on the exact dating of its foundation, attributing the beginnings of the venue to the '60s of the nineteenth century or to the beginning of the twentieth century.
Geographical Location
The Caffè Stella Polare is located in Via Dante Alighieri, 14/a, in the historic center of Trieste.