The Faro della Vittoria is a symbolic monument of Trieste, erected between 1923 and 1927 to commemorate the fallen at sea during the Prima Guerra Mondiale and to celebrate the passage of the city to the Regno d'Italia.
Location and Historical Origins
Located on the Poggio di Gretta, about 60 meters above sea level, the lighthouse rises on the ancient structures of the Austrian fort Kressich of 1854, a testimony of the Habsburg period of Trieste. The choice of the hill of Gretta instead of the point of Salvore (now in Croatia) was also dictated by strategic and commemorative reasons, as well as to replace the original project designed by the architect Arduino Berlam, which was then modified during construction under the direction of Guido Cirilli.
Architectural Features
From an architectural point of view, the structure presents itself as an imposing fluted column high 67,85 meters, made of reinforced concrete with two internal concentric cylinders and equipped with a spiral staircase that leads to the lantern.
- At the top there is a bronze and crystal cage that houses the lantern-lighthouse.
- With a light beam of intensity equal to 1.250.000 candles and an average range of 35 nautical miles, making it still functional for navigation in the gulf of Trieste.
Symbolic Meaning
The symbolic meaning is strongly marked by the famous inscription at the base «SPLENDI E RICORDA I CADVTI SUL MARE (MCMXV - MCMXVIII)», which recalls the sacrifice of the Italian sailors during the Grande Guerra.
- The statue of the Vittoria Alata, work of the Triestine sculptor Giovanni Mayer, placed on top of the column, is made of hammered copper with details studied to resist the bora wind through openings in the wings.
- Mayer also created the statue of the Marinaio Ignoto, over eight meters high, which represents a sailor with the headdress of the Regia Marina, symbol of memory and respect for the fallen.
Connection to Trieste's History
The Faro della Vittoria thus marks a dual link:
- That with the maritime tradition of the city and with its historical Habsburg past, through the reuse of the military site.
- That with the new Italian identity of Trieste in the immediate post-war period, highlighting architectural, cultural, and social transformations of an era of transition.
The official inauguration took place on 24 May 1927, in the presence of King Vittorio Emanuele III, consolidating the monument as a national symbol and reference lighthouse for the city.