The Lazzaretto di San Carlo represents a fundamental historical testimony in the health and commercial context of the city of Trieste, especially in the Habsburg period and the first post-war period.
Construction History
Its construction began around 1720 and was completed in 1723, on the initiative of the Supreme Commission of Commerce based in Graz, in response to the needs imposed by the growing importance of Trieste as a free port, sanctioned by the patent of Carlo VI d’Asburgo in 1719. This lazzaretto arose in the area of Campo Marzio, between the mainland and the rock of Zucco, and was dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo, patron of health.
Structure and Features
It was a true fortified citadel, designed to contain and isolate suspected cases of plague and other epidemics that threatened the city thanks to a perimeter wall about four and a half meters high (three Klafter).
The structure included:
- Two courtyards:
- One intended for the guards tasked with monitoring the quarantine.
- One for housing the waiting sailors.
- A warehouse for goods to be subjected to quarantine.
- A church dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo.
Materials Used
The material used for the construction was mainly stone from the quarries of Aurisina, since Venezia, jealous of the commercial potential of Trieste, opposed the supply of bricks from Pirano.
Role in the 18th and 19th Centuries
In the course of the 18th and 19th centuries the Lazzaretto San Carlo played a crucial role in the prevention of epidemics, even though its position soon became too close to the new urban expansions, making it insufficient for the growing maritime traffic. For this reason, in 1768 the Lazzaretto di Santa Teresa was built, which took charge of ships with suspected cases of contagious diseases requiring a complete quarantine of 42 days. The Lazzaretto di San Carlo was therefore named "Lazzaretto Vecchio" and continued to operate as a subsidiary structure, reserved for ships with a clean patent with shorter quarantine.
Social and Cultural Aspects
From a social and cultural point of view, the Lazzaretto di San Carlo was almost a small community: it could host crews in isolation, doctors and surveillance personnel, with a rigid organization to prevent the spread of diseases, also considering that Trieste was a crucial commercial crossroads of the Impero Asburgico. This has left important marks on the historical identity of the city, reflecting the transformations of health and commercial policies between XVIII and XX century.
Decline and Legacy
With the passing of the decades and the post-first post-war health developments, the lazzaretto slowly lost importance until ceasing its original functions, with architectural remains today visible in the area of Campo Marzio as a memory of that period.