The Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino, today the seat of the Presidency and the Giunta of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, is one of the most imposing and representative buildings of Piazza Unità d’Italia. Its history is closely linked to the maritime and commercial development of Trieste and to the great epic of the shipping company Lloyd Austro-Ungarico, later Lloyd Triestino.
Origins and construction
The Lloyd Austro-Ungarico, founded in 1836 (with roots already in 1833), was one of the most important European shipping companies, protagonist of the trades between Europe, Mediterranean, the East and, from the twentieth century, also Australia and Africa.
After having its seat in piazza Tommaseo and then in piazza della Borsa, the company decided to equip itself with a monumental seat that reflected its international prestige. In 1880 the land of the old Pescheria was purchased and an international competition was announced, in which architects from Vienna and Trieste participated.
No project was deemed fully satisfactory, so the realization was entrusted to the famous Viennese architect Heinrich von Ferstel, already the author of the Votivkirche and the Ringstrasse in Vienna.
- The first stone was laid on December 6, 1880 and the works were completed in 1883.
- Von Ferstel adopted innovative solutions for the foundations, given the muddy nature of the reclaimed land, and gave up the tower originally planned on the sea side.
- The result was a building in eclectic-neo-Renaissance style, considered one of the most successful interpretations of the Italian Renaissance, with a monumental facade rich in maritime and allegorical symbols.
Architecture and decorations
The main facade is embellished by a central pediment with the symbol of the Lloyd, flanked by two victories, two youths and the statues of Eolo, Mercurio, Vulcano and Nettuno.
- At the foot of the facade, in two apsed niches, are the statues of Teti (fresh water) and Venere (sea water).
- The facade towards the sea is characterized by a protruding central body with four giant columns and the statues of Leucotea (goddess protector of sailors) and Urania (protector of astronomical poetry).
- All the external sculptural groups were designed by the Viennese artists Joseph Pokorny and Hugo Härdtl and made in Istria stone by the Società degli Operai of Trieste.
The entrance atrium houses two large marble sculptures:
- The Intelligenza by Ivan Rendic.
- The Lavoro by Francesco Pezzicar.
Inside, the following stand out:
- The monumental staircase in Carso stone and red Verona marble.
- The chandeliers by Albert Milde.
- The hall of meetings and festivities, decorated with stuccos by A. Pelolli, two large portraits of Francesco Giuseppe and Elisabetta d’Austria, Murano chandeliers and a coffered ceiling.
Among the works of art, noteworthy are:
- The paintings by Giuseppe Barison (portraits of Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena, canvases dedicated to Industry and Commerce).
- A portrait by Umberto Veruda.
- A bronze sculpture by Giovanni Mayer.
Historical events and transformations
The palace was severely damaged by German bombings on May 1, 1945, but was restored and expanded between 1966 and 1967, with the raising of the internal floor towards the courtyard.
- In 1986 the seat of the Lloyd Triestino was transferred to the area of Sant’Andrea and the palace was ceded to the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.
- From June 7, 1991 the Presidency of the Giunta has been installed there.
- Recent restorations have enhanced the decorations, sculptures and internal spaces, restoring the building to its original splendor.
Curiosities and current affairs
The Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino is today one of the symbols of maritime and cosmopolitan Trieste, witness to the great season of steam navigation and the international vocation of the city. From the square and from the Molo Audace one can admire the richness of its decorations and the majesty of its architecture, which still today tells the story of a Trieste “porta d’Oriente” and crossroads of trade, art and culture.
The Palazzo del Lloyd Triestino thus remains a masterpiece of nineteenth-century Triestine architecture, symbol of progress, openness and civic identity.