Piazza Garibaldi is one of the historic squares of Trieste, characterized by a rich and complex history that reflects the cultural and urban complexity. Located in an area of arrival and meeting for different cultures, the square has always been a symbolic place of welcome and transformation in the city.
Historical context and names
Before its arrangement as a square, the site was crossed by the Klutz torrent coming from the Rozzol district, which was buried in 1835 to allow the creation of the current open space. Originally, the area was dominated by the Palazzo della Dogana, a building dating back to the end of the XVIII century, which represented the border and the commercial hub of the city.
In different historical periods, the square has taken on various names that testify to its functions and political changes:
- Piazza della Stranga (from the German "Schranke", customs), due to the presence of the customs barrier;
- Piazza della Marina, for the palace that was supposed to house the Supreme Command of the Austrian Navy;
- Piazza Elisabetta in honor of the Empress of Austria Elisabeth, who visited Trieste in 1856 and for whom in 1858 a fountain was erected in the center of the square, the work of the Triestine sculptor Giovanni Depaul based on a design by the architect Vallon;
- Piazza della Barriera Vecchia, after the customs gate that still gives its name to the adjacent Largo Barriera Vecchia;
- finally, from 1919 the square takes its current name in honor of Giuseppe Garibaldi, a key figure in the Italian Risorgimento.
Architecture and symbolic elements
Among the architectures stands out the Palazzo Polifemo, built in 1882 with capital from the Banca Union di Vienna. The building, initially intended to house the Supreme Command of the Navy and later the central headquarters of the bank, was finally transformed into residential. Just above the entrance there is a circular space in the sculptural group that was originally supposed to contain a clock, but since it remained empty, the Triestines affectionately nicknamed it "Polifemo".
Another distinctive element is the golden statue of the Madonna, placed on a column erected in the postwar period, visible only to those who travel the main road towards the square. This column was raised around 1950, assuming a strong identity value for the local community.
Events and cultural meanings
The square has represented a true crossroads of cultures and markets, a garrison of commercial and social exchanges throughout the modern history of Trieste. From its origin as a customs barrier, it has transformed its urban function until it became a symbol of openness and coexistence among different cultural identities. The dedication to Garibaldi, voted in 1919, reflects the political changes after the annexation of Trieste to Italy, thus inserting the square into the national Risorgimento narrative.
Curiosities
The square, for a long time called "della Stranga" precisely because of the presence of the customs bar, has preserved over time this character of access point and transit. The name Polifemo associated with the palace arises from a curious popular interpretation linked to the sculpted face and the empty hole on the main facade.
Furthermore, the fountain dedicated to Elisabeth, less known today, represents a visible link with the Habsburg era, still perceptible in the historical stratification of the city.