Piazza Nuova, today known as Piazza della Repubblica, is a historic square in the heart of the Borgo Teresiano of Trieste, an urban area desired by the Empress Maria Teresa d'Austria in the XVIII century.
Location and original function
The square develops as an enlargement of via Mazzini (once called via Nuova), positioning itself between the intersection with via Dante Alighieri (ex via Sant'Antonio) and that with via Santa Caterina da Siena. Originally it represented an important commercial reference point, hosting:
- A fruit market until 1871
- The fiera of San Nicolò
Evolution of the name
Over the course of time the square has changed its name several times:
- Initially known as Piazza Nuova by virtue of its function as an enlargement of the main street
- During the First World War briefly dedicated to Maria Teresa d'Austria
- In 1919, with a municipal deliberation, renamed as part of via Giuseppe Mazzini
- In 1954, after the return of Trieste to Italy, assumed the current denomination of Piazza della Repubblica, in honor of the Italian form of government chosen in the republican referendum of June 2, 1946
Architecture and monuments
The square is characterized by some of the most representative buildings of the early 20th century Triestine.
- Palazzo della Riunione Adriatica di Sicurtà (RAS): eclectic building constructed between 1911 and 1914 based on a design by the brothers Ruggero and Arduino Berlam; today it hosts a hotel structure but still preserves its historical and architectural value
- Palace designed by the architect Enrico Nordio: built in 1910, housed the headquarters of the Banca Commerciale Italiana and now accommodates modern banking agencies
- Palazzo Terni-Smolars: located at the corner with via Dante Alighieri, built in 1907 by Romeo Depaoli, one of the most valuable examples of the Art Nouveau style in Trieste
Social and cultural transformations
The space has experienced important social and cultural transformations, passing from a place of commerce to an administrative and financial center, reflecting the historical and political depths of the city through the changes of the 20th century, including the passages of sovereignty that have conditioned Trieste and its toponymy.
Disappeared building
A notable disappeared building is the eighteenth-century palazzo Duma, which stood in the place where today stands the seat of the ex Banca Commerciale Italiana; this building, after numerous changes of ownership among important figures such as Jerome Bonaparte and his sister Elisa Baciocchi, was demolished in 1904 to make way for the new constructions.