Palazzo Pitteri, also known as Palazzo Plenario-Pitteri, is the oldest building in Piazza Unità d’Italia and one of the symbols of Triestine 18th-century elegance. Its construction dates back to 1780, commissioned by the wealthy merchant Domenico Plenario, who entrusted the project to the Carnian architect Ulderico Moro. The palace stood on the site of the 17th-century Piccardi houses and the Locanda Grande, a historic lodging structure for passing travelers.
History and Ownership
Over the years, the palace changed owners and roles:
- In 1801, the building was purchased by Giovanni Iovovitz.
- In 1834, it passed to Leopoldo Pitteri, from whom it takes its current name.
Cultural Significance
During the 19th century, Palazzo Pitteri became an important cultural reference point:
- In 1810, it hosted the first seat of the Società di Minerva, founded by Domenico Rossetti, one of the oldest Italian cultural associations, still active today.
- On the ground floor, in 1880, the famous Caffè Flora was opened, a meeting place for choristers from the nearby Teatro Verdi and, in the nighttime hours, for the inhabitants of Cittavecchia.
- After 1918, the venue changed names several times: Caffè Nazionale, then Audace and today Sting Bar Experience.
Transformations and Renovations
The palace has undergone various transformations:
- In 1937, modifications were made to the ground floor premises.
- In 1982, the architects Celli and Tognon oversaw a general renovation, which however left the 18th-century facade intact, as documented by period prints.
Architectural Features
The building, with five levels, is distinguished by:
- The slightly projecting central body with five openings per floor and two symmetrical side wings.
- The base, which includes the ground floor and mezzanine, clad in smooth rustication.
- The central part marked by six pilasters with Ionic capitals that develop over two floors.
- On the piano nobile, above the main entrance, a deep niche decorated with a coat of arms.
- The windows of the upper floors featuring frames that recall the late Baroque and Viennese Rococo, inspired by the taste spread by Italian architects followers of Bernini, as in the case of the Liechtenstein palace by Domenico Martinelli in Vienna.
Girolamo Agapito, in 1824, emphasized how the palace had been built “according to the taste of modern architecture”, an element of novelty clearly visible in the ancient views of the city. In an apartment in the palace lived in his last years the musician Lelio Luttazzi, after his return to Trieste.
Palazzo Pitteri is today an example of refined neoclassical architecture with Baroque and Rococo influences, a witness to the social and cultural history of Trieste and its most representative square.