Via Carducci, one of the widest and most central arteries of Trieste, has its roots in the hydrographic and urban history of the city. Originally called **via del Torrente**, this street owes its name to the **Torrente Grande** (also called Clutz or Klutsch), which flowed in the open air in the middle of the street, coming from the valley of Rozzol and joining the torrent of San Pelagio. The watercourse, fundamental for the urban conformation, was progressively covered between **1835** and **1850**, transforming the area from a rural periphery to a modern urban boulevard.
### From the origins to the XIX century
In the 18th and 19th centuries, via del Torrente was characterized by lively commercial and artisanal activity. Along its path stood:
- the Corderia Sinibaldi (**1753**), with houses for the workers;
- the Ospedale di Maria Teresa, later transformed into a barracks by the will of Giuseppe II.
The torrent was crossed by four small bridges and the area, still "wild," hosted street vendors, fairs, and circus companies. The presence of the watercourse determined the width of the street, which only after the burial became one of the most spacious in Trieste.
### Covering of the torrent and urban development
The covering of the **Torrente Grande** began in **1835** in the Barriera area and continued up to via Ghega in **1850**, using stone arches and compacted earth. This intervention, in addition to solving hygienic and traffic problems, allowed the birth of a new major urban artery.
In **1872**, the mayor Massimiliano D’Angeli planned the arrangement of the street, while between **1887** and **1904** the old Sinibaldi buildings were demolished and the passage from **piazza San Giovanni** was opened, completing the transformation into a modern boulevard.
### From the name “via del Torrente” to “via Carducci”
In **1907**, on the occasion of the death of the poet ***Giosuè Carducci***, the street was named after him on the proposal of Felice Venezian, despite Trieste still being under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The name change was accepted also thanks to Carducci's connection with the city, celebrated in his odes “Saluto italico” and “Miramar”.
During the First World War, between **1915** and **1918**, the original name was temporarily restored for political reasons, but it definitively returned to “via Carducci” after **1918**.
### Architecture, historical buildings, and city life
Along the street there are notable buildings:
- Casa Kalister (at the corner with via Coroneo);
- Casa Rosenkart (later the seat of the Scuola Superiore di Commercio, also attended by Italo Svevo and James Joyce);
- Casa Junz-Calabrese (**1903**);
- Casa Berlam (**1879**);
- the **Mercato Coperto** (**1935**);
- the seat of the Giunta Regionale.
The street was also the site of important restoration works on the underground galleries that still today channel the waters of the torrent towards the sea. During the Second World War, via Carducci suffered damage from bombings, but was rebuilt and restored in the postwar period.
### Curiosities and current affairs
Today via Carducci is one of the main arteries of Trieste, busy and rich in shops, restaurants, and historical buildings. Under its asphalt still flow the waters of the **Torrente Grande**, visible only on rare occasions during maintenance works. Its width and boulevard appearance are the result of the hydrographic history and subsequent urban transformations, making it one of the most representative and fascinating streets of the city.
