Each year during the spring and/or fall, castles throughout Friuli-Venezia Giulia open their doors to the public as part of an event known as Castelli Aperti. Sponsored by the Conzorzio Castelli, a consortium dedicated to the protection of the region’s historic castles and fortifications, the event offers guided tours of both public and privately-owned castles. This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the original April dates have been postponed to the weekend of June 5-6. While it would be impractical to visit every single castle in the region, there are several standouts that are not to be missed.
Castello di Miramare
The starkly whitewashed Castello di Miramare perches on the tip of a promontory just north of Trieste, its wedding-cake façade glistening against sea and sky. Archduke Maximilian, brother of the Hapsburg emperor Franz Joseph, decided to settle in Trieste after being appointed Rear Admiral in the Austro-Hungarian Navy and chose the headlands of Miramare as the site for his new home. In 1860, Maximilian moved into the castle with his young wife, Carlotta of Belgium. They lived there only a few short years before Maximilian accepted a position as Emperor of Mexico and was subsequently captured and executed by Mexican rebels.
Carlotta, who had returned to Miramare only months earlier, moved into the Castelletto, a smaller villa on the castle grounds, and is said to have gone mad from grief. Today, the castle is open for visitors to explore the couple’s lavish apartments, all featuring the original 19th-century decorations and furnishings. Of note are Maximilian’s study (designed in the style of a ship’s cabin), library, and music room (where Carlotta often played the piano).
At the time Maximilian selected his castle’s location, the landscape was practically barren. His goal was to transform this rocky Carso terrain into a lavish garden, rich with rare and exotic vegetation. Today, Miramare stands amid fifty-four acres of perfectly manicured gardens, complete with statues, ponds, and walking paths. Within the grounds is the Parco Tropicale, a garden filled with numerous species indigenous to South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Castello di Duino
The Castello di Duino dates back to the early 15th century, although it is best known as the home of the royal Thurn und Taxis family during the 19th century. Today, the castle houses a museum full of princely memorabilia and is surrounded by lush gardens and romantic pathways lined with cypress trees and statues.
Toward the end of the 19th century, Austrian princess Maria von Thurn und Taxis opened her family castle at Duino to numerous figures in contemporary art, music, and literature. One of her favorite guests was the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who stayed at the castle from 1911 to 1912. It was here that he penned the beginning to his famous Duino Elegies.
Named after the poet, the Rilke Path begins at Castello di Duino, perched on a promontory overlooking the ruins of the medieval Castello Vecchio. It then follows the meandering coastline, where evergreen shrubs cling to the rock face and precipitous, white limestone cliffs plunge into the sea. At the end of the rocky trail is Sistiana, where white sailboats rest afloat in the sapphire blue bay. All along the Rilke Path, shady pine forests alternate with breathtaking views, each worthy of a poet’s inspiration.
Castello di San Giusto
Located atop a hill in the center of Trieste, Castello di San Giusto marks the site of a fortified settlement in the ancient Roman city of Tergeste. A fortress was later built on this spot by the Venetians. After being occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the late 14th century, the fortress was rebuilt to provide accommodation for the Imperial Captain. The Captain’s residence now houses a museum where visitors can admire a series of period rooms, including a Venetian chamber filled with antique chests and tapestries, as well as an armory containing a rich collection of weaponry.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, three walls were built adjacent to the Captain’s House, with a bastion at each corner. These walls surround a large, triangular courtyard, the Cortile delle Milizie, where stairs lead to the ramparts. From their lofty perch, the ramparts along the castle walls offer expansive views over the city and the gulf of Trieste.
The Lalio Bastion currently houses the Lapidario Tergestino, which contains all the Roman stone relics, such as bas-reliefs and sculptures, that were previously displayed in the Orto Lapidario garden. In the grounds outside the gate are ruins of an ancient Roman basilica. Nearby is the Cattedrale di San Giusto, with splendid gold mosaics in its three domed apses. A unique structure, the cathedral was created in the 14th century, when two parallel churches were joined together. On the slope behind the castle, a winding road leads through the Parco della Rimembranza, a park dedicated to the memory of fallen soldiers.
Castello di Udine
The Civici Musei, or “civic museums,” are located inside the Castello di Udine, reachable via a pretty cobblestone path that winds up the hill from Piazza della Libertà. After the original fortress was demolished in a 1511 earthquake, construction began on the current castle in 1517. Throughout the centuries, the Castello has been home to the patriarch of Aquileia as well as the Venetian military.
The castle’s museum complex contains four museums—Museum of Archeology, Gallery of Ancient Art, Gallery of Design and Printing, and Friulian Museum of Photography—as well as a rotating temporary exhibition. On my visit in 2002, the temporary archeological exhibit, called Roma sul Dannobio, featured ancient Roman artifacts from the area that stretches from Aquileia to Carnuntum (a Roman camp located on the Danube River in what is now Austria).
Castello di Gorizia
The Castello di Gorizia dates back to the 11th century and was home to the powerful Counts of Gorizia for around 400 years. From their hilltop castle, they ruled a territory that extended from Tyrol to Croatia. In 1500, following the death of the last Count of Gorizia, the city fell under the rule of the Hapsburg Empire. Excepting brief periods of occupation by the Venetian Republic and later Napoleon, Gorizia remained under Austrian control until after WWI, when the region was united with Italy. Having suffered major damage during the war, the castle was rebuilt and is now home to the Museo del Medioevo Goriziano.
The entrance to the castle is guarded by a statue of the winged lion of Saint Mark, symbol of the Venetian Republic. Inside, visitors can explore the medieval castle’s three floors, which are decorated with original furnishings and include a kitchen, dining room, and chapel. In addition, the Sala della Musica (Music Room) features reproductions of ancient instruments, while the Sala dei Cavalieri (Knight’s Room) holds an extensive collection of weaponry. In the central courtyard are the remains of an 11th-century tower. From the castle’s ramparts, visitors may admire a splendid view of the surrounding countryside, even across the border into neighboring Slovenia.
