Old Triest

[AdlerTS]

Hello AdlerTS and everyone! I came across the Trieste forums while doing research for my thesis online. I have been very pleased with the help and information that I have received so far!

Hi there, Derick !

tell us something more about your thesis. I understand that your interest is in the old architecture, right ? Have you seen the messages written by Babatriestina about it ? https://www.atrieste.eu/Forum3/viewtopic.php?t=328
Can we help your thesis a little bit more ?
Please ask for anything you need. We're gonna do our best to give you pictures/information.

[Derick]

Thanks once again AdlerTS! Babatriestina has posted some great pictures of the citta vecchia area. Can anyone tell me exactly where this one was taken?

(alt+p)


The stone buildings appear to be of a more ancient origin and are quite interesting.

Now about my thesis. Yes I do have an deep interest in old buildings, but that is not so much what my thesis is about. In a nutshell it is about the problem of antispace and means of reconnecting it to the spatial city (modernism had a profound impact on all our cities). When I was discussing possible case study cities with my professor ( I had also entertained the idea of a city in my own country like Boston or Baltimore, both cities that have seen a lot of disasterous urban renewal) we agreed that Trieste would be ideal. There was all the complex conditions of the old organic city and the modern, gridded and planned city all around it. How to bring all these elements together into a meaningful whole. I am also exploring the concept of form and what influences it and if there is a determinant. The concept of transparancy in architecture and its use as a design tool (Collin Rowe) is also part of it. Sorry if I'm boring you with this! [/img]

[babatriestina]

It's taken in Piazza Cavana, the yellow building al left is the house with the triangular fronton, as you see in this picture

It's a little street which ends after some meters.
One of the oldest houses in that place is one in Via dei Cavazzeni, the previous street but they are working at it and it'all closed and dark

[Derick]

Thanks Babatriestina! They should leave some of the facades the exposed stone, its a much richer look than all stucco. How old is the house that is under restoration on Via dei Cavazzeni?

Is this an old medieval tower?



- Derick

[babatriestina]

here in Trieste the old houses were built with stone instead of bricks, but they say that the wall is more protected with some stucco on. The old walls of gardens ale all in that stone, left bare. Of course, the houses with the stone front seem older.
The house in via Cavazzeni was a school between 1542 and 1631 and it was called a grammar school. The house should be older, so I have read.
At the end of the street it looks like a medieval tower, and one of the nearby streets is called Via della torretta ( Little tower's street), but here a torre I think it's only a house narrower and taller than the others. Very different from the towers of San Gimignano in Tuscany!!
The little tower is at the end of Via del Torchio, beginning too in Piazza Cavana.

[babatriestina]

Derick, go to
https://www.atrieste.eu/Forum3/viewtopic.php?t=285
it's another walking tour I made, and tell me if you would like to live in the houses like those

[Derick]

Would I like to live in those? If they were renovated and brought to a certain level with modern conveniences (central heat, electricity and running hot/cold water) why not? They're not all that different than the row houses that line the streets of the eastern cities of the United States. The only problem I can see (if it's a problem at all) is vehicular access. Do you know what the ceiling heights are like inside?

Do any of the palaces of the "13 casade" still exist?

[babatriestina]

As you say, if they were renovated, that is what they are doing in Cittavecchia, and they don't leave the stone apparent. For the vehicles, they make big parkings ( paying) just outside the quartier. They have done a lot of little hotels and a friend of mine, who went there, told me it was very confortable!
For the palaces (well, palaces... let's say family houses.. even if they are called palaces), yes, there are some of them, I have made a post about the 13 casade and their history, they are all extinct now,
https://www.atrieste.eu/Forum3/viewtopic.php?t=18
The palazzo Leo host the Oriental Museum in via S sebastiano

and the palazzo Argento is in renovation, today I passed there and i took a picture of the coat of arms:

[AdlerTS]

Sorry if I'm boring you with this!

Maybe difficult, not boring

[Derick]

AdlerTS I think I made it sound more difficult than it really is.

Does anyone have pictures of Via dei Cavazzeni? From the map that I have it would seem to be the most intact street in old Trieste. How about any historical pictures of the demolished streets of Via Punta del Forno, Via Crosada or Via Malcantone?

One other question, who is overseeing the restoration of the citta vecchia? Is it a joint venture between the city government and the university or is it being handled through private enterprises?

[babatriestina]

Does anyone have pictures of Via dei Cavazzeni? From the map that I have it would seem to be the most intact street in old Trieste. How about any historical pictures of the demolished streets of Via Punta del Forno, Via Crosada or Via Malcantone?

One other question, who is overseeing the restoration of the citta vecchia? Is it a joint venture between the city government and the university or is it being handled through private enterprises?

Via dei Cavazzeni is full of scaffolding and restauration, it is dark an very difficult to photograph - i cannot say it'still intact
For the old pictures of the other streets, yes there are a lot of them, but they are in books or publishings covered by copyright. Perhaps someone here has some old postcards..
The project of Cittavecchia ( the lower part of it) is overseed by the city government, this is the link, of course only in Italian ( what a shame!) http://www.retecivica.trieste.it/urban/index.htm
they say that they want the old city inhabitated and they are organizing flats and residences for young people, most of all attending the local university.
I'm sorry I cant't be of more help at this subject.

[Derick]

Thanks Babatriestina! You have been a tremendous help.

[babatriestina]

I took some images of the actual state of via dei Cavazzeni:

here is the beginning from Via Crosada
, then an old street door
[
and there is a house they are working at

there was a lady inspecting some findings under the soil level, it seemed to be some finding of of roman or of medieval time, she asked me not taking any picture of the works

[babatriestina]

a picture from the side of Cavana toward the street

I'll post some new images of the new roman findings in the section of roman Trieste, they come from the area around Via dei Capitelli, Cavazzeni and Crosada

[Derick]

Thanks again Babatriestina!!! The pictures are terrific!!! You are lucky that you live in a city that offers so many different urban environments. I only hope that I am not inconveniencing you or putting you out of your way.

The photo with the building under scaffolding, is that the old school that you had mentioned? Do you have any idea what it will be used for when the renovation is complete?

[babatriestina]

I think that the old school is the building on the right of the last picture, or something further, not the house with the scaffolding which is on the opposite side, but peeping inside one cannot see anything of the structure of a school. Hadn't I read it on a guide, I wouldn't have guessed.

[babatriestina]

The old street door above is the door of the ancient school, here is a picture of the inside, with the stairs

[Derick]

Thanks again Babatriestina! It should be interesting to see the end result. I really appreciate any pictures that you share of the area and of the buildings.
- Derick

[Derick]

My Triestine friends,
A few questions for you.
I was wondering what street the Palazzo Argento is on, what era it was built and if you have any further pictures? Is this palazzo similiar to the Palazzo Marenzi that I believe has been restored?

Also, is there any foot traffic through these streets now that restoration has been initiated? I understand that the Piazza Cavana is pedestrian zone and was wondering if this generates any activity on the side streets.
Thanks,
Derick

[babatriestina]

My Triestine friends,
A few questions for you.
I was wondering what street the Palazzo Argento is on, what era it was built and if you have any further pictures? Is this palazzo similiar to the Palazzo Marenzi that I believe has been restored?

palazzo Argento is in Via delle Beccherie, that is in the zone where there was the old Ghetto, non far from palazzo Marenzi. It is called palazzo, but only because it was the house of a noble famili, it's an old house, if it hadn't the coat of arms I wouldn't have noticed it. It's still on restauration and covered with wooden scaffolding. It could be older than palazo Marenzi, but is more a house than a palazzo. It'is not very near Cavana.

Also, is there any foot traffic through these streets now that restoration has been initiated? I understand that the Piazza Cavana is pedestrian zone and was wondering if this generates any activity on the side streets.
Thanks,
Derick

I think so, even they have not finished the restauration.