Trieste and SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE (better info at German wiki), once a real ocean liner hotel which is situated prominently at the seafront, across the sea promenade, Riva del Mandracchioi, the STAZIONE MARITTIMA. Left of SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE is the former LLOYD AUSTRIACO (I) Palace, with its front to the Piazza dell´Unità d´Italia. First the headquarter of the LLOYD in Trieste, later that of LLOYD TRIESTINO. SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE is brilliant excample for the architecture of the Guilded Age and kuk architecture.
by Earl of Cruise
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE was never the hotel for the emmigrants, who had to save money for their immigration to most the USA, but it was the best palce for the last night in Europe before going abroad, or the best to start on European soil.
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE was never the hotel for the emmigrants, who had to save money for their immigration to most the USA, but it was the best palce for the last night in Europe before going abroad, or the best to start on European soil.
THALIA, LLOYD AUSTRIACO´s Traumschiff, approaching its mooring in front of the Ocean Liner Hotel EXCELSIOR PALACE - Source: Italian Liners
The SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE is a 4 star hotel in Trieste, Italy owned by the Starhotels group. The hotel is located close to Piazza Unità d'Italia overlooking the Gulf of Trieste
and has 142 rooms (including suites and apartments). The hotel has a
bar, "Le Rive", and a restaurant, "The Savoy", which seats up to 150
people. The hotel’s conference centre has 9 meeting rooms which can seat
up to 650 people in total. The hotel was used as a venue for part of the 2009 G8 summit meeting.
During the Austro-Hungarian era, Trieste became a leading European city in economy, trade and commerce, and was the fourth-largest and most important centre in the empire, after Wien/Vienna, Budapest (Hungarian: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt] (listen)) and Praha/Prague.
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, the Oceam Liner Hotel - Source: Wikipedia
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE was built in the style of Eclecticism in 1911 by the Austrian
architect Ladislaus Fiedler with classical sculptures and columns
decorating the façade. At the time of its opening in 1912 the hotel was
one of the most imposing and luxurious hotels in the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Throughout its history the hotel has hosted aristocrats, artists and
diplomats, as well as tourists visiting Trieste on their grand tour. Kaiser Franz Josef was a frequent guest and his private apartment is preserved intact. The hotel reopened in June 2009 after two and a half years of renovation.
Architectural draft of EXCELSIOR PALACE BY Ladislaus Fiedler - Source
Trieste, the mitteleuropean city!, is a special destination - here the Orient is meeting the Occident, out Trieste sailed LLOYD AUSTRIACO (II) / ÖSTERREICHISCHER LLOYD (III) since 1836, later LLOYD TRIESTINO and AUSTRO AMERICANA, later COSULICH,
Trieste is the fulcrum of the border middeleuropean culture, with one eye to the Adriatic Sea and the other to the harsh karst headland and the Alps. Surrounded by the scents of the Mediterranean, it is bright and shining more than ever when the air is made crisp by the wind down from the Alps. The beautiful buildings of Trieste are in Neoclassicism, Art Nouveau, Vienna Secession (German: Wiener Secession), Eclecticism and Baroque. They fit in well with Roman remains, 18th century and Habsburg buildings.
Trieste is the fulcrum of the border middeleuropean culture, with one eye to the Adriatic Sea and the other to the harsh karst headland and the Alps. Surrounded by the scents of the Mediterranean, it is bright and shining more than ever when the air is made crisp by the wind down from the Alps. The beautiful buildings of Trieste are in Neoclassicism, Art Nouveau, Vienna Secession (German: Wiener Secession), Eclecticism and Baroque. They fit in well with Roman remains, 18th century and Habsburg buildings.
Trieste, Piazza Unità d'Italia by night - Source: Wikipedia
The beautiful and central
area of Trieste, right upon the Adriatic, where the SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE was constructed between early 1910 and the Summer of 1911, was
reclaimed from the sea with a land-fill around the middle of the 18th century, by the Town maritime authority, in order to erect a
building for the Royal maritime health service, the “Casino di Sanità
Marittima”.
The land and the premises
belonged to the Austro-Hungarian central tax authority which, around the
mid-19th century, where approached by LLOYD AUSTRIACO (ÖSTERREICHISCHER LLOYD, later LLOYD TRIESTINO, today ITALIA MARTTIMA) to build there their new offices.ITALIA MARITTIMA is the oldest
shipping company still in business; it was founded in 1832 as a shipping
register and insurance, with LLOYD´s of London as role model. In 1836 LLOYD started the steam merchant marine out of Trieste and, in
1842, they became also one of the largest printing facility and
publisher in the whole Europe).
First the authorisation was
denied but, towards 1880, the situation changed thanks to the
development of the “New port of Trieste” which freed the “Riva del
Mandracchio” area (Mandracchio is an old-fashioned Italian word,
indicating a particularly sheltered area within a port for the docking
of small ships and boats).
At the time LLOYD AUSTRIACO had already started the construction of its beautiful
building, right West of SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE and adorning the main square of the
town, the Austrian society of hotels obtained the area from the
Vienna government and the authorisation to build a large grand hotel to
meet the needs of the constantly growing number of travellers who passed
by and were staying in Trieste before boarding an ocean liner for
the Americas, the Middle and Far East, or awaiting a connecting
steamer.
The opening of the Suez Canal (1869), strongly supported by LLOYD AUSTRIACO as shareholder, as well
as by virtually all the Austrian and Trieste-based entrepreneurs and banks,
transformed Trieste into a burgeoning and cosmopolitan place, which would be known as the
“European gate to the East”.
On the 25th October 1909
the Austrian Society of Hotels obtained the authorisation to demolish
the existing building of the Maritime health authority, transferred
inside the “Palazzo Carciotti” on the Trieste “Grand Canal”, and the
Vienna-based architect Ladislaus Fiedler started the complex process of
designing what was simply known as the “Grand Hotel”. One of the main
issues was the reinforcement of the ground by fitting a new foundation
of cast iron with the cutting-edge Zublin technology.
The port of Trieste in 1885, in the center the LLOYD AUSTRIACO palace, hidden behinf Grand Hotel EXCELSIOR PALACE - Source: Wikipedia
The permission granted by
the public authorities to build such a huge hotel on the waterfront and
fit it with cantilevered balconies, the press from Trieste defined them "a gross indecency!", meant something in return - "tempus fugit, mutantur mentis habitum", thank the gods for!. The building was to be
completed by June, 1911, in order to accommodate the Hapsburg court and
dignitaries attending the launch of the new flagship of the
Austro-Hungarian Navy, SMS Viribus Unitis, christend by Erzherzogin Maria Annunziata, with the presence of H.I.H. Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, June 20th, 1911. To reach such a target was virtually
impossible and only employing 250 workers it was possible, by June 18th, to accommodate the very first guests of the Grand Hotel EXCELSIOR PALACE on the lower floors, while the upper ones would have
been completed and furnished only in early 1912.
The grand opening but was June 22nd, as an extra event and was following the previous events, it was a further big social event, this time accompanied by the departure of Austria-Hungary´s "Traumschiff" THALIA for a new Pleasure Journey.
Tempus fugit ... the Grand Hotel EXCELSIOR PALACE prepared for the visit of Vittorio Emanuele III. - own collection
The 3rd November, 1918,
saw the first arrival in Trieste of the Italian King Vittorio Emanuele
III: on that occasion the prefix SAVOIA was added to the EXCELSIOR PALACE.
Postcard of x with an approaching COSULICH liner, either SATURNIA or VULACANIA, and SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE (right), in the background the LLOYD AUSTRIACO liner WIEN (out of time) - own collection
EXCELSIOR PALACE became known as
the “Ocean Liner Hotel” owing to its privileged position as, across the
road, is located the Ocean Terminal STAZIONE MARITTIMA: there is no other place in the
World where a beautiful, stylish luxury Grand Hotel of yesteryear,
perfectly restored to its original splendour, is one minute walk from
the gangway of a cruise ship.
The ART DÉCO building STAZIONE MARITTIMA errected in 1926 till 1930 - Source: Wikipedia
“My soul is in Trieste”,
stated James Joyce, and this feeling was certainly revived any time he
was sipping a coffee for which Trieste is famous worldwide at the SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, watching the busy port, full of life, of the voices of the
longshoremen and steam whistles, of the colourful glimpses of sailors, bellmen, porters
and passengers with their luggage and steamer trunks ...
SATURNIA or VULCANIA in ITALIA colours at STAZIONE MARITTIMA in Trieste, left the LLOYD PALACE - Source: Trieste Terminal Passeggeri
Tempus fugit ... COSTA FASCINOSA and CAVOUR, flagship of the Italian MARINA MILITARE - Source: L´ABERO NASCOTO
Today, Trieste is often forgotten as tourists head off to the big Italian cities like Rome and Milan
and it is a very charming and underestimated city, with a quiet and
lovely almost Eastern European atmosphere, several pubs and cafes, some
stunning architecture and a beautiful sea view. It was also, for a
while, the residence of the famous Irish writer, James Joyce.
Trieste is the capital of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia
and has 205,557 inhabitants. It is situated on the crossroads of
several commercial and cultural flows: German middle Europe to the
north, Slavic masses and the Balkans to the east, Italy and then Latin
countries to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
Its artistic and cultural heritage is linked to its singular "border town" location. You can find some old Roman architecture (a small theatre near the sea, a nice arch into old city and an interesting Roman museum), Austrian empire architecture across the city centre (similar to stuff you can find in Wien/Vienna) and a nice atmosphere of métissage of Mediterranean styles, as Trieste was a very important port during the 18th century.
Trieste is and was a cosmopolitan city. The region of Friuli Venezia Giulia is officially quadrilingual
(Italian, Slovene, Friulian, and German). Signs are often only in Italian
in Trieste, as the city itself is generally Italian speaking and the
local dialect (a form of the Venetian language) is called Triestine.
Surrounding villages and towns are often inhabited by mostly Slovene
speakers. Residents, and those working in the city, can easily find free
courses to learn Italian, Slovene, German, English and many other
languages. When walking around Trieste, you will also hear Croatian/Serbian all the time, mainly from people who visit the city on brief shopping trips.
There is a tourist office at the edge of Piazza Unità d'Italia, in the
Lloyd Triestino building. Information is available in Italian, German,
and English, as are tourist maps and brochures of information about
attractions in and around the city.
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE - Source: STARHOTELS COLLEZIONE
Following a sample of rooms after the last renovation 2009
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, Trieste, a Classic Room of 15 qm /161 sqft
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, Trieste, a Classic Room Superior of 15 qm /161 sqft
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, Trieste, a Deluxe Room with parquet 20 qm / 215 sqft
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, Trieste, a Junior Suite Moquette 30 qm / 323 sqft
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, Trieste, a Suite Living Room 75 qm / 808 sqft
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, Trieste, a Suite Living Room 75 qm / 808 sqft
SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE, Trieste, a Family Suite 49 qm / 528 sqft
The days of liners unfortunately are gone and cruise vessels, most mega ships of the floating resort type with masses of people on board, as in the high time of emmigration travel in the first decade of 20th century, are the norm. The popular cruise vocation makes the SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE a bit out of date for a last stay ashore before boarding such a mega cruiser ... but it will make you so much more relaxed than a hush-hush travel, reaching the floating resort just before departure. But most of these mass market cruisers perhaps can´t afford the SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE - and those who can afford are not the normal mass market cruisers. SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE is an excellent stay in the city center and in first row to the sea and port.
For visitors Trieste has to offer vast variety:
Museum
For visitors Trieste has to offer vast variety:
Città Vecchia (Old
Town) - Trieste boasts an extensive old town: there are many very narrow
and crooked streets with typical medieval houses. Nearly the entire area is
closed to traffic.
The Austrian Quarter -
Half of the city was built under Austrian-Hungarian dominion, so there is
present a very large number of palaces that resemble Vienna. An iconic place of
this quarter is the majestic Piazza Unità (Unity Square), which is Europe's
largest sea-front square. The most present architecture styles are
Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Eclectic, and Baroque.
Museo Revoltella -
This museum was donated to the city in 1869 by Baron Pasquale Revoltella, a
great patron of the arts who liked to surround himself with precious and
avant-garde works. In a building restored and extended by architect Carlo
Scarpa, the museum today houses one of Italy’s finest collections of
19th-century, modern and contemporary art.
Museo di Storia, Arte e Orto
Lapidario (Museum of History and Art and Lapidary Garden)
Archaeological, historical and art collections. Prehistoric and protohuman
findings of local origin; Roman and medieval sculptures and epigraphs.
Egyptian, Greek, Roman and pre-Roman antiques. Numismatic collection.
Photograph and book libraries.
Museo di Storia Naturale -
Zoological, botanical, geological, paleontological and mineralogical
collections. Vivarium. Specialised scientific library.
The Roman Theatre -
Trieste or Tergeste, which probably dates back to the protohistoric period, was
enclosed by walls built in 33-32 BC on Emperor Octavius’s orders. The city
developed greatly during the 1st and 2nd century AD. The Roman Theatre lies at
the foot of the San Giusto hill, and faces the sea. The construction partially
exploits the gentle slope of the hill, and most of the construction work is in
stone. The topmost portion of the amphitheatre steps and the stage were
presumably made of wood. The statues that adorned the theatre (which was
brought to light in the '30s) are now preserved at the Town Museum. Three
inscriptions from the Trajan period mention a certain Q. Petronius Modestus, a
person who was closely connected with the development of the theatre, which was
erected during the second half of the 1st century.
Il Faro della Vittoria (Victory
Lighthouse) - The Lighthouse of the Victory, an impressive work of the
Triestine architect Arduino Berlam (1880-1946) and of the sculptor Giovanni
Mayer (1863-1943), has two important functions. Besides lighting the gulf of
Trieste, in order to help navigation, it also serves as a commemorative
monument dedicated to the fallen of the first World War. The lighthouse is
topped by an embossed copper statue of Victory sculpted by Giovanni Mayer.
Under this statue is affixed the anchor of the torpedo-boat Audace (the first
Italian ship that entered the port of Trieste on November 3,1918),
Arco di Riccardo -
The "Arco di Riccardo" is an Augustan gate built in the Roman walls
in 33 A.D. It stands in Piazzetta Barbacan, in the narrow streets of the old
town.
Museo della Comunità Ebraica di
Trieste "Carlo e Vera Wagner" ("Carlo e Vera Wagner"
Museum of the Jewish Community of Trieste) - Collection of ritual art of
the Jewish community of Trieste, mainly silverware and fabrics.
Synagogue -
It's one of the largest in Europe, and was built in 1912. Open on Sundays 10÷12
and on Thursdays 15.30÷17.30, guided tours only, info Key Tre Viaggi tel. +39
040 6726736
Museo della Risiera di San Sabba (Risiera
di San Sabba Museum) - A national monument - a testimonial of the only Nazi
extermination camp in Italy.
Railway Museum Trieste Campo Marzio -
Housed in the former railhouse, the museum features drawings, models and
fullsized train engines and railcars as well as horse-drawn trams from
Trieste's past.
Barcola
This paved waterfront walk stretches from a little north of the city nearly to
the castle at Miramare. It is the beach where the Triestini spend their
summers, with water access, restrooms, and changing areas for swimmers. It can
be reached by bus #6 which stops at Piazza Oberdan and the Trieste
Centrale train station.
San Giusto - Cathedral and Castle
A walk on the
Castle ramparts and bastions gives a complete panorama of the city of Trieste,
its hills and the sea. The Cathedral is free, but donations are appreciated.
€1.50 will grant access to the church's campanile, which provides an even more
beautiful view. Be on the lookout for the remains of the Roman monumental
gateway inside the Campanile. €1 for just the castle ramparts and bastion. €6
(under age 25: €4) grants access to the ramparts as well as all of the other
museum and exhibits listed below.
Museum
Capitoline Temple
Church of San Giovanni
San Michele al Carnale
WWI Altar
Roman forum and civic building
Castle of San Giusto.
Park of Remembrance
World War I commemorative park,
Lapidary Garden.
Contains Roman and Medieval relics discovered in Trieste. In it stands a
Cenotaph to the archaeologist Johann Winckelmann, father of neoclassicism, who
died in Trieste in 1769. Access to the Museum of the History of Art is found
here.
Castello di Miramare, Portopiccolo, once the residence of Erzherzog Ferdiand Maximilian, he had errected the chateau as his residence for himself and his wife Princess Charlotte of Belgium, here he started his journey to Mexico, where he was installed as Emperor Maximiliano - Source: ENIT
Castello di Miramare - Source: Wikipedia
It is said, that Maximilian and Charlotte had in Miramare their luckiest days ...
Accessed by boarding a westbound bus #6 from a number of places including a stop at the Trieste train station.
Maximilian's chambers
and those of his consort, Carlota of Belgium; the guest rooms; the information
room telling the history of the Castle and the Park's construction;
Duke Amadeo of Aosta's apartment
with furnishings from the 1930's in the Rationalist style.
Throne room
The park
offers the public a chance for an interesting stroll among botanical species
and an important collection of sculptures dotted along its numerous paths.
Admission is free.
the Stables, a
building which was recently restored and is now used for temporary exhibitions;
the Old Greenhouses
Little Castle
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