Miramare Castle
The white castle of Maximilian of Habsburg
On a rocky promontory jutting into the Gulf of Trieste, a few kilometres from the city centre, the Castello di Miramare is one of the most romantic and photographed places in Italy: a castle of white Istrian stone, which seems to rise directly from the sea, surrounded by a magnificent park. It was built between 1856 and 1860 for the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Habsburg, brother of Emperor Franz Joseph and commander of the Austrian navy, who had fallen in love with this place, and for his wife Charlotte of Belgium. The castle reflects the eclectic taste of the time, mixing Gothic, medieval and Renaissance styles, and its interiors, preserved with their original furnishings, recall the inside of a ship, in homage to Maximilian's passion for the sea.
The story of Miramare is marked by tragedy: in 1864, Maximilian left the castle to become Emperor of Mexico, supported by Napoleon III, but in 1867 he was captured by the Republicans and shot in Querétaro; Charlotte, who had returned to Europe to seek help, lost her reason. The legend of a "curse of Miramare", according to which those who sleep in the castle die a violent death far from home, was born from this story. Around the castle, the park, of about 22 hectares, designed by Maximilian himself, is rich in exotic plants, ponds and viewpoints, and is freely accessible. The sea in front of the castle is protected by the Miramare Marine Reserve, managed by the WWF.
Tip: visit the castle in the morning and then walk in the park; take the panoramic path along the coast from Barcola.
Where it is
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