Trieste, Italy’s port on the other side of the Adriatic, makes a big point of its Italian identity, which isn’t surprising considering how little of its history has had that connection. From early in the 15th century until 1918, it was ruled by Austria, and after World War II it, it was not returned to Italian rule until 1954 after most of its surrounding area became part of Yugoslavia.
One of the reminders is the bronze compass rose mounted on a pedestal at the end of the Molo Audace, once the port’s main cargo and passenger pier. The inscription on it, and the name of the pier itself, commemorate the landing of the Italian navy ship Audace on November 3, 1918 to claim the city as part of Italy’s victory and Austria-Hungary’s defeat in World War I. The inscription notes that the rose was cast from ‘enemy bronze.’
The pier itself, formerly Molo San Carlo, has lost its shipping to newer parts of the port, although ferries to Miramare and other nearby towns use it. For years it has been mainly a popular place for strolling, sunning and admiring views of the city around it. Originally built in the 1740s around the hulk of a sunken ship, it was extended repeatedly; by 1861 it had reached its present length of over 800 feet.
From the pier, there are wide views back toward the city and across the various parts of the harbor, including Trieste’s two lighthouses.
The older lighthouse, called Laterna, was built in 1833, and served well into the 20th century, although it became the lesser of two when the monumental Victory Lighthouse was built high in the hills above the port in 1927. The anchor of Audace is on display there.
