Holidays experienced at a slower and more conscious pace lead to discovering places in a different, deeper and more authentic way, especially when you think you already know them. This also happens to Miramare Historical Parkhas Triestethe large botanical garden which surrounds the castle of the same name overlooking the gulf with a spectacular view.
It is a green oasis rich in history and wonders, botanical and architectural, which today, also thanks to a scrupulous restoration carried out by the management of the Museum belonging to the Ministry of Culture, offers a new tour route and suggestive. Are alone Green Museum has free entry all year roundat the center of a very recent landscaping and architectural redevelopment in the name of accessibility and environmental sustainability, where you can find well-being and harmony and immerse yourself in its refined atmosphere even during outdoor events and shows .
Miramare Park, a hymn to nature, well-being and harmony
Groves, terraced flowerbeds, Italian and English gardens and plants from all over the world: the Miramare Park it is a garden of delights which extends over 22 hectares around the splendid Château, the heart of the Miramare Complex, whose birth is due to Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg, who around 1855 fell in love with the position of this rocky spur overlooking the sea, perfect for building a castle as a residence for him and his wife Charlotte of Belgium. The residence included a large surrounding park but it was necessary to reforest the karst area, at the time almost devoid of vegetation. The work, begun in 1856, was constantly monitored by Massimiliano: calling on designers and botanists, he imported large quantities of soil from Styria and Carinthia and then planted a rich variety of trees and shrubs, many of which were of non-European origin. , also coming from Mexico where he had settled in the meantime.
Following the orography of the place, an area was created to the east Woods alternating with the romantics English gardens with grassy areas, winding paths, lookouts and ponds. To the southwest, however, the area protected from the wind has allowed the creation of geometric divisions punctuated by flower beds arranged around the small port, a terraced bed that descends towards the sea and the Italian garden in front of the Kaffeehaus, the resort's dining outlet.
The entire area is then decorated with statues, like the sculptures made by the Berlin company Moritz Geiss, the small cannon square offered by Leopold I, King of the Belgians; there chapel of San Cancianocurrently under restoration.
Among the wonders of the Park: the Castelletto and the Serre
To enhance the visit to the Park, a few buildings are still part of the great project of Maximilian of Habsburg. As the CastellettoOr Garden house, reopened last year after careful restoration work and can be visited by booking your visit online. Overlooking the small port of Grignano, it is preceded by a green space with trees and a fountain and offers a spectacular panoramic view of the sea. It was built as a temporary residence for the archduke and his wife during the works of the castle which, on a smaller scale, follows its style.
The Castelletto then served as annex for guests, until 1867, when Maximilien was killed in Mexico and Carlotta, overwhelmed by grief, returned to Belgium. With the end of the First World War and the fall of the Habsburgs, the Miramare complex became the home of the Dukes of Savoy-Aosta and the Castelletto was transformed into museum open to the public: today you can admire the rooms inhabited by Massimiliano and his wife, with original furniture and paintings. the guest rooms, a precious collection of oriental vases and discover the history of the Miramare complex.
Near the Castelletto there are also the Greenhouses which, according to Massimiliano's idea, were intended for experimental activities in the botanical field and used by court gardeners to plant plants and species. THE Old greenhouses, made between 1857 and 1860, in glass and wrought iron, are about to be inaugurated after a long and careful restoration which has just been completed, and will regain their former function of hosting ancient citrus fruits and other plants waiting to be planted in the park. THE New greenhousesinstead, host itOrangerywith other old citrus fruits, and the new educational room of Museum, MiraLABa multifunctional space dedicated to young people where they can live new experiences in contact with nature and the history of the Park, strictly at a slow pace.
The rebirth of the Stables and the Ducal Bath
Along Viale Miramare which gives access to the complex, in a sheltered location detached from the Castle, are the Stables built between 1856 and 1860 and intended for horses and carriages. After being partly modified by the Dukes of Savoy-Aosta in the interwar period, they were then restored and used today as space for important temporary exhibitions. Since 2018, the right wing of the Scuderie has hosted the MARINE BIOdiversity (BioMa)the immersive museum where you can discover the variety of environments of the Gulf of Trieste and the Miramare marine protected area, a true oasis of biodiversity.
Overlooking the sea but in a secluded position is the Ducal Bath, a bathroom already present in Massimiliano's project but only used with the arrival of the Duke of Aosta. Restored in accordance with the original project, it is one of the most evocative corners of the Miramare complex which offers an unusual overview of the Castle.
Summer at Miramare Park, between events and activities
During the summer, Miramare Park becomes a natural stage for events and shows. The protagonist is THE Rossetti in Miramare, the event born from the collaboration between the regional Teatro Stabile and the Historical Museum of the Park and Castle of Miramare, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture. The 2024 edition will take place from June 29 to July 24 and will have love as its underlying theme.
The new season will be introduced by two evocative events: the Sunset concert (June 29), a melodrama inspired by the famous Or by Goethe performed by the Orchestra of the Fondazione Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi of Trieste and conducted by Maestro Alvise Casellati, where Sergio Rubini will give voice to the intense words of the work of Gaetano Pugnani; a few hours later, on June 30 at 5:19 a.m., it will be the turn of Concert at dawn, when the sun rises to the notes of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Orchestra of the Teatro Verdi in Trieste will perform two very famous quintets by Mozart, the first for strings and horn, and the second for strings and clarinet.
The summer festival will continue with other shows linked by the subtitle “in the gaze of infinite love”. The secrets of the Archduke's gardens (July 2 to 7) written and directed by Paola Bonesi based on an idea by Andreina Contessa, who reconstructs the relationship between Archduke Maximilian and the park created thanks to his passion for botany; Green Shakespeare: trees, storms, flowers and the moon (July 9 to 19), organized by Paolo Valerio, who explores Shakespeare's dramaturgical production inspired by nature, to talk about the controversial relationship with man; finally, to conclude the event, from July 20 to 24, the new show will be staged Love speeches to listen to and read at sunsetagain edited by Paolo Valerio, in which Stefania Rocca will perform some of the most passionate love letters, including the letters that Archduke Maximilian wrote during his travels to his beloved wife Carlotta.
Tickets for all shows will be available at the Politeama Rossetti box office, at the points of sale and in the usual circuits of the Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia and, for the first two concerts, at the box office of the opera “Giuseppe Verdi » house in Trieste.
Miramare, mobility is also green
In addition to its slow pace, slow tourism also overlaps sustainability, respecting the places visited. The Miramare complex also meets these needs thanks to the convenient connections with the city which allow access to the site without a car, without polluting and without wasting time in traffic jams.
In collaboration with Trenitalia, for example, train arrivals and departures have been reinforced the trains to and from the little one Miramare Stationfrom where you can easily reach, in 10 minutes on foot, the park and the castle.
During the summer season the complex is also accessible by the sea on board of motorboat Green Dolphin which extends along the entire coast of the upper Adriatic, from Trieste to Grado. You board in town, at the Audace pier, near Piazza dell'Unità d'Italia, and get off at the small port of Grignano located at the foot of the complex.
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Finally, you can also reach Miramare on two wheels using the Bikes made available by Bicincitta Italy, the municipal bike sharing service. Once you arrive, you can get around using the electric shuttles that circulate within the park. And slowly enjoy the wonders of this timeless place.
Information: Miramare.cultura.gov.it
