Miramare, Trieste’s white castle

Art & Culture

3 May 2018

Art & Culture

Miramare, Trieste’s white castle

The castle of Miramare is one of Trieste’s most striking attractions: a romantic castle overlooking the sea, built in the mid-nineteenth century by the Habsburg Archduke Maximilian as a residence for himself and his wife Charlotte of Belgium, and famous for hosting also Princess Sissi at the end of the same century.

Its name is the Italianised form of the original Miramar, derived from the Spanish “mirar el mar”, as on visiting the promontory on which it now stands, Maximilian of Hapsburg was inspired by the memory of Spanish castles on the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean.

In reality, rather than a castle, it is an example of a princely nineteenth-century residence that perfectly respects the style of the time: a fusion of Gothic, medieval and Renaissance.

The castle is surrounded by a wonderful park. Initially, during construction, the promontory was a desolate area almost without vegetation. But thanks to Maximilian of Hapsburg’s passion for botany, many plants and shrubs were planted, most of which came from outside Europe, and the garden was carefully tended to arrive at the wonderful appearance it has today.

Sadly, the castle never became the official residence of Maximilian and Charlotte, because a few years after their wedding Maximilian left for Mexico, of which he was to have become sovereign, where he was shot. Charlotte went mad as a result and returned to Belgium, but without first uttering a curse: “Whoever lives under this roof shall die like my consort: far from their own country, far from affections, of a violent death and in mortal sin.”

Do not forget that every first Sunday of the month all the state museums of Friuli-Venezia Giulia are free, including Miramare castle. Take advantage of the fact!