A tour through the piezometric towers of the Karst

Cycling through the pine forest between Aurisina and Santa Croce, you will slowly glimpse a cylindrical stone tower: it is the Vedetta Liburnia.

Built between the years 1854-1856 on a project by the Viennese engineer Karl Junker (the same as the Miramare castle), it was part of the Aurisina Aqueduct, designed to exploit the springs (veins of water at the point where they flow to the surface) and supply Trieste using the revolutionary steam technology. In the same period, the section of the Southern Railway was completed that passes through the nearby station of Aurisina and water was needed to power the steam locomotives. The problem was solved in 1858, when the Sudbahn company (which managed the railway) bought the machinery and the management of the springs from the Società dell’Acquedotto of Aurisina, with the clause that the excess water would go to Trieste. Over the years, the pipeline became obsolete and fell into disuse. The tower, which is 18 metres high and located at 178 metres above sea level, was restored in 1985 by the company “Innocente e Stipanovich” commissioned by the Fiume section of CAI (Italian Alpine Club), which was celebrating its centenary. The walls were consolidated, the steam engines were removed, and a metal staircase was built leading up to the top floor where the panoramic terrace is located, which at the moment is not accessible. The second piezometric tower is also in the territory of Aurisina. It is part of the Randaccio Aqueduct, still in operation, built in 1929 by the fascist regime (and modernized later) to overcome the difficulties of the Aurisina Aqueduct and eliminate the water supply problem in Trieste. This cylindrical tower, a standardized example of the architecture of the period, is located on the Karst cliff and is visible from the bay of Sistiana.

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Leonardo Portelli

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Born in 1991, a degree in Art History, a passion for nature and adventure.
I love skiing, running and MTB riding, which is my passion.
I love travelling, discovering new places and what they have to offer.
I have always been fascinated by my territory, which I will present from my point of view: that of a cyclist.