Located in the evocative underground spaces of the Bastione Lalio, on the hill of San Giusto, the Lapidario Tergestino tells the story of Roman Trieste, ancient Tergeste, through an archaeological itinerary of great charm and historical value.
The exhibition includes approximately 130 stone monuments originating from the capitoline area, sacred buildings, the Roman Theatre, and the city necropolises. Inscriptions, statues, mosaics, and funerary monuments offer a direct insight into the civil, religious, and social life of the city in Roman times.
The exhibition route unfolds through several rooms, organized by theme and provenance.
Room A - Honorary monuments
This room preserves some of the most famous monuments of the Lapidarium, including inscriptions originally displayed at the city gates, commemorating the construction of the city walls and towers. Of particular importance is the base of the equestrian monument of Lucius Fabius Severus, a distinguished citizen who served as a senator in Rome.
Room B - Imperial inscriptions and the Civic Basilica
Room B brings together imperial inscriptions documenting interventions for the construction of public buildings. Nearby are displayed materials from the Civic Basilica, whose archaeological remains are still visible today in the square at the foot of the Castle of San Giusto.
Room C - Funerary monuments
Ascending to Room C, visitors encounter funerary monuments arranged according to their area of origin. Altars, stelae, cippi, urns, and sarcophagi preserve the names and stories of the ancient inhabitants of Tergeste, offering a direct testimony of local Roman society.
Room D - The mosaics of Barcola
Descending to Room D leads to the discovery of the magnificent mosaics from the seaside villa of Barcola, a luxurious residence overlooking the sea. Dating from the late 1st century BC to the mid-1st century AD, the mosaics reflect the refined taste of wealthy owners inspired by imperial villas.
Cults and deities
Returning to Room C, the route continues with the section dedicated to places of worship and deities, featuring dedications to Jupiter, Cybele, Silvanus, Bona Dea, Hercules, and Minerva, illustrating the diversity and importance of religious life in ancient Tergeste.
The statues from the Roman Theatre
Finally, excavations from the Roman Theatre have yielded an extraordinary series of statues that once decorated the stage: Venus, Bacchus, Apollo, Minerva, Hygieia, and Aesculapius, along with the portrait of the benefactor who financed the theatre’s embellishment.
