Karst and Trieste Coast

<< Friuli Venezia Giulia

The Province of Trieste forms a narrow strip of land along the Adriatic coast. Most of this territory is part of the Karst Plateau, a mountainous region that stretches into Slovenia. The rugged coast north of Trieste features tall cliffs where the Karst meets the sea. Meanwhile Muggia, located south of Trieste, is at the northern end of the Istria peninsula, now mostly part of Slovenia and Croatia.

Muggia

Muggia is a town located along the coast south of Trieste, at the border with Slovenia. It was a prehistoric village and a Roman town, and it developed especially during the Venetian and Austrian rule. The influence of these two cultures can be still seen today in many buildings of Muggia.

Duomo of Muggia

The Duomo is the main religious building in Muggia, located in the main square of the town. It was built originally as a Romanesque church in the 13th century, but the facade, a wonderful example of Venetian Gothic architecture, was added later, in the 15th century.

Sgonico/Zgonik

Sgonico (Zgonik in Slovene) is a small town in the Karst near Trieste and its municipality includes various villages in the area. It is one of the few Italian municipalities with a majority Slovene population.

✪ Grotta Gigante

Grotta Gigante (“Giant Cave”) is a huge cave system located near Sgonico, just outside Trieste. It is one of the largest caves open to tourists in the world, and it features a wide hall and many spectacular rock formations. Two long pendulums used to measure the Earth’s movements are located inside the cave.

Duino/Devin

Duino (Devin in Slovene) is a seaside town in the Province of Trieste, and part of the municipality of Duino-Aurisina. Being on the road between Monfalcone and Trieste, its history has always been linked with these two cities. It is noted for its beautiful environment with tall cliffs overlooking the sea.

Duino Castle

The Duino Castle is a cliffside fortification overlooking the Gulf of Trieste. It was built in the 14th-century, and it has always been the residence of noble families. While staying here in 1911 and 1912, Bohemian-Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke started writing his most famous work, the Duino Elegies. Now it is open to the public and it hosts a museum. On a nearby cliff there are the ruins of a previous fortification known as Old Castle.

Falesie di Duino Nature Reserve

The cliffs that form the coast between the towns of Duino and Sistiana are part of a nature reserve (Riserva Naturale delle Falesie di Duino). Running through this park is the Rilke Path, a scenic footpath with spectacular views over the Gulf of Trieste, and named after poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who stayed in the Duino Castle between 1911 and 1912.