Palazzo del Municipio (City Hall), Trieste

Located in the Square of Italian Unity, the City Hall is the seat of the Municipality of Trieste. In the late 19th century, the old Palace of the Magistrate was demolished to make way for the new municipal building. Trieste architect Giuseppe Bruni, who had formerly designed the Modello Palace, was chosen for the City Hall.

Engineer and architect Eugenio Geiringer was the director of the project, which was completed in 1875. The facade, facing the square, is Eclectic in style. It has two side bodies of four floors and a central body of five. The grand floor has portico or gallery-like arches. Upper floors have mullioned windows.

In the center, atop the clock tower, two bronze statues of Moors, nicknamed "Micheze" and "Jacheze" (from Slovenian Mihec and Jakec), guard the bell. Giuseppe Bruni installed the Moors. They are in memory of the two who struck the chimes on the Mandracchio Tower, the former Gateway to the port, demolished in 1838.

The original Moors, sculpted by Fausto Asteo da Ceneda, were installed in January 1876. They were replaced by copies in 1972 while being restored. In 2004 the refurbished statues were set up at the entrance of San Giusto Castle.

On a stage in front of the building in 1938, the dictator Benito Mussolini announced his hateful racial laws. This disaster was corrected in 1954 as the mayor of the city, Gianni Bartoli, announced celebrations marking the return of Trieste to Italy.