Piazza Unità d'Italia (Unity of Italy Square), Trieste (must see)

The Unity of Italy Square in Trieste is today the largest sea-facing square in Europe. Located at the base of the hill of the castle San Giusto, it was once the most important seaport of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Originally it was Saint Peter Square (Piazza San Pietro). The indigenous Slovenes called it Great or Grand Square. Then the name was changed to Francesco Giuseppe, after Emperor Franz Joseph. In 1918, it became Unity Square (Piazza Unita) in honor of Trieste's annexation by Italy. On April 15, 1955, it was awarded the name Unity of Italy Square (Piazza Unita d'Italia).

The vast, elegant square opens on the Gulf of Trieste. It is lined on three sides by lavish Viennese-type government buildings. Leading off the square are the ancient meandering streets of the venerable Roman settlement of Trieste. The grid-fashioned Borgo Teresiano district is also an adjunct to the noted place.

The City Hall (Palazzo del Municipio), with its clock tower and bronze Moors, faces the sea. The imposing Lloyd Triestino Palace and the Government Palace (Palazzo del Governo) are on the sides. The building has a golden mosaic facade. The Fountain of the Four Continents, built between 1751 and 1754 by the sculptor Giovanni Battista Mazzoleni, stands in front of the City Hall. A lighting system with blue LEDs was installed to emphasize the connection with the sea.

The square has served well as a concert venue. The Green Day rock group performed there in 2013 with their show, "99 Revolutions." Some 12,000 people attended. The heavy metal group, Iron Maiden, performed, drawing as many as 15,000 enthusiastic fans.

Foreign heads of state have met in the square. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian PM Enrico Letta met here in 2013. In 2017, a trilateral meeting attended by Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, and Paolo Gentiloni was held there, as well as the fourth Western Balkans Summit.

Merchants, sailors, artists, visitors, and heads of state have called the square the "Front Parlor" of Trieste, and with good reason. It is a great place to enjoy a coffee on a Sunday and watch the sunset as children play and families stroll along the waterfront.