Monuments & Cathedrals 

Miramare Castle

In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, in Trieste, there is a beautiful white castle overlooking the sea surrounded by a luxuriant park.

Miramare Castle was a residence of the Hapsburg Court, built by Archduke of Austria and Emperor of Mexico Maximilian of Hapsburg-Lorraine, he built it as a residence to be shared with his wife, Charlotte of Belgium.

The Miramare Castle

Castello_di_Miramare_lato_mareThe construction of the castle began in 1856 and only in 1860 Maximilian and Charlotte moved there. Located on a rocky cliff on the Adriatic Sea, the castle was designed by the Austrian architect Carl Junker.

The style is neo-medieval in use in those days. As for the interior, instead, it carries the signature of the craftsmen Franz and Julius Hofmann.

The merger that has been created between art and nature makes the Miramare Castle a truly unique place. On the ground floor there are the private apartments of Maximilian and Charlotte, therefore they have a more “intimate” style, while on the first floor there are those who welcomed guests who certainly remained stunned by all that regal luxury.

The Park of Miramare extends for 22 hectares.

It was originally devoid of vegetation, but thanks to the efforts of Maximilian of Hapsburg we can find a wonderful park covered with green.

A lovely garden with private swimming pools, streams, trees from different places and windy paths, as well as several grassy areas.

But not only:

  • The greenhouses for growing plants; sculptures.
  • A small square with cannons that were donated by King Leopold I of the Belgians
  • The chapel of San Canciano
  • The “Swiss house” that is located on the edge of the “Swan Lake“.

Castelletto is located in the Park and is a building that imitates, in a smaller scale, the external structure of the castle and that served as a residence for Maximilian and Charlotte during the construction of the main castle.

A Stables of Miramare Castle were built between 1856 and 1860 and were intended to carriages and horses.

Background of Miramare Castle.

After the death of Maximilian in 1867, and after the departure of Carlotta for Belgium, the castle housed the Habsburg family for brief period. Thereafter, up to 1954 Miramare was used as a headquarters by: Nazi forces, New Zealanders, British and finally American. Since 1955 the Park was opened to the public with the name of Miramare Park.

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