Trieste's History of Occupations and Rulers

Cooking shows tout layers of flavors. Splendid cities boast overlays of influence.

That is Trieste: the old Tergeste under the Romans. Then ruled by Goths, Byzantines, Longobards, Franks, a free "Commune" 1060-1202 (some kind of free city without one ruler?), then Venetians, and Habsburgs of Austria 1382-1918. See commemorative coins and a fun website at www.roth37.it/COINS/Trieste/index.

It broke free of Venice in the 1200's, and subsequently allied with Vienna. See .everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1416871.

Numismatists have put their stamp on history. Go to this site's home page (follow the instruction to "Go Home!) and link to all sorts of other histories, stories, many countries - this site is by a many sided numismatist. For numismatism, see library.thinkquest.org/CR0212420/num3: "Become a Numismatist."

Cosmopolitan mix. For a more formal history of Trieste, see triesteit.ags.myareaguide.com/?cityguide=history. We are used to the cosmopolitan mixes in London, Paris, Rome, and in our own country; Trieste has the advantage of a beautiful site and manageable size - partially due to its surrounding bowl of mountain ridges.

Mosaics

Trieste is a city of manageable size, less hectic than London or Paris, and full of riches in art forms that I never appreciated much before - like mosaics. Here is the mosaic at San Giusto - we got there just as everything was closing, but this fills us in. Do go to mosaicartsource.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/mosaic-cathedral-of-san-giusto-trieste-italy/.

The prize for best mosaics goes to the Norman cathedral at Monreale, Sicily, for us. The mosaics cover all the walls, telling stories. Noah is especially good. It almost makes you feel seasick, with the waves. See Sicily Road Ways.This site is a source for many matters mosaic - how to, places where, a compendium.

Look up the "Joy of Shards" from that site - now we know what to do with our bust-ups. More direct access - www.thejoyofshards.co.uk/index.

Trieste's Canals - and Kayakers Downtown; History Overview

Trieste is a kind of Venice, with the canals from the bay area, but it is not webbed throughout with them. See the aerial view at www.ts.camcom.it/english/porto.

Trieste was part of our Croatia trip - at the northern end of the Istrian Peninsula. We came from the south, Rikeke to Pula -- see Croatia Road Ways. A day and a half, one overnight. Not enough time.

A varied history. The area went between Italy, Slovenia and Croatia in disputes for centuries. After WWII, the Potsdam treaties made Trieste self-governing, but it later went to Italy, see www.ts.camcom.it/english/porto, to the continuing dissatisfaction of many Croatians. Scroll down about 9 paragraphs. For Potsdam, see Germany Road Ways.

This was an area of alleged war crimes, as are many places after wars. For an overview on the topic here, see www.grolier.com/wwii/wwii_warcrimes.

For the history of the Trieste events of WWII, see cgi.stanford.edu/group/wais/cgi-bin/index.php?p=587. If you get lost in the long address, stop at "wais" and maneuver from there. How I long for direct links. It is hard to find references if you go only to the home page. Do visit any home page, though, so the counters will count you.

More blogs about Trieste Road Ways.