Through Gretta to the Faro della Vittoria

Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Victor Caneva

The chestnut tree behind our apartment was bare when we moved in last winter. All through our first night in town, a pulsing light welcomed us to Trieste as it diffused gently through the drapery. The beacon has become much less noticeable now that the trees are sporting their verdant spring ensembles. It was time to finally pay a visit to the Faro della Vittoria, or the Victory Lighthouse.

The walk to the hospital was pleasant on this first Wednesday in June. Ashley and I were getting used to the new rhythms of life and were committed to enjoy a chance to take a stroll together on a gorgeous day, even if the destination was the oncology ward at Ospedale Maggiore. We embraced and Ashley headed inside to negotiate the ever-changing policies to enter the hospital. Finally having a loose semblance of a plan, I struck out for the lighthouse.

Pigeons were exhibiting a shameful disregard for the legacy of Giuseppe Verdi as I passed his likeness in Piazza San Giovanni.

Working my way north on Via Carducci, the morning light playing on the tops of the palazzi was exquisite. It has a way of softly bouncing off the windows of adjacent buildings and showcasing the distinctive flourishes on the proud old palaces.

Soon, I arrived at Giardino Leonor Fini, flanked on three sides by quirky mansions and overlooking the historic port to the west. Continuing through Roiano, I climbed up to the Salita di Gretta, and began my first foray into the rione of Gretta, the home of the Faro della Vittoria. 

I found Gretta to be quite charming. Even though Salita di Gretta later turns into Strada di Friuli, one of the main routes exiting the city to the north, sidewalks bordering villas and parks made for peaceful strolling. Brand new perspectives of the Gulf of Trieste framed by coastal vegetation spoiled me, having expected a more hectic walk. Then, suddenly, Winged Victory surged into the skyline. 

The Victory Lighthouse is both graceful and formidable, matching the motivations for its erection. After the First World War, Trieste’s busy port required an updated beacon. The Faro della Vittoria was constructed to fill this need while also serving as a monument to commemorate Trieste’s 1918 inclusion in the Kingdom of Italy and soberly honoring those who fell at sea during the Great War. The planners also sought to build a memorial that stood taller than the Berlin Victory Column. There’s nothing like spite to inspire splendid architecture.  

Designed by Triestino architect Arduino Berlam and built into the earthworks of Fort Kressich, a mid-19th century Austrian fort, the Faro della Vittoria towers almost 68 meters (223 feet) tall. Work began on the monument in 1923 and finished in 1927, culminating in an inauguration attended by Italian monarch Vittorio Emanuele III. Two works by Triestino sculptor Giovanni Mayer lend a distinct personality to the lighthouse, with Winged Victory perched triumphantly at the precipice and the 8.6 meter (28 foot) Unknown Seaman gazing solemnly out to sea. Giacomo Sebroth, the craftsman who fashioned Winged Victoryout of copper and iron, also added ingenious structural elements to the sculpture, allowing it to withstand the ferocious borawinds. The figure’s wings have holes which permit the winds to blow through them and a steel support hidden inside Winged Victory’s frame is enhanced by moveable rods, reducing the stress inflicted by the bora.

Winged Victory from afar evokes a graceful figure, but through a 200MM lens, she looks downright fierce. She may be noble, but make no mistake, Winged Victory could kick your butt.

After enjoying the lighthouse from below, I climbed the steep Scala Eugenio Geiringer (remember him?) up the Gretta hillside and spied some sublime views of the Faro from above. Satisfied and slightly sunburnt, I headed home. 

I’ll leave you today with a Trieste tip. Always look inside palazzi when the doors are left open! It doesn’t matter if passersby give you strange looks; it will be worth it. You may see sculptures of lions or elaborate staircases, but on this walk home I saw something truly captivating.

I peeked inside one of the palazzi on the east side of Piazza della Libertà and I felt like I was on an adventure with Indiana Jones. Yellow light diffused through an open interior doorway revealing what I am going to call a small, ancient altarpiece featuring a faded fresco. It had to have a remarkable history! I continued happily on my way, but with lots of unanswered questions. Trieste is a city of plentiful treasures, some of them displayed for all to see and others hidden in private courtyards or behind garden walls.