Hotel Duchi D'Aosta
by paoseoWhile one of its facade contributes to make Piazza Unità d'Italia one of Europe's most astonishing squares, an other one faces directly the sea.
The history of the Hotel "Duchi " begins in 300 D. C., when its Progenitor, the Hospitium Magnum, was erected along the embankment. It offered hospitality to tradesmen, who arrived at Trieste's harbour to replenish their reserve of goods, as well as to seamen, who stayed there during the ships' stopovers. Between 1727 and 1732, the "Osteria Grande" was built on the grounds of the "Hospitium Magnum ". Later, it was expanded, redecorated and renamed "Locanda Grande ". It was demolished, in 1847.In 1873, the Fund-owners, Assicurazioni Generali, charged the engineer Eugenio Geiringer with the rebuilding of what became the "Hotel Garni ". At the beginning of the twentieth Century, the Hotel was renamed into Hotel Vanoli and, in 1912, it experienced the introduction of electric current. The Grand Hotel Duchi d'Aosta was renamed as such, in 1972.Over the Centuries, many distinguished personalities have reposed inside the walls of the Hotel: the Infanta of Spain Maria, spouse to Ferdinand I, Federico Gonzaga Duke of Mantua, Admiral Horatio Nelson, Giacomo Casanova, Carlo Goldoni, but to name a few. On 8 June 1768, a horrible blood crime was committed: the archaeologist Johann Winckelmann, who discovered Ercolano and Pompei, was stabbed to death by his lover. At that time, there was a great fuss about the trial of a crowned head that allegedly had an affair with a servant, during her frequent visits to Trieste. The manager of the Locanda Grande was the main witness to give evidence on her behalf and, even though the rumour was never disproved, the Queen was acquitted.
To get there:
Grand Hotel Duchi d'Aosta
Piazza Unità d'Italia, 2/1
34121 - Trieste
e-mail: reservations@grandhotelduchida
