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The Park of Remembrance was built in the aftermath of the First World War. Each fallen Italian soldier would thus be commemorated by planting a tree.

On December 27, 1922, the Ministry of Education, on behalf of Undersecretary Dario Lupi, officially stated “Let the schoolchildren of Italy become promoters of a very noble and compassionate idea: to create in every city, in every country, in every township, a road or a park for remembrance. For every man fallen in the Great War, a tree will be planted.”

HISTORY

The Park of Remembrance in Trieste rises on the slopes of Colle di San Giusto, in the historical centre, with a castle on the top. The park was opened in May 24, 1926, on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of Italy’s declaration of war.

The park features a series of karstic stones engraved with the names of the fallen soldiers from Trieste and their respective units. The fallen are also remembered by a group of sculptures by Attilio Selva (1888-1970), a war volunteer and a pupil of Leonardo Bistolfi.

On the opposite side of the park, and at the end of the imposing staircase called “stairway of the giants”, there is a fountain sculpture, installed in 1938 on the occasion of Benito Mussolini’s visit and never removed.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)