Molo Audace is a

pier A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...

located on the shores of

Trieste Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as of the Province of Trieste, ...

, Italy right in the centre of the city, a few steps from

Piazza Unità d'Italia Piazza Unità d'Italia (English: ''Unity of Italy Square'') is the main square in Trieste, a seaport city in northeast Italy. Located at the foot of the hill with the castle of San Giusto, the square faces the Adriatic Sea. It is often said t ...

and the Grand Canal. It separates the San Giorgio basin from the San Giusto basin of the Old Port.

History

In 1740, the ship ''San Carlo'' sank in Trieste harbour, close to the shore. Instead of removing the wreck, it was decided to use it as the basis for the construction of a new pier, which was built between 1743 and 1751 and was named after ''San Carlo''. At the time, the pier was shorter than it is today; it measured only in length and was joined to the land by a small wooden bridge. In 1778, it was lengthened by and from 1860 to 1861, by a further , thus reaching its current length of . The bridge was also eliminated, joining the pier directly to the mainland. At that time, both passenger and merchant ships docked at the San Carlo quay, with much movement of people and goods. On 3 November 1918, at the end of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the first ship of the Italian Royal Navy to enter the port of Trieste and dock at the San Carlo pier was the destroyer ''Audace'', whose anchor is now displayed at the base of the Victory lighthouse. Frontemare_di_Trieste

In memory of this event, in March 1922, the name of the pier was changed to Molo Audace, and in 1925 a bronze

compass rose A compass rose or compass star, sometimes called a wind rose or rose of the winds, is a polar coordinates, polar diagram displaying the orientation of the cardinal directions (north, east, south, and west) and their points of the compass, inter ...

was erected at the end of the pier, with an epigraph in the centre commemorating the landing, and on the side the inscription 'Cast in bronze enemy III November MCMXXV (3 November 1925)'. The rose, supported by a white stone column, replaced an earlier all-stone compass rose. The date MCMIL (1949) engraved on the column commemorates its restoration after being damaged during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Over time, as maritime traffic moved to other areas of the port, the Audace pier gradually lost its mercantile function, and today only passing boats occasionally dock there. The pier has thus remained a popular place for strolling, a walkway stretching out over the sea of undoubted charm, completing the promenade along the banks and in Piazza Unità d'Italia.

Gallery

File:Molo audace 015 2008-01.jpg, The pier seen from the banks. Snow-capped mountain peaks can be seen in the background File:Mole Audace.jpg, Piazza Unità seen from the Audace pier File:Molo San Carlo.jpg, Another image of the pier in the 19th century File:Molo Audace 3.jpg, Tourists enjoy the first spring sunshine File:Molo audace 03-2008 2.jpg, The compass rose at the head of the pier File:Sailing Boat, Molo Audace, Trieste.JPG, Sunset view from the pier

References

{{reflist Trieste Piers in Italy