Miramare Castle

Miramare Castle is situated on the Gulf of Trieste in north east Italy. It is a 19th century castle that was built from 1856 to 1860. The castle was built for the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium. The design of the castle was based on a structure created by Carl Junker. The grounds of the castle were designed just how the Archduke wanted them, with an extensive cliff and a seashore park that spread over 22 hectares.

History

Miramare Castle

Miramare Castle was built for Ferdinand Maximilian. At eighteen Maximilian came to Trieste with his brother Charles and almost immediately after that he went on a cruise. This cruise set out the fact that he wanted to travel and see the world. He then decided to actually move to Trieste and he wanted a house built for him to his standard and worthy of his name and rank. The castle itself was designed by Carl Junker in 1856 and the structure of the castle was finished in 1860. The style of the castle represents Maximillian’s interests which included the styles of Austria, Germany and England.

The construction of this castle was supervised by Maximilian because he wanted it to be the perfect house. The whole castle was only finished after his departure for Mexico in 1864. This is where he was selected to be Emperor. After a short reign he was then shot in 1867. Before his death he had many designs that he set for the castle including to create a friendly and intimate area for his family. This area would have been used to connect with nature and reflect on his spirit.

Quote from PropertyForum.com : “To those on the outside of the property sector looking inwards, the title “tallest building in the US” may seem little more than an ego trip. However, since time and memorial we have seen architects and property developers pushing the limits leading to taller and taller buildings around the world.”

Castelletto

As well as the main castle, Miramare, he also had a smaller castle called Gartenhaus or Castelletto. He lived in this castle during the construction of Miramare. This smaller castle faces Grignano on one side and the other side a parterre which is surrounded by trees. The Castelletto specifically represents the history of Maximilian and his wife Charlotte. This is where Charlotte came after returning from Mexico after suffering a nervous breakdown.

Miramare Castle Stables

The Stables consist of three different parts which surround a central yard. The location of the stables are in a protected, quiet place just far enough from the main castle. The two wings are spilt into three parts: the boxrooms for the horses, the accommodation for the staff and then the kitchens. Between the two World Wars, when the Dukes of Aosta lived there, the stables were the first thing that was changed.

Museum

The castle is now open to visitors and when visiting they will be able to see Maximillian’s chambers, the guest rooms, the information room and the Duke of Aostas apartment which is still furnished in the Rationalist style. In all these rooms the visitors will be able to see the original furnishings, ornaments, furniture and objects which date back to the 19th century.  A particularly interesting room is the music room and there is also another room where with many paintings on show which portray the history of the Miramare. The throne room has also been restored to its previous glory and is a popular room with visitors.