Santa Maria Maggiore

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is a beautiful neoclassical church located at the foot of San Giusto hill. It is in the oldest part of the Trieste on Via del Collegio, above a grand staircase that goes up to the old neighborhood. Building of the church began in 1627, it opened for worship in 1682 but it was not finished - it was only in 1700 that construction was completed. This is due to the tumultuous history of the city, between wars, invasions and conflicts the city had neither the resources nor the energy to make art works that the enemy could destroy within days. Neoclassical in style the church recalls Roman temples with columns.