by InTrieste
On Friday, May 30, at 4 p.m., the Museo Petrarchesco Piccolomineo in Trieste will inaugurate the exhibition “Traveling with Casanova: Arrival in Trieste”, curated by Alessandra Sirugo. The exhibit marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Venetian writer and adventurer Giacomo Casanova (1725–1798) and will remain open to the public until January 10, 2026.
Located on the third floor of Via Madonna del Mare 13, the museum will welcome visitors free of charge from Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays until 6 p.m. The museum will be closed on Sundays and public holidays.
The exhibition, organized by the City of Trieste’s Department of Education and Family Policies and its Library Services division, commemorates the period Casanova spent in Trieste—from November 15, 1772, to September 14, 1774. During this time, the famously elusive figure left a tangible literary legacy in the collections of the Civic Library “Attilio Hortis.”
On display are rare first editions from the library’s holdings, alongside prints and publications that reflect the theatrical and literary culture of Casanova’s era. After escaping from the infamous Venetian prison known as the “Piombi” and wandering Europe in search of a suitable position, Casanova’s talents as a vivid storyteller are evident in the materials selected for the exhibit.
The curatorial selection by Alessandra Sirugo—who also conducted a detailed inventory of the library’s Casanova-related works—highlights eleven volumes authored by the intrepid man of letters, as well as several of his contributions to international political commentary published in L’Osservatore Triestino, a local periodical of the time.
The exhibition invites visitors to explore the intersection of history, literature, and identity through the lens of one of Europe’s most enigmatic and celebrated cultural figures.
