by Nina Vaclavikova
Interviews: Everest Bertoli, Councilor for Finance and Porto Vecchio–Porto Vivo, City of Trieste; Elisa Lodi, Councilor for Municipal Property and Sport, City of Trieste
The 10,000-square-meter Cittadella dello Sport is the latest public project in the city’s ongoing waterfront redevelopment.
The City of Trieste has inaugurated the Cittadella dello Sport, a new outdoor sports complex in the Barcola area that transforms a former railway site into a public recreational space. The project is part of the broader redevelopment of the Porto Vecchio waterfront and was funded through Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Covering more than 10,000 square meters, the complex includes basketball and tennis courts, beach volleyball facilities, a skate park, changing rooms and public amenities. Future phases will add padel courts, cycling paths, landscaped green areas and a public plaza.
Designed with accessibility and sustainability in mind, the site features barrier-free pedestrian routes, photovoltaic panels, rainwater recovery systems and extensive green spaces. The original railway layout has been preserved as a defining element of the landscape.
Management of the facility has been awarded to a consortium led by Union Tennis & Padel under a nine-year concession. The city says the venue will host sports programs, community activities and cultural events, while several outdoor areas—including the basketball courts and skate park—will remain free to access.
