by InTrieste
Interview: deputy mayor, Serena Tonel
To mark the 150th anniversary of Palazzo Bruni, Trieste’s historic City Hall, the municipality will open its doors to the public on Sunday, September 28, with a special edition of its popular “Visitiamo il Municipio” program.
The initiative, launched several years ago to bring residents closer to the city’s institutions, offers free guided tours of normally off-limits areas, including the Council Chamber, the Gallery of Mayors, and the Blue Room. Visitors will be able to admire Cesare Dell’Acqua’s monumental painting The Commercial Prosperity of Trieste and Hans Makart’s restored Allegory of Navigation, highlighting the city’s ties to Vienna.
A celebratory exhibition, The Municipal Palace of Trieste: Genesis of a Building, Birth of a Square, will also open inside the City Hall, curated by the city’s Urban Planning and Technical Archives.
Mayor Roberto Dipiazza described the event as “an opportunity for citizens and tourists alike to discover the symbolic heart of Trieste.” Deputy Mayor Serena Tonel emphasized its role as a civic lesson: “The City Hall is not only an administrative hub but also a place of democratic participation and collective decision-making.”
The tours will be led by art historian Maurizio Lorber with the support of young volunteers from the Italian heritage group FAI. Participation is free but requires advance booking via Eventbrite or in person at the city’s Citizen Service Office. Tours, lasting about an hour, will run throughout the day at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5 p.m.
