by Nina Vaclavikova
Interview: Prince Dimitri della Torre e Tasso
Perched above the Adriatic cliffs near Trieste, the historic Castello di Duino is turning to an unexpected medium to tell its story: LEGO bricks.
Beginning April 17, 2026, the castle will introduce “Pezzi di Storia,” a permanent exhibition featuring seven large-scale installations built from more than 300,000 LEGO pieces. The works, developed over roughly 800 hours, are designed to weave contemporary visual storytelling into the castle’s centuries-old interiors, long owned by the House of Thurn and Taxis.
The installations recreate scenes, figures, and moments tied to the castle’s past, from a detailed scale model of the fortress itself to tributes to literary and historical figures such as Rainer Maria Rilke and Marie von Thurn und Taxis. One piece captures the fierce Bora wind sweeping across Trieste’s waterfront, while another depicts the 1954 Duino Agreement, which marked the city’s return to Italy.
Over the centuries, the castle has hosted a remarkable roster of visitors, including Franz Liszt, Mark Twain, and Gabriele D’Annunzio. According to local legend, even Dante Alighieri spent time here during his exile.
The project, financed entirely by the castle’s owners and developed with the French creative agency Epicure Studio, reflects a broader effort to expand the site’s appeal. With nearly 69,000 visitors in 2025, the castle has increasingly positioned itself as a family-friendly cultural destination, offering multilingual interpretation and new forms of engagement.
By pairing miniature construction with monumental history, “Pezzi di Storia” aims to bridge generations—inviting children, enthusiasts, and history-minded travelers alike to encounter the past in a newly tactile form.
