video report by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interviews: Mayor Roberto Dipiazza; Regional Councilor for the Environment, Fabio Scoccimarro
City leaders say the landmark waterfront building could become a permanent cultural hub with a public restaurant, open square, and expanded exhibition spaces.
TRIESTE — The city of Trieste has announced plans to redevelop the Salone degli Incanti, the historic former fish market on the waterfront, transforming it into a year-round destination for culture and public life.
Mayor Roberto Dipiazza and Regional Councilor for the Environment Fabio Scoccimarro presented the proposal, which envisions a publicly accessible restaurant on the ground floor, an open-air piazza beneath the building’s arcades, and permanent exhibition galleries on the upper level.
The project builds on a feasibility study previously commissioned by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio, which has made the plans available to public institutions. Dipiazza said he had recently discussed the initiative with the foundation’s president, Massimo Paniccia, and with Regional Vice President and Culture Councilor Mario Anzil.
According to the mayor, the redevelopment could also benefit from national funding through Italy’s Ministry of Culture, with regional institutions expressing support for the initiative.
“We want to create an open square for everyone on the lower level, while the upper floor becomes a permanent home for exhibitions and cultural initiatives,” Dipiazza said.
The mayor also described the project as a tribute to the late Culture Councilor Giorgio Rossi, who had championed the redevelopment before his death earlier this year.
“I spent 25 years working alongside Giorgio Rossi,” Dipiazza said. “This project is something wonderful, and I will do everything I can to carry it forward together with Massimo Paniccia and all the institutions involved.”
No timeline or construction date has yet been announced, but city officials said the proposal has broad institutional backing as they seek funding for the next phase of development.
