TRIESTE CONVENTION CENTRE USHERS IN NEW ERA FOR TOURISM
The city of Trieste, at the crossroads to Slovenia and Croatia, has a brand-new convention centre. It has the largest auditorium in northeastern Italy equipped with the latest technologies. City authorities believe that the centre, combined with a string of new museums, will give a new impetus to the destination.
Trieste has long been marginalised in Italy due to its geographic location on the outskirts of the Italian Peninsula. However it is an attractive tourist destination with many cruise ships visiting the port every year. Trieste remains one of the most fascinating towns in Italy as it blends Austrian, Italian and Slavic cultures. Many of Trieste’s buildings remind the visitor of Vienna rather than Rome.
The regional government has announced it plans to give the town new tools for the development of its tourism industry. Trieste municipality has been the main catalyser behind the construction of a new convention centre. The project however involved the entire region. Next to the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and PromoTurismoFVG, the regional tourism authority, partners include the Municipality of Trieste, the Technical Council of the tourist tax and the involvement of hoteliers and local tour and travel companies.
New infrastructure is leading the city to become the engine of territorial and economic development in the congress and tourism sector.
Trieste’s new congress centre is located in the heart of “Porto Vecchio”- the “Old Port”. This industrial area has now been the centre of Trieste most ambitious urban transformation project for many years. It is located a few minutes away by car from the historical centre of the city. The Old Port which is now emerging as Trieste new centre for research, sciences and culture.
The Trieste Convention Centre was built in a record time of 15 months as it used a previous infrastructure made of two abandoned warehouses. The competition to transform the two warehouses was won by the renowned Spanish architect Guillermo Vazquez Consuegra.
The redeveloped area of Porto Vecchio with its museums and Trieste Convention Center (Image: rendering Guillermo Vazquez Consuegra office)
Porto Vecchio emerges as a tourism hub with Trieste Convention Centre and three museums
Some €33m were dedicated to the reconversion of the warehouses. The development includes a viewing tower overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Another €15m were invested into improving the road network as well as rail connections. As the centre is located next to Trieste’s main rail station, a new path has also been created to better integrate the rail station to the historical centre around Piazza della Liberta.
The Trieste Convention Centre is surrounded by three new cultural institutions: Warehouse 18 has been converted into a museum of exiles and immigration while the Warehouse 26 with its historical Austrian style is now the Sea Museum. Recently, the city inaugurated the “Immaginario Scientifico” – the first interactive and experimental science museum of Friuli Venezia Giulia. All aim to turn Trieste into Italy’s leading centre of sciences.
“This area is a great opportunity for our city, but only if we work together: only then will this Congress Centre become a formidable flywheel for Trieste“, explained Trieste Mayor Roberto Dipiazza.
The new convention facility has the largest auditorium in northeastern Italy with 1,856 seats, 5 further rooms (from 420 to 56 seats) for a total capacity of 2,770 seats, an exhibition area of 5,000 square metres, a large foyer with bar/cafeteria, kitchens and, last but not least, a large terrace overlooking the sea.
