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Italy

Friuli Venezia Giulia

Trieste

Fountain of the Four Continents

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Places to see

Italy

Friuli Venezia Giulia

Trieste

Fountain of the Four Continents

Highlight • Monument

Fountain of the Four Continents

Recommended by 32 hikers out of 33

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Location: Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy

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Best Hikes to Fountain of the Four Continents

4.5

(80)

622

hikers

1. Grand Canal (Trieste) – Unity of Italy Square loop from Campo Marzio

9.07km

02:25

100m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.4

(42)

332

hikers

2. Canal Grande of Trieste – Miramare Castle loop from Città Vecchia

18.3km

04:39

50m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.3

(39)

321

hikers

3. Canal Grande of Trieste – Canal Grande (Trieste) loop from Miramare

18.7km

04:50

110m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Tips

🌿 Seit1984 ⚒️

October 12, 2025

The Fontana dei Quattro Continenti in Trieste's Piazza Unità d'Italia is a Baroque masterpiece and a symbol of the city's cosmopolitan identity in the 18th century.

🗺️ Symbolism & History
Origin: Created between 1751 and 1754 by the sculptor Giovanni Battista Mazzoleni to celebrate Trieste's rise to a free-trading city under Maria Theresa.

Name: The "Four Continents" – Europe, Asia, Africa, and America – symbolize the global reach of trade that Trieste conducted as a port city. Australia was not yet known as a continent at the time.

Location: Originally located in the center of the piazza, the fountain was removed in 1938 to make way for a political stage and was only restored and returned in the 1970s.

🧜‍♂️ Artistic Details
Allegorical Figures:

Europe with a horse and symbols of power and knowledge.

Asia with a camel and exotic goods.

Africa with a lion.

America with an alligator and feathered headdress.

Trieste as the central figure: A winged female figure enthrones the ensemble, resting on the karst cliffs, surrounded by bales, barrels, and ropes – a symbol of the cosmopolitan, welcoming city.

Water Sources: Dolphins and river gods spew water into conch shells – a baroque interplay of movement and symbolism

Translated by Google •

Nico Maker 🚲🚶

July 19, 2025

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Details

Informations

Elevation 60 m

Weather

Today

Saturday 15 November

16°C

14°C

70 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 8.0 km/h

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Location: Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy

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Narrow Alleyway

Fountain of the Four Continents

1. Grand Canal (Trieste) – Unity of Italy Square loop from Campo Marzio

2. Canal Grande of Trieste – Miramare Castle loop from Città Vecchia

3. Canal Grande of Trieste – Canal Grande (Trieste) loop from Miramare

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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