Description

The village of Barcola underwent sudden growth in 1860 when, partly with the financial support of Archduke Maximilian, the road linking Trieste with the Castle of Miramare was built. It thus became a bathing centre linked to Trieste by tram and steamboats. Between Barcola and Miramare stretches a piece of coastline that is extremely popular with Triestini thanks to the easy and free access to the sea. Barcola also saw a highly specialised activity develop at the time of Austria, when Trieste began to expand: that of the “lightermen”. Once the large oceangoing sailing ships had unloaded their merchandise, they had to regain the stability provided by the weight of their cargo in order to undertake another voyage. This was done in the cheapest way possible: by placing stones as ballast in the bottom of the hold. This work was done by the lightermen, who would carry the stone to the ships aboard their own boats, measuring 12 metres by 3 and over 1 metre high. This activity vanished at the start of the twentieth century with the rise of steamships.