Rocca di Monfalcone

In 1567 historian Girolamo di Porcia described the castle and the village of Monfalcone: “the village of Monfalcone, once called Verrucchia, built by Teodoricus King of the Goths, lies half-way between the mountains and the sea. To the left there is a castle on a hill, and it borders with the Karst.” Originally a prehistoric fortified village, the site was occupied by a Roman observation tower, guarding the road from Aquileia to Tergeste (Trieste), and later by a fortress dating back to the reign of Teodoricus. A stronghold of the Patriarch of Aquileia, overseeing the County of Duino, the castle was long contended for by the Patriarch and the Count of Gorizia, but was also a “free commune” holding a seat in the Friulian Parliament. Having surrendered on 14 July 1420 to the troops of the Venetian doge, Tommaso Mocenigo, it became an important outpost for the protection of the Venetian mainland against the Count of Gorizia and the Austrian Emperor and a defence against the attacks of the Turks. For this reason it was known as “Friuli’s watchful eye”.  In 1797 it came under Austrian rule and on 9 June 1915 it was occupied by the Italian army.