Castello di Miramare

More than a traditional fortress, Miramar Castle near Triest is a typical example of a 19th century palatial residence, built in the eclectic style that was fashionable at that time. Constructed in 1858-1860 by architect Anton Hauser to a design by Carl Junker, Miramar was the home of Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg - Commander-in-Chief of the Austrian Navy, later Emperor of Mexico - and his wife Charlotte of Belgium. Maximilian was personally involved in the design of the castle and its large (22 hectares) Italian-style gardens, rich in rare trees, sculptures and ponds. The castle, clad in white Istria marble, is a nineteenth-century revisitation of a Medieval fortress, standing in a very romantic setting on a rocky promontory jutting out to sea. Features of particular attraction are Maximilian and Charlotte’s apartments and the “Novara” room, reproducing the flagship on which Maximilian, brother of Emperor Franz Josef, set sail to become Emperor of Mexico.