Martin McDowell's Blog

This is a stunning castle with surrounding estate close to the northern Italian city of Trieste, close to border with Slovenia.

The Miramare Castle is a stunning Carl Junker designed 19th century castle near the northeastern Italian city of Trieste and was built from 1856 to 1860 for Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium, later Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota of Mexico.

The castle itself is very interesting and worth the charged visit, but be prepared to be charged first for the visit, then for the audio guide that you rent and then by a huge parking fee on your way out. The gardens are worth a walk but when I was there (June 2011) they were extremely unkempt, there were signs of the paths not being cleared for months if not years

http://www.castello-miramare.it/

Miramare castle	Miramare castle
The fountain directly facing the Miramare castle	Miramare castle
Miramare castle	Miramare castle
Miramare castle
Part of the Miramare castle estate. This is an entrance to the estate built in the hill conneted to a road that has adjacent tunnels on each side.	Part of the Miramare castle estate. This is an entrance to the estate built in the hill conneted to a road that has adjacent tunnels on each side.
	Miramare castle gardens
Miramare castle gardens – looking needy of some good gardening work	Miramare castle gardens
Miramare castle gardens	Miramare castle gardens