Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere

By Jan Morris, 2001

Jan Morris finds Trieste a genial place where, like many others, she fits in and feels comfortable. I read this book thinking that it might be a relaxing place to visit for a few days after spending a busy week or two in Vienna. But Morris’ description makes me wonder if it might be too quiet. How many days do I want to spend drinking a quiet coffee by the harbour and walking out for a visit to contemplate one of the many small museums?

In truth, Morris says she has been drawn to Trieste many times over the years because of its quiet charm, welcoming people and slow pace. She does point out that in the 2000s, after she finished drafting the book, it has become more modern and linked into contemporary culture. In the twenty-first century, it has developed a vigorous growth in tourism, science, education, business. But Morris isn’t interested in that, and makes Trieste seem a sleepy town best suited for recuperation. I was in fact thinking of a quiet place to relax after my city vacation, but do I want something a little more stimulating?  

Morris describes the architectural highlights in a sympathetic way, suggesting that they complement the town with understated glory. The long history as a coastal town is best represented in the harbour and the remaining bourgeois palaces of the late Austrian empire. Trieste was the holiday resort for the middle class of Austria. It became an important sea port for central Europe until the Austrian empire fell apart and trading patterns shifted. It links the coast to the harsh environment of the surrounding karst mountains. And it has been a place where the Slavic peoples of the Balkans worked and lived together with the Italians and Austrians. James Joyce and other European figures spent significant parts of their lives here (often complaining of the weather and culture). But all this seems to be about a past time that has moved on.

Morris suggests that Trieste makes the most of a long-gone history, becoming an ideal spot for philosophical reflection. “The fundamental fact about modern Trieste, underlying all that happens here, is that it was built ad hoc – to be the principal port of the continental empire. Ever since that purpose was lost, the city has been trying to find substitute functions for itself… and has been more or less stagnant.” So says Morris. And yet she felt drawn to return several times to appreciate the pleasures of a slower life relaxing and wandering with no necessary destination. She can withdraw and contemplate what it means to be nowhere in particular.

I wonder if it is Morris’ attraction to the quietude that makes Trieste sound so sleepy. I have after all spent time visiting historic towns that a less sympathetic travel writer might call out-of-date backwaters. Lucca, Porto and other cities could be described in terms of their past histories and slow streets, although they are very vibrant with lots of street culture. And Trieste is well positioned for a daytrip to Venice or down the Illyrian coast.

I have friends who have recently visited Trieste, and found it surprisingly pleasant. It’s barely on the tourist list, which is a point in its favour. It may be just a matter of getting into the right frame of mind, as Morris suggests, enjoying the coffee and a convivial read rather than looking for romanticized features that in the end seem a bit disappointing.