Canale ponterosso trieste

The Grand Canal is a narrow waterway running through the city center from the station area toward Piazza Unità d'Italia. Historic buildings, cafes, and several bridges line its edges, including the red bridge from the 1700s and a modern pedestrian crossing made of steel and glass.

Built between 1754 and 1766 by Venetian architect Matteo Pirona, it brought boats directly into the city center for trade. In 1934, the canal's end was filled in with debris from demolished buildings, creating the current Piazza Sant'Antonio.

The canal was created as a trade route in the 1700s and retains that identity in local memory. Today, residents and visitors use it as a gathering place where cafes, markets, and bridges are part of daily routines.

The canal is about half a kilometer from the train station and easily walkable from there. Buses stop nearby at Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi, just a short walk away from the water.

Beneath the red bridge sits an old humidity meter called an igrometer that displays readings using historical units like Paris inches. This rare instrument reflects a time when scientific measurement was central to the city's maritime identity.