Miramar Castle, the home of Charlotte
& Maximilian
The "love-nest" of Maximilian of Habsburg and Charlotte
of Belgium, Miramare Castle was built from 1856 to 1860 to a design
by Carl Junker on the orders of Archduke Maximilian.
The royal couple, who then divided their time between the duties
of the court and their private lives but were soon to accept the
benefits and burdens of the Mexican crown, spent a happy period
here. It was here, with the visit of a delegation from Mexico,
that definite plans were laid for the adventure that led to their
undoing, a fate so tragic that a veil of romantic sadness was
drawn over the Castle itself.
Later the residence of Duke Amadeo of Aosta and from 1943 to 1954
the headquarters of foreign military units, the Castle is now
a museum run by the Cultural Heritage Office. Its rooms are open
to the public.
(Click on the picture above to go
to the Interiors)
The Castle gardens provide a setting of outstanding beauty
with a variety of trees, chosen by and planted on the orders of
Maximilian, that today make a remarkable collection.
Features of particular attraction in the gardens include two ponds,
one noted for its swans and the other for lotus flowers, the Castle
annexe ("Castelletto"), a nearby a bronze statue of
Maximilian, and a small chapel in which is kept a cross made from
the remains of the "Novara", the flagship on which Maximilian,
brother of Emperor Franz Josef, set sail to become Emperor of
Mexico.
Today the gardens play host to spectacles such as "Son
et Lumière", reliving the tragic story of Maximilian
and Charlotte in its natural setting, and concerts such as the
"Musical Walks" performed by the Opera Giocosa of Friuli-Venezia
Giulia.
