Statua di James Joyce
Statua di James Joyce
4
About
The great Irish writer, James Joyce (1882), spent a number of years, on and off between 1904 and 1915, as an English teacher in Trieste. The city was then part of Austrian-Hungaryian empire. The statue is located in the exuberant beautiful park of Giardino Tommasini. Inside there are busts of famous characters; Joyce bust bears the inscription, Trieste a James Joyce “Nel centenario della nascita”
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.

Top ways to experience Statua di James Joyce and nearby attractions

The area
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.0
174 reviews
Excellent
58
Very good
71
Average
41
Poor
1
Terrible
3

saronic
Zurich, Switzerland25,880 contributions
Dec 2019
One of the most famous persons associated with Trieste is the writer James Joyce, as every visitor with a guide book will soon find out. Besides his native Dublin and the city of Zurich, where he spent his last years and where he passed away, Trieste has been one of the 3 important places in his life. In the then very cosmopolitan town he was teaching at the Berlitz School on and off between 1904 and 1920.

In all these three cities can be seen today bronze statues of the unusual writer. So in Earl Street in the centre of Dublin, in Zurich above his grave in the Fluntern cemetery and in Trieste he can be seen walking on the Ponte Rosso (Red Bridge) over the Canal Grande. According to his passport data, James Joyce was 5 ft 10 (1.78m) tall, so this looks like a life-size statue. It had been erected in 2004, exactly 100 years after the arrival in Trieste of the then unknown 22 years old Irishman together with his love Nora Barnacle, his muse and later his wife.

The statue was made by Trieste sculptor Nino Spagnoli, whose work can be seen all over the city. Besides the statue of James Joyce he also created statues of the other famous Trieste writers Italo Svevo and Umberto Saba. His best known work though must be the statue of the 'Mula de Trieste', 'mula' being a local word for girl.
Written October 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Rumples
Tucson, AZ11,393 contributions
Dec 2019
This bronze, life-size statue of Irish writer James Joyce stands on the Rosso Bridge, which crosses Trieste's Grand Canal. Unlike the big canal in Venice, this one is fairly narrow so the bridge is a short span. The statue, sculpted by Nino Spagnoli, was erected here in 2004 to commemorate Joyce's first arrival in the city 100 years before. I sought out the sculpture because of my interest in authors and literature. During the 11 years that Joyce lived in Trieste on and off, he taught English and started to write "Ulysses."

The work has been placed next to the bridge railing and depicts the author walking, attired in a hat, shirt with bow tie and rumpled suit. His left hand has been shoved into his pants' pocket and he carries a book under his right arm. Both his nose and right shoulder and arm have been rubbed to a golden sheen by passersby. A plaque appears on the sidewalk giving his name and life dates (1882-1941).

Based on the photos that I've seen of Joyce, I think this statue is a good likeness of him and worth a quick look, because of this important author's ties to Trieste.
Written October 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Asiyah Noemi K
Pula, Croatia4,902 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
Walking over the Ponte Rosso bridge over the Canal Grande we encounter an interesting statue. This beautiful statue is devoted to James Joyce (a famous Irish writer), made by sculptor from Trieste Nino Spagnoli. The statue was placed on the bridge in 2004 to remember the centenary of Joyce's arrival in Trieste. James Joyce in Trieste is coming to work like an English teacher at the Berlitz School. James Joyce along with girlfriend Nora Barnacle ( He married her in 1931), reaches Trieste and finds that the place in the scool is not free. They ( the institute for the foreign languages ) send him to Pula on the south of the Istrian peninsula to teach english language, where he lives in bad conditions days and finally returns to Trieste in 1905. Returning to Trieste in the Berlitz school, begins one of the most fruitful periods for his literary production. During his stay in the city, Joyce completes the collection of short stories "Dubliners", publishes a second draft of the collection of poems "Chamber Music", and starts, in addition to the "Exiles" drama, the work that will give international fame:" Ulysses".
Written June 23, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

MountaineerLu
Falling Waters, WV1,462 contributions
Aug 2019 • Couples
It is appropriate that this statue of James Joyce was placed here. Though an Irishman he spent a great part of his life in Teieste and most of his writings were done here. There are also many cafes bars and restaurants named after him.
Written September 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

TutinsPony
Phoenix, AZ2,664 contributions
Aug 2015 • Family
Was not expecting to find a statue of James Joyce in Trieste.......great for a "different" photo in the Grand Canal area. He lived and taught here in Trieste. Great restaurants around here.
Written May 13, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

ELear
Ancona, Italy3,163 contributions
Dec 2015 • Solo
Trieste has been associated with a phenomenal number of great artists and writers, and several of them have statues. This is the one that will most appeal to non-Italian tourists. Irresistible to photographers, the statue is also a mecca for Joyce-lovers, who leave flowers in front of this slightly shabby, kindly, deeply human character.

The Tourist Office in Piazza Unita can tell you all about Joyce in Trieste: the schools where he taught, the various places where he and Nora lived, his favourite cafe, the buildings that reappear in Ulysses...

Of the other literary statues I saw in Trieste, the one of Umberto Saba is crossing the road in Via Dante Alighieri, a street or two further inland than the Canal Grande, on the way to Piazza Unita. And there's a statue of Italo Svevo (who Joyce taught English) two or three hundred yards on the other side of Piazza Unita, in Piazza Hortis.
Written April 26, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Erika
Caracas, Venezuela9,794 contributions
Aug 2020
One of the various statues you will see in the city. This one is on a bridge over the grand channel.
Written September 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Maryshoe
Durham, UK46 contributions
Sep 2019
What a surprise to bump into James Joyce wending his way across the Ponte Rosso! Trieste has a number of interesting statues and this is one of the three literary figures depicted in this way, the others being Italo Svevo and Umberto Saba. Worth meeting!
Written November 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

JWG_080353
Noordeloos, The Netherlands420 contributions
Jan 2018 • Solo
Those who take the audioguided tour of Trieste's tourist office, will encounter 2 statues of famous writers intimate to Trieste: James Joyce, at the Ponto Rosso bridge over the Canal Grande; Umberto Saba, in Via Dante on the crossing with Via San Nicoló. A third, that of Italo Svevo, can be found on Piazza Attilia Hortis 1, not far from the Revoltella Museum of Modern Art.
Written January 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

doppelganger_et
Thessaloniki, Greece697 contributions
Dec 2019
The statue of the famous writer, poet, teacher, and many more, awaits you on Ponte Rosso. Make a short stop to share a photo with him!
Written December 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Showing results 1-10 of 37
Anything missing or inaccurate?
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing

Statua di James Joyce (Trieste) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Statua di James Joyce

We recommend booking Statua di James Joyce tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1 Statua di James Joyce tours on Tripadvisor


Restaurants near Statua di James Joyce: View all restaurants near Statua di James Joyce on Tripadvisor