Parco del Castello di Duino

Duino Castle Park is arranged in terraces above the Gulf of Trieste. First designed by Princess Marie von Thurn und Taxis and renewed by Prince Raimondo in 1954, it combines planted beds with statues and a well bearing the family emblem.

Why it matters

The garden connects the history of the Thurn und Taxis family with Duino's literary associations. Princess Marie hosted Rainer Maria Rilke at the castle, where he began the Duino Elegies. The park's terraced form responds to the steep ground between the plateau and the sea.

What to notice

More than 21,000 flowers are planted each year in rotating displays, including New Guinea impatiens, dwarf zinnias, begonias and alyssum. Statues appear among the garden's levels, and an old well bears the family emblem. The terraces frame views toward the Gulf of Trieste and the cliffs below.

Context and history

Princess Marie (née Hohenlohe, 1855–1934) initially designed the park. After the Second World War, Prince Raimondo della Torre e Tasso renewed it in 1954. The garden remains an integral part of the castle grounds and preserves the layered landscape in which the family's cultural life unfolded.