The Museum of the Old Port of Trieste consists of the Hydrodynamic Centre and the Electric Substation and Warehouse 26.
The Hydrodynamic Power Station was built in 1890, and was the most important building port as it held the machines for the distribution of energy in the port.
Trieste, Hamburg, Buenos Aries, Calcutta and Genoa were the first ports in the world to equip themselves with a Hydrodynamic Centrer The pressurized water produced by the power station was distributed throughout the port through 6,500 meters of underground pipelines, directly supplying cranes, docks and hoists. The system consisted of a battery of 10 Lancashire Boilers of the Cornwall model, 4 pressure generating machines built by Breitfeld Danek & Co. Prague-Karolinenthal and an auxiliary pump. As a result of the restoration work, the Hydrodynamic Centre has become a museum of its own with the nearby Electric Reconversion Subdivision.
Auxiliary to the Central Hydrodynamic complex, in 1913, the electric transformer substation was built. The main space of the building is occupied by the transformer room, surrounded by protected tunnels, stairs, guides for winches and electrical equipment.
Both buildings have been restored and turned into a museum in recent years and often host temporary exhibitions.
The third restored building, Warehouse (“Magazzino”) 26, covering 30,000 square metres and with a length of 244 meters, is a conservatively-restored industrial building that is becoming a great city museum hub. Over the last few years, the following museums have moved to this location:
• “Immaginario Scientifico” Science Centre
• Museum of the Sea
• Museum of the Civilization of Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia together with the household goods from Warehouse 18
• Multifunctional room named after Lelio Luttazzi
• Temporary exhibitions
In the near future, several other museums will find their new location here.
Better keep an eye on it!
