Palace of the Region

Built in the Renaissance style, the building houses two fountains at its ends, the first depicting the statue of Thetis (guardian of fresh water), created by sculptor Joseph Pokorny, the second representing Venus (guardian of seawater), sculpted by sculptor Ugo Haedti.

The palace has four entrances, placed in the center of each facade; inside, a grand staircase made of karst stone leads to the second floor, consisting of a large hall with a gilded ceiling on which portraits of Habsburg Emperors Franz Joseph and Elisabeth (Sissi) are depicted. The facade of the building overlooking the square houses two fountains at its ends, one with a statue of Thetis (the one on the left when looking at the palace) by sculptor Joseph Pokorny, the other with a statue of Venus by sculptor Hugh Haedti, the mythological guardians of fresh water and sea water, respectively. In fact, originally fresh water flowed from the fountain of Thetis while sea water gushed from the fountain of Venus by means of a pumping mechanism. Today it is the seat of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region