Gropada
Gropada: a historical village in the heart of the Triestine Karst
Welcome to Gropada, a district of Trieste and one of the oldest villages in the Triestine Karst. Located approximately 6 km east of the city, Gropada sits at an altitude of 397-406 m above sea level and has around 300 inhabitants.
The church of San Rocco and the numerous caves
The small rural settlement of Gropada is clustered around the church of San Rocco, built possibly in the 17th century and restored in 1780. The surroundings of Gropada are known to speleology enthusiasts for the numerous caves, called "abysses", which are not only due to the "karstic" nature of the terrain but also likely due to the underground course of the Timavo River.
Gropada's pond and the wildlife that inhabits it
To the north of the village, there is one of the few remaining karst ponds, which were historically used for water supply and as watering holes for livestock. Today, the pond has been restored and has come to life, being inhabited by numerous local wildlife species.
The "Senza confine" orienteering competition in Gropada
Every year since 2008, Gropada hosts the promotional "Senza confine" orienteering competition in the woods between Italy and Slovenia. In addition to its sporting significance, this competition also holds high symbolic value in overcoming the memory of the pain and bloodshed that characterized that border. Thanks to the growing number and quality of participants in the various editions of the competition, Gropada has become a particularly well-known center for orienteering in just a few years.
The history of Gropada
The locality of Gropada is mentioned as early as 1150 as an area where the Bonomo family, an ancient noble family of Trieste, owned vineyards. In 1278, it was first owned by the bishop of Trieste and then by the counts of Gorizia. Ireneo della Croce, in his "Historia di Trieste" from 1698, lists Gropada among the centers of the Triestine Karst inhabited by the "Chichi" (Cicci, Istro-Romanian language).
The population of Gropada slowly grew from just over forty people in the 15th century to 112 individuals in 1777, then experienced rapid growth accompanied by the construction of new dwellings during the 19th century, reaching a maximum of 445 inhabitants in 1936. The vast majority of the original population are Slovenian speakers. According to the last Austrian census of 1911, almost all (99.1%) of the population were Slovenian speakers. The oldest surnames are found in documents dating back to the 17th century and are Gojča, Kalc, Milkovič, Mužina, and Pečar; to which were added in the 19th century, surnames such as Brce, Grgič, Križmančič, Sosič and Vrše, often Italianized under the fascist regime. In the last decade of the 20th century and the first of the 21st, there was a considerable influx of new residents who are Italian speakers, who now number over one hundred (approximately 35%), and have integrated well into the community.
Thanks to its history and natural beauty, Gropada is certainly a place to visit during a trip to the Trieste area. Come discover this ancient Karst village and its welcoming community!
