The Residence building used to be part of the former Dreher brewery complex. This famous brand had one of its major plants in Trieste and occupied the entire area. The area now consists of a shopping centre and residential homes. In particular, the building once housed the brewery’s headquarters.
Hence, the building was once part of the Dreher factory lot, which was opened on 10 July 1865 by Antonio Dreher. In that period and throughout the 19th Century, Trieste experienced considerable entrepreneurial growth, which allowed the city to develop socially, culturally and architecturally. It was during this time that Trieste acquired the majestic beauty that still characterises it today.
The area located at the end of ‘Viale dell’Acquedotto’, named after the aqueduct built under Empress Maria Theresa in 1750 (now Viale XX Settembre), was chosen to build the brewery complex. This area offered the required amount of space and at the same time was closely connected to the city centre. Since Trieste was at the time an important hub of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the intention of the owner of Dreher was for the brewery to be at the leading edge of industry in Trieste.
Viale XX Settembre, which starts at the magnificent staircase located just a few steps from Residence Hotel Bonomo, was built between 1807 and 1808, thanks to the generosity of Domenico Rossetti, who provided the city with its first tree-lined promenade. The promenade has been preserved to this day, also thanks to restructuring and pedestrianisation works in the area that have gradually restored its original charm and splendour.
The nearby area is also home to the Giardino Pubblico (Public Garden), where one can admire the commemorative busts that pay tribute to the most illustrious figures of Trieste, or those who centred part of their lives in this city, including three great authors, James Joyce, Umberto Saba and Italo Svevo.