Piazza Ponterosso and the Maria Theresa Thaler

The square known as Piazza del Ponterosso takes its name from the colour of an old wooden bridge built in 1756, which no longer exists. This square was famous for the open-air market inhabited by the famous ‘venderigole’, the noisy fruit, vegetable and flower sellers who animated the area. The square, now repaved with old stone slabs, still hosts markets and temporary events. Remember to take a picture of the James Joyce’s statue!
For a few years now, a shining sculpture dedicated to Maria Theresa's Thaler of Austria has stood prominently in the middle of the square, a massive steel coin with a diameter of 3 meters.
The Maria Theresa Thaler of Austria symbolizes the economic and commercial ties that made Trieste one of the most important cities in the empire. Even after Maria Theresa's passing, the Thaler continued to be minted in her honor by various nations and mints, with the engraved date marking the queen's death in 1780. The Thaler was one of the first currencies used in the United States, and it is from this coin that the etymology and phonetic similarity with the word 'dollar' originated'.