How about a journey to a village cradled on the slope supporting the Basovizza plateau? We’re in Sant’Antonio in Bosco also known as Boršt in Slovene. The village is part of the municipality of San Dorligo della Valle.
Sant’Antonio in Bosco isn’t just a place. It’s a story etched in stone and whispered by the wind. The older houses are built from sandstone.
Let’s talk history. Once upon a time, Sant’Antonio in Bosco was a small village. It was tied to the more prominent Castello di Moccò. Documents identify it by two names. Sant’Antonio in Bosco or Sant’Antonio in Selva. The Slovene name Boršt likely comes from the German “Forst” meaning woods or forest.
The village sits at 190 meters above sea level. In 2011, it was home to 433 residents.
Now, let’s focus on the church. The parish church is dedicated to Sant’Antonio Abate. Construction started in 1841. It finished in 1845. Bishop Bartolomeo Legat consecrated it in 1847. Sant’Antonio in Bosco became a parish seat in 1904. Parish records go back to 1798. Earlier documents from the 1600s are in the Dolina parish office.
This area includes Moccò Zabrežec Hervati Hrvati and S. Lorenzo Jezero. Sant’Antonio in Bosco gave birth to Monsignor Giovanni Nepomuceno Glavina. He was the Bishop of Trieste and Capodistria. He served from 1882 to 1895.
There was an old railway station here. It was called Sant’Antonio-Moccò. It opened in 1887. It closed in the late 1950s. This happened along with the rest of the Trieste-Draga Sant’Elia railway.
Today Sant’Antonio in Bosco Boršt is a populous village. The houses cluster together. They line the main road. They form a network of steep streets. Also the old village fountain is now part of a building.
So as we stand here let’s appreciate Sant’Antonio in Bosco. It is a place where history architecture and community intertwine. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of this corner of Trieste.