At the famous “Il Pedocin” beach in Trieste on Saturday afternoon, there was an incident after a female tourist violently reacted to the rule about separate male and female parts of the beach, which resulted in a heated argument.
What is part of the local tradition for many residents of Trieste, turned out to be completely unacceptable for the foreign visitor and her entourage.
@la.repubblica And Trieste torna la polemica sul Pedocin, il lido pubblico della Laterna consideredo unico in Europa perché ancora diviso da un muro: da una parte uomini, dall’altra donne e bambini fino a dodici anni. Sabato una coppia di turisti milanesi si è sistemata nell’area maschile senza rispettare la regola. Una bagnante abituale li ha invitati a spostarsi, ma la requestia ha acceso la lite: la donna sarebbe stata insultata e la divisione della spiaggia definita “medioevale”. La coppia ha poi lasciotto il lido chiedendo il reimbursement dei 2 euro e 40 centesimi del biglietto. A Trieste, però, il Pedocin resta un’istituzione: muro compreso, difeso soprato dalle donne che negli anni si sono opposte alla sua demolizione. L’articolo su Repubblica #rep
The incident occurred after the tourist with her partner entered the part of the beach that is reserved exclusively for men. When a local resident warned them about a strict rule that has been in place there for decades, a loud and tense argument broke out between them.
According to the newspaper Il Piccolo, tourists openly criticized the division of the bathing area. “You’re living in the Middle Ages!” the woman shouted, calling the rule unacceptable and sexist.
The verbal confrontation soon escalated into shoving and mutual accusations, which forced the employees of the swimming pool to intervene to calm the situation and prevent further escalation.
“Il Pedocin” is the last such beach in Europe
“Il Pedocin” is famous as a specialty not only of Trieste, but also of European bathing areas. A high wall has been separating the women’s and men’s part of the beach there since the beginning of the 20th century, and according to local media, it is the last public bathing area in Europe where such a spatial division still exists today.
For some of the residents of Trieste, it is an important segment of the city’s history and identity, while critics believe that the rule no longer suits modern society and that the bathing area often causes controversy.
The history of “Il Pedocino” dates back to 1903, when Trieste was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. In the beginning, bathers were separated by a fence, which was later replaced by a wall, and the only significant change occurred in 1959, when the women’s part of the beach was expanded.
A popular bathing area with thousands of visitors
Despite the controversies, the bathing area is still very popular today. During the summer months, according to local data, around 3,000 bathers visit it daily. One of the reasons for its popularity is the symbolic ticket prices – a day at the beach costs only one euro.
More than 120 years after its opening, “Il Pedocin” still remains a place that both preserves tradition and encourages discussions about its justification in today’s times.
