Established in 1903, the ‘Bagno Marino La Lanterna,’ commonly known by the locals as ‘El Pedocin,’ is one of the most popular subathing destinations in Trieste, but also one of the most controversial. That’s because this is considered the last gender-segregated beach in all of Europe, a place where men and women are separated by a 9-foot (2.7-meter) white concrete wall.
In the early and mid 1900s, gender-segregated beaches were nothing special. They were designed to preserve women’s modesty, allowing them to wear more skimpy bathing suits without attracting attention, but as such social norms faded into obscurity, gender-segregated beaches literally tore down the barriers separating men and women; all except one, Trieste’s Pedocin Beach.
Photo: Google Earth
The wall dividing the sexes on Pedocin extends into the shallow waters of the Adriatic Sea, beyond which men and women can fraternize freely, if they so desire. However, the pebbled beach area is off-limits for the opposite sex, with local authorities operating separate entries and charging 1.20 euros ($1.4) per person.
Although El Pedocin is considered by most locals to be an important part of the local history and culture, the segregated beach does occasionally spark controversy. For example, earlier this month, the beach made international news headlines after a woman got into a heated argument with the men after making her way onto their side of the beach.
“You’re a bunch of sexist oafs. This is a form of discrimination. Shame on you,” the trespassing woman allegedly shouted at the men trying to escort her back to the women’s side. According to some sources, the woman was only trying to help her husband get their disabled son undressed before returning to the women’s side of the beach, but that didn’t matter too much to the other men.
The woman was escorted out before the argument could escalate into a brawl, but the incident sparked a heated debate around the idea of a gender-degregated beach in 21st century Europe. While some consider the mere idea medieval, locals seem very fond of El Pedocin and its concrete wall.
“It’s not from the Middle Ages! It’s part of the history of Trieste. No Triestino wants to remove that wall!” one local woman wrote on X.
“Pedocin is part of Trieste’s traditions. Now it’s a victim of cancel culture,” another local defended El Pedocin.
Photo: Municipality of Trieste
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