The century-old coffee shop is going out of business. Italian cultural circles unite in protest.

The San Marco Cafe, located in the center of the northeastern Italian border city of Trieste, has a long history and has long been a gathering place for Italian writers and writers. Zhongli, Italy's largest insurer based in Trieste, has become the owner of San Marco Cafe since Franco Filippi, the former manager of the caf é, died in December. Over the past six months, the company has been unable to operate the cafe properly, and recently it is even considering converting it to other uses. This triggered protests from people in Italian cultural circles.

Historically, Trieste, the port city where the cafe is located, is the confluence of Germanic, Latin and Slavic cultures. Even under the oppressive rule of the fascist regime, the research and development of art and knowledge continued to attract a large number of intellectuals to study. It was during that period that Trieste established its position as the center of modern Italian literature, and writers such as Umberto Saba, Biacomalin, Gianni Stu Paric and Salvatore Sata all lived in the city.

Founded in 1914, St. Mark's Cafe has become popular as a place for intellectual exchange and creation. It is said to be a fixed place frequented by writers James Joyce, Italo Swift and poet Umberto Saba. Decades later, this historic Viennese-style cafe is still one of the reasons why Trieste is popular.

Now, local people are worried that Zhongli Insurance will give up San Marco Cafe or change its original appearance with a new management style. Claudio Margolis, a novelist and cultural philosopher born in Trieste, is a loyal customer of St. Mark's Cafe. In an impassioned article in the Evening Post, he called on owners to protect a unique place that is "known around the world because of its own history and atmosphere".

"this is a place where you can read, write and talk in a low voice, and a strong pulse that makes the city's heart beat calmly," Margolis wrote. " He called on people to urge Zhongli to ensure that the cafe continues to operate and to maintain its traditional mode of operation. According to Margrees, turning cafes into restaurants or other businesses means the closure of San Marco Cafe.

Gabriela Varela, president of the local Poetry and Solidarity Association, also said publicly that St. Mark's Cafe is not only famous for its history, but also plays an important role in modern times, where people meet and communicate. "it is not only the city's past, but also the city's present and future," Varela said. " Therefore, it is essential that the cafe retain "the same function and spirit". She and members of the association will hold an event on June 7 aimed at keeping the "battle" for the San Marco Cafe in the public spotlight.