RIJEKA'S ART & CULTURE

Today’s Ivan pl. Zajc Croatian National Theatre is located by the main city market, close to the banks of the Rječina River and close to the port’s docks, on artificially created land of the former army training ground known as Ürmeny Square. The characteristic of this artistic temple is the figural composition of the tympanum of the main front facade carried out by the Viennese sculpture association, Kaufungen und Fritsch, whilst the four figure groups in the roof corners are the work of the Venetian sculptor, Augusto Benvenuti. Website: www.hnk-zajc.hr

The Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Littoral Rijeka, which was established in 1961, comprises maritime, historical and cultural, ethnographic and archaeological departments, and is headquartered in the former Governor’s Palace, a historicist edifice and protected cultural monument.The museum is headquartered in the former Governor’s Palace, a historicist edifice and protected cultural monument. 

Website: www.ppmhp.hr

The museum houses the collection of the works of art by Rijeka artists from the 19th century and both Croatian and foreign artists from the 20th and 21st centuries.

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The Museum is working on a number of collections. These are collections of works by national artists Božidar Rašica, Romolo Venucci and Slavko Grčko, as well as collections of drawings, graphics, sculptures, posters, paintings, photographs and media art. The exhibition activities take place in Krešimirova Street.

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Website: www.mmsu.hr

The museum is the city institution engaged in systematic collection, professional and scientific analysis of the museum material thematically related to the industrial, cultural and social (political) history of Rijeka.

We all know that a city without its own museum is not a city. Rijeka’s City Museum awaits its visitors in the Governor’s Palace Park. The activity of this institution can be seen in various areas of activity, including collecting, treatment and restoration, research of the city’s (and not only the city’s) past and organising exhibitions on important historical themes.

In addition to the botanical garden, the museum has a multimedia centre with an aquarium containing species from the Adriatic Sea.

The Natural History Museum located within the Nikola Host Park was the first regional museum in the Rijeka area, founded in 1876 when Doctor Joseph Roman Lorenz designed its concept in accordance with Vienna’s Naturhistoriches Museum. Initially the collection was an integral part of the City Museum, but since 1945 it has operated as an independent institution with rich holdings at its current location, within which there was a zoo and an aquarium until the 1960s.

Website: www.prirodoslovni.com

Peek & Poke is the first Croatian museum dedicated to childhood, games, books and toys that were loved by many generations before they "decided" to become serious and adults. The Museum of Childhood offers over 600 exhibits, the oldest of which dates back to 1900. It is thematically divided into Creation Park, Fossil Zone, Social Circle, Advertising Passage, Book Corner, Puppet Empire, Sand Arena, Street Call and In Front of the Screen. The special thing about this museum is that it is created by citizens with their toys and childhood memories. Some screens are behind the glass, but on some of them you are free to play vintage games.

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The famous history of the Rijeka torpedo begins with the collaboration of the Rijeka inventor Giovanni Luppis and engineer Robert Whitehead, which led to the first successful test launch of torpedoes in front of the Rijeka Technical Institute (Stabilimento tecnico fiumano) at the end of today's Baračeva Street. After that, the institute grew into the first torpedo factory in the world, the same one in which the last Rijeka torpedo was produced a century later, in 1965. This year marks the 150th anniversary of this world-renowned technological invention.

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Rijeka military story leads tourists – below the city.

How many times have you visited a military facility as a tourist? Not very often is our guess. Well, Rijeka offers a rare opportunity to do exactly that. And it will lead you underground in the process. The first military tunnel opened exclusively for tourist visits is waiting for you in the very centre of the city.

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The sugar refinery was the first and oldest industrial plant in Rijeka. It was founded in 1750 and used for processing of sugarcane and raw sugar. It was located on the sea shore and the raw material used to be unloaded from sailing boats in front of the factory’s entrance. In 1786 a new administrative building was constructed, a large Baroque palace. The sugar refinery had been working until 1828 and was succeeded by the Tobacco Factory. It enlarged its complex of buildings, thus becoming the largest tobacco processing plant in the Monarchy.

Location: Krešimirova 28

In the northwest corner of Titov Square stands a Baroque chapel with a relief of Madonna with the Child on its front. This passable chapel resembles a small triumphal arch and marks the beginning of the Petar Kružić Stairway that lead to the famous pilgrimage centre, the Franciscan monastery at Trsat. The steps were built in 1531 by order of Warlord Petar Kružić,
and were built up over the centuries (up to today's over 500 steps) and adorned with votive chapels.

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