Rijeka

Rijeka is reflected in Korzo, at Korzo you can read Rijeka. Anyone who, at least once, had a coffee at one of the terraces of numerous and picturesque café bars lined along this unusual promenade, would agree.

St Vitus Cathedral is the only Baroque rotunda of monumental proportions built on Croatian soil. The construction of this church, designed by the Jesuit architect G. Briano, began in 1638. The cathedral was modeled after the famous Venetian church of Santa Maria della Salute.

Experience the mysterious side of Rijeka, the one telling a story from immemorial times, the story about the old Romans who moved the Palaeolithic and Neolithic Rijeka from the edges of the today’s city closer to the sea, which means that from the main Rijeka's promenade, Korzo, you step into the passage under the city tower leading to the 'old Rijeka'. It is enough to pass through only a few metres long small tunnel to step into Rijeka's history so nicely incorporated in the present.

The City Tower is a symbol of Rijeka and a great example of a typical round tower access-point into the fortified town. Today, it dominates the central part of Korzo, although during its lifetime it was over topped by more recently constructed buildings.

At the Peek&Poke Computer Museum, located a short walk from the city centre, you will find over 2,000 exhibits of worldwide and local computer history. Discover how the technology has changed, from the old calculators to video games. Unlike other museums, everything that is displayed can be touched. On-site you'll also find a library and a lounge.

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 leads 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.

After passing under the round City Tower, the former main medieval town entrance that gave access to the coast, you'll enter the centre of Rijeka's Old Town. Located in the modern-day Ivan Kobler Square, there was once a more compact municipal centre called Placa, which served the significantly smaller fortified medieval town.

The Maritime and History Museum of the Croatian Coast is housed in what in the past was the residence of Hungarian reagents, who controlled Rijeka from 1869 until 1918. The museum hosts permanent exhibits like archaeology, art and the original furniture of the Governor's Palace. The building itself is the first exhibit and is worth a visit.

This tiny museum was founded in 1876 and is known for being the first regional museum in Rijeka. It showcases sea life of the Adriatic Sea and features highlights such as the 'Aquarium' multimedia centre, permanent exhibits of sharks, rays and marine invertebrates. Beside the marine life, there is also a geology wing.

This compact museum displays a varied number of collections, ranging from artworks by national artists like Božidar Rašica, Romolo Venucci and Slavko Grčko, as well as collections of drawings, graphics, sculptures, posters, paintings, photographs and media art.

Villa Ružić, named after its owner Viktor Ružić, is important firstly for its architecture, but mainly because it stores a wide collection of 10,000 books. The collection includes Ivan Mažuranić’s library and his archive; the manuscript of Gundulić’s epic poem 'Osman' from 1647 — a gift from Petar Petrović Njegoš. Alongside the Memorial library, you'll find a wide collection of photographs, documents and antique furniture. You can only visit with a booking in advance.

The Glagolitic alphabet was specially created in the 9th century by Costantine or Cyril and his older brother Methodius for the Slavic people to facilitate the introduction of Christianity. The Glagolitic alphabet exhibition is housed in the University Library and is a permanent exhibition with 127 items focused on the importance that this alphabet had in both Croatian and European cultural history.