King Franz Joseph I (1830-1916) – shown as the king of Hungary. Since 1868, Rijeka was under the Hungarian governement, thanks to the document called „Patch of Rijeka“. The Monarchy was looking to extend its life using political trickery, but it was of little use. Only two years after the death of the emperor and king, the Monarchy crumbled, and troubled times began for the city of Rijeka.
The Hungarian guvernor in Rijeka resided in the Guvernor's palace (today, it's the Naval and historic museum of the Croatian coast), at a dominant position over the Kvarner bay...
Ivan Zajc (1832-1914) – a composer born in Rijeka, where he lived until 1870. Zajc left around 1200 compositions for orchestra, chamber ensable, piano; 19 operas, 26 operettas, scene music, 50 cantatas, 19 masses, 14 Ave Marias, 200 choir and 170 solo songs. The Croatian national theater in Rijeka proudly bears his name.
His monument can be seen in the park near the theater. The old town hall and later philharmonic institute where Zajc gained his first musical education is at the Kobler suqare...
Visit Theatre Ivan Zajc
Janko Polić Kamov (1866-1910) – in his time he was misunderstood. His dramas, poems, stories and feuilletons were shunned by the public. Today he is admired as one of the forebarers of the modern sensibility in literature, not only in Croatia but world-wide. His novel „The Dried-out Mire“ would be the first modern novel in the world, had it been published during the writers life. Kamov died in Barcelona after a short and turbulent life.
Kamov's birth house is in Pećine, and his statue is at the square near hotel Contintental...
Ace of Quill – the saying „Scripta manet – What's written remains“ represents all that Rijeka's written history and culture has left for future generations. This includes shining moments of artistic inspiration, but without shying away from the political turmoil of the city's troubled past.
Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916) – shown as the Emperor of Austria. The ruling structures of the Monarchy, including Franz Joseph I himself, were very conservative. However, when they were open to inovation when it came to weapons and armaments. When Ivan Luppis presented his „Savior of the Coast“ torpedo idea to the Emperor, it was received with great success. Franz Joseph I visited Rijeka several times...
Robert Whitehead (1823-1905) – an English engineer, entrepreneur and owner of the „Stabilimento Tecnico Fiumano,“ and later of the „Torpedofabric Whitehead & Comp.“, the world's first torpedo factory. He took over from Luppis and vastly improved Luppis' torpedo concept by bringing in many inovations, like the gyroscope. He was a huge benefactor, and his children married into the ranks of the most respected European nobility.
In the Dolac street, there are palaces which were built for Robert Whitehead...
Ivan Luppis (1813-1875) – from a noble Istrian-Dalmatian family. He served as a naval officer in the Austrian navy. He was the inceptor of the torpedo idea, which he named „Savior of the coast“. The concept was later developped by the „Stabilimento Tecnico Fiumano,“ and Luppis was richly rewarded. By the end of his life, he was also awarded a noble title.
Visit City of Rijeka Museum
Ace of Torpedo – its saying „Viribus unitis – With united forces“ was the official saying of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Here, it represents the fact that, to produce the torpedo (a naval weapon invented in Rijeka), a combination of tallents of many people from around the world was necessary. And in this combined effort, and not in its destructive power, lies the beauty of the story of Rijeka's torpedo.
Queen Maria Teresa (1717-1780) – sho has shown courage by defending her family heritage from foreign advances in a string of bloody wars. She has indebted Rijeka by driving industrial manufacture, namely the sugar refinery which was boosted by Dutch investments. She was also a driving force of the navy and she supported the first school for women in Rijeka. Politically, she proclaimed Rijeka as a special unit („Corpus separatum“) under the Hungarian crown.
The administrative building of the sugar refinery can still be seen in Rijeka, and the characters above its doors are decorated with sugar cane garlands...
Baroness Josephina Mollinary Vraniczany (second half of 19th century – first half of 20th century) – at one of the world's first presentations of the X-ray machine (a month after Roentgen's), a famous physicist, naval officer and a professor on the naval academy of Rijeka, Peter Salcher, asked for a volunteer who would have his hand x-rayed. At the surprise of many, among mostly men, the baroness came forward and bravely put her hands into the machine.
You can learn more about this and many other Salcher's experiments at the Museum of the city of Rijeka...
Karolina Belinić (end of 18th century – first half of 19th century) – also known as Caroline of Rijeka is the most well known woman of Rijeka's history. In 1813, a British squadron was preparing to bomb Rijeka. Caroline boarded the British command ship and charmed admiral John Leard to stop the attack.
In the wall of the Chatedral of st. Vitus, there's a cannon ball fired from one of the Brittish ships during this time...
Ace of Hearts – traditional Briscola and Tressete cards only show male characters, but Rijeka was always special. This is how we honor the famous women of Rijeka. The saying „Indeficienter – Unfailing“ is on the city's coat of arms, and here it represents the unfailing courage of the women of Rijeka.
Emperor Francis I (1768-1835) – as Francis II, he was the last emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and as Francis I the first emperor of Austria. He lead the empire during the Napoleonic wars. During his reign, the empire went through bankruptcy. In 1816, he visited the newly acquired territories of the Croatian coast and Dalmatia, including Rijeka. He's shown as the King of Illirya, on of the established crown countries of the Empire. Rijeka was part of the Empire from 1816 to 1822.
Count Laval Nugent (1777-1862) – a fieldmarshal, polititian, art collector and benefactor of Irish noble descent. He took part in the Napoleonic Wars, acheiving multiple victories against the French forces. In 1813, he liberated Rijeka from the French. He was also a big part in the Croatian National Revival. His passion included historical buildings, castles and archeology. In Rijeka, he owned the Trsat Fort, which he rebuilt. It later became a museum and his tomb (the mausoleum „Hero's peace“ and the basilisk skulpture).
Besides the Trsat Fort, Rijeka holds the remains of his rich collection of art…
Visit Maritime and Historical Museum
Andrija Ljudevit Adamić (1766-1828) – a central figure in Rijeka at his time. He came from a wealthy Jewish family of traders and grew up to be a trader, industrialist and benefactor. He traded in tobacco, salt and wood, and his trading connections spanned beyond the Mediterranean, reaching east Europe, England and central and south America. He was one of the main drivers of industrial production in Rijeka, driving the manufacture of paper, rope, sails, glass and liquor. Among his accomplishments are the establishment of the first theater in Rijeka, after which he also brought Rijeka its first orchestra.
In Rijeka, you can see „Adamić's witnesses“ and hear an interesting story about them...
Visit Maritime and Historical Museum
Ace of Banknote – it bears the Latin saying: „Pecunia non olet – Money does not stink.“ During its history, the city of Rijeka has risen as a city of commerce, industry and traffic. Hence, this saying is fully applicable to Rijeka. Without the skill and wealth of certain famous people of Rijeka, the city's notable legacy simply would not exists.