482 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp502–505 and pp506–507
The Korzo, a broad avenue
running south of the Old
Town, is the heart of the
city and lined with majestic
19th-cen tury buildings.
Half way along stands the
domed Civic Tower, deco-
rated with the coat of arms
of the city. In the Old Town
is the Cathedral of St Vitus.
Built at the top of a hill
between 1638 and 1742,
the interior features a
Gothic crucifix from the
13th century on the main
altar. To the west stands
the late 19th-century
Governor’s Palace, which
since 1955 has housed the
Maritime and Historical
Museum of Croatia. Founded
in 1876, the museum docu-
ments the his tory of naviga-
tion through a collection of
sea far ing equip ment from
the 17th and 18th centuries.
East of the cathedral lies
Tito Square, from where
561 steps lead up to the
Sanctuary of Our Lady of
Trsat, a church and a monas-
tery built by Martin Frankopan.
According to legend, parts
of the Holy House of Mary
of Nazareth were brought
here in 1291, before being
trans ferred to Italy. To com-
pensate the local people for
this loss, Pope Urban V
donated a Virgin with Child
in 1367. Painted by St Luke,
it now stands on the main
altar. Opposite the church
is Trsat Castle, built by the
Romans to defend Tarsatica,
parts of which are intact.
In February and March each
year, Rijeka hosts Croatia’s
largest carnival celebrations.Rab y
460 km (288 miles) NW of
Dubrovnik. * 9,000. @ from
Rijeka & Zagreb. g from Rijeka &
Zadar. n trg Municipium Arba 8,
(051) 724 064. _ Tournament
of Rab (May 9), Musical Evenings,
Church of the Holy Cross (Jun–Sep).
http://www.tzg-rab.hr
The Kvarner Gulf region,
home to the entic ing island of
Rab, lies paral lel to the Velebit
massif. With its sandy beaches
and mild climate, the island is
a pop ular holi day destina tion.
The main town, Rab, which
gives its name to the island,
became a bishopric in the
early Christian period and
was inhabited by Slavic peo-
ple in the 6th cen tury. The
town came under Venetian
rule between 1409 and 1797
and has some fine exam ples
of Venetian archi tecture,
includ ing its four famous bell
towers which make it look
like a ship. The Sea Gate, a
tower from the 14th century,
Gothic crucifix in the Cathedral
of St Vitus, Rijekaleads to the town square.
The heart of Rab, the square,
is graced by the 13th-century
Romanesque Prince’s Palace,
which was later rebuilt in
Renaissance style with
mullioned win dows. In the
court yard are some Roman
and medieval rema ins.
The town has many
monastic buildings. Among
them, the fine Romanesque
Cathedral of St Mary the Great
has a stunning façade of
pink and white stone with a
sculpted Deposition by Petar
Trogiranin above the portal.
Inside is a beautiful font,
made by the same sculptor
in 1497. At a height of 70 m
(230 ft), the cathedral’s
13th-century bell tower is
the tallest on the island.
Northwest of Rab, set on
a long bay, the village of
Kampor is famous for the
Church of St Bernard, which
contains superb panels.
Further north, at the end of
a rocky peninsula, is the vill-
age of Lopar, pop ular for its
beaches and leisure facilities.View of the beautiful town of Rab with its four striking bell towers
The Sea Gate, one of the many
entrances into Rab town
Rijeka u
620 km (388 miles) NW of
Dubrovnik. * 168,000. k
£ from Zagreb. @ from Pula,
Zadar & Zagreb. g from Riva,
Verdijeva, Jadrolinija Riva.
n Korzo 33, (051) 335 882.
_ Rijeka Carnival (Feb & Mar),
Rijeka’s Summer Nights Arts
Festival (Jun–Jul).Once the Roman city of
Tarsatica, Rijeka came under
the Habsburgs in 1466 and
was declared a free town
in 1719. Today Rijeka is one
of Croatia’s main ports and a
key rail and road junction.