Rijeka — Fiume's Lost Manifesto

Your investigation begins on Trg Riječke rezolucije, a central square in Rijeka named after the antifascist resolution of October 3, 1944. Located approximately 300m from the Korzo and near the Kvarner port, this esplanade was a silent witness to the post-World War I upheavals, notably the occupation of Fiume by Gabriele d'Annunzio between 1919 and 1920, before its annexation to Italy in 1924. Here, in the historic heart of Rijeka, you begin to piece together the puzzle of this complex period, where the ideals of Alceste De Ambris and the ambitions of d'Annunzio shaped the city's destiny.

The route then takes you to the Korzo, Rijeka's main pedestrian promenade, a true nerve center since the 17th century under Habsburg rule. Approximately 500m long, this thoroughfare was the site of gatherings and proclamations during d'Annunzio's occupation of Fiume from September 1919 to December 1920. The baroque and neoclassical buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries lining the Korzo, including the Gradski toranj clock tower at its eastern end, are steeped in this eventful history, offering an ideal setting for discovering the Habsburg and Fiuman heritage.

The Gradski toranj, a city tower built in 1623 as a fortified entrance to the city, stands proudly at 18m high. Renovated in 1905, it features a clock and allegorical statues of Justice and Peace. It was here that d'Annunzio's legionnaires added inscriptions and symbols under the Regency of Carnaro between 1919 and 1920, making this tower an emblem of the Fiuman period. By observing these details, you perceive the traces left by the actors of that era, and how Rijeka's heritage was marked by these events which are at the heart of your outdoor escape game.

Your itinerary then leads you to the Katedrala Svetog Vida, St. Vitus Cathedral, built between 1638 and 1707 on the ruins of a 12th-century church. Its single nave, 40m long, and its 42m bell tower added in 1765, housing a 1805 bell, bear witness to centuries of history. Spared during the occupations of Fiume, it was a place of multilingual ceremonies, reflecting the city's polyglot soul. Nearby, the Guvernerova palača, the Habsburg Governor's Palace built in 1770-1774, was the administrative seat of the Regency of Carnaro and now houses the Rijeka City Museum of History, with artifacts from the D'Annunzian occupation.

Your journey concludes on Molo Longo, the historic pier of Rijeka's port, extended in the 19th century to 400m. This site was the arrival point for d'Annunzio's troops on September 12, 1919, and a witness to the Allied naval blockade during the Fiume crisis. 500m from Trg Riječke rezolucije, it offers a direct connection to the city center. It is here, facing the Kvarner Sea, that you gather the last clues to the enigma of Fiume. This thematic circuit in Rijeka, between historical sites like Crkva Gospe Lurdske and the legacy of a European Capital of Culture 2020, will have allowed you to trace the history of Rijeka, far beyond the beaten paths of tourism. Every monument, every alley, every fact about Rijeka's history reveals a facet of this city with a thousand lives.