Opatija
Encyclopedia
Opatija is a town
in western Croatia
, just southwest of Rijeka
on the Adriatic coast. , the town proper had a population of 7,850, with the municipality having a total 12,719 inhabitants.
mountain, with Vojak peak at 1401 m. Opatija is located 90 km from Trieste
by rail and 82 km from Pula by road. The city is geographically on the Istria
n peninsula, though it is not in Istria county
, but Primorje-Gorski Kotar county
.
It is a popular summer and winter resort, with average temperatures of 10 °C in winter, and 25 °C in summer. Opatija is surrounded by beautiful woods of bay laurel
. The whole sea-coast to the north and south of Opatija is rocky and picturesque, and contains several smaller winter resorts.
people. In Roman times, the area was home to several patrician villas connected to the nearby town of Castrum Laureana, the modern Lovran
.
In the Middle Ages the current town's territory was divided between Veprinac (now a locality of Opatija, perhaps home to a small fishing port) and Kastav
, where the fisherman village of Veprinac. The Benedictine Abbey of St. James is mentioned for the first time in 1453, and around it a small hamlet developed with the centuries.
The town's modern history begins in 1844, when Iginio Scarpa, a rich merchant from Rijeka, founded Villa Angiolina. It became a fashionable destination for the Austrian imperial family and Austrian nobility and soon more luxury hotels and villas were built, such as the Hotel Kvarner (1884), the Restaurant Kamelija and the Police station
by the Keglević family
. A new railway line, managed by the Austrian Southern Railway, was extended to Rijeka
, from where it was possible to go by tram
to Opatija. The Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I
used to spend several months here during the winter. Many of these late 19th-century luxury hotels and villas have survived to present times.
In 1920 Opatija was assigned to Italy. Two years later, with the advent of Fascism
, the Italian government started a program of forced italianization of the population, and most of the public positions were assigned to Italian-speaking citizens. In 1947 Opatija was given to Yugoslavia
; most of the Italian-speaking population, whose percentage had substantially increased in the past years, emigrated to Italy.
After the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991, the town became part of Croatia.
, Opatija Sv. Jakova ("Abbey of Saint James"), from which the town derives its name (opatija means "abbey
" in Croatian
) is located in Park Svetog Jakova or Saint James's Park. Saint James's church, built in 1506 and enlarged in 1937, now stands on the same spot. The neo-Romanesque Church of the Annunciation with its pronounced green cupola, was designed in 1906 by architect Karl Seidl.
Another sight is the Villa Angiolina, built in 1844 by Iginio Scarpa. This villa, transformed into a hotel, gave a boost to tourism to this town.
Opatija is known for the Maiden with the seagull, a statue by Zvonko Car (1956), which is positioned on a promontory by the Juraj Šporer art pavilion. It has turned into one of symbols of Opatija. A gilded variant of the statue Madonna, that once stood here but was demolished by communists after the end of WWII, now stands in front of Saint James's Church.
The town park Angiolina contains many species of plants from all over the world. It has been protected since 1968. Close-by, vis-a-vis Hotel Imperial, stands the statue The Fountain - Helios and Selena, a work of the Austrian sculptor Hans Rathautsky from 1889. There is a 12 km-long promenade along the entire riviera, the Lungomare from Volosko
, via Opatija, to Lovran
.
, ItalyIlirska Bistrica
, SloveniaBalatonfured
, HungaryCarmagnola
, ItalyBad Ischl
, Austria
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in western Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, just southwest of Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
on the Adriatic coast. , the town proper had a population of 7,850, with the municipality having a total 12,719 inhabitants.
Geography
Opatija is situated in the Gulf of Kvarner in a sheltered position at the foot of UčkaUcka
The Učka is a mountain range that rises behind Opatija riviera, on the Istrian peninsula, in northwestern Croatia. It forms a single morphological unit together with the Čičarija range which streches from the bay of Trieste to Rijeka...
mountain, with Vojak peak at 1401 m. Opatija is located 90 km from Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
by rail and 82 km from Pula by road. The city is geographically on the Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
n peninsula, though it is not in Istria county
Istria County
Istria County is the westernmost county of Croatia which includes the biggest part of the Istrian peninsula . The area of the county is called Istra in Croatian and Slovene...
, but Primorje-Gorski Kotar county
Primorje-Gorski Kotar County
Primorje-Gorski kotar County is a county in western Croatia that includes the Bay of Kvarner and the surrounding Northern Croatian seacoast, and the mountainous region of Gorski kotar...
.
It is a popular summer and winter resort, with average temperatures of 10 °C in winter, and 25 °C in summer. Opatija is surrounded by beautiful woods of bay laurel
Bay Laurel
The bay laurel , also known as sweet bay, bay tree, true laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel tree, or simply laurel, is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glossy leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. It is the source of the bay leaf used in cooking...
. The whole sea-coast to the north and south of Opatija is rocky and picturesque, and contains several smaller winter resorts.
History
Opatija is included in the territory of the Liburni, a pre-Roman IllyrianIllyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
people. In Roman times, the area was home to several patrician villas connected to the nearby town of Castrum Laureana, the modern Lovran
Lovran
Lovran is a town in Istria, Croatia. It is situated on the western coast of the Kvarner Bay with a population of 3,241 . Its name derives from Laurel , as shown in the coat of arms....
.
In the Middle Ages the current town's territory was divided between Veprinac (now a locality of Opatija, perhaps home to a small fishing port) and Kastav
Kastav
Kastav is a historical town located about 10 km northwest of Rijeka and about 5 km northeast of Opatija in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in Croatia.-Demographics:The total population of Kastav is 10,472 ....
, where the fisherman village of Veprinac. The Benedictine Abbey of St. James is mentioned for the first time in 1453, and around it a small hamlet developed with the centuries.
The town's modern history begins in 1844, when Iginio Scarpa, a rich merchant from Rijeka, founded Villa Angiolina. It became a fashionable destination for the Austrian imperial family and Austrian nobility and soon more luxury hotels and villas were built, such as the Hotel Kvarner (1884), the Restaurant Kamelija and the Police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
by the Keglević family
House of Keglević
The House of Keglević is a Croatian noble family originally from Dalmatia, their members were pointed out in public life, also as soldiers...
. A new railway line, managed by the Austrian Southern Railway, was extended to Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, from where it was possible to go by tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
to Opatija. The Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
used to spend several months here during the winter. Many of these late 19th-century luxury hotels and villas have survived to present times.
In 1920 Opatija was assigned to Italy. Two years later, with the advent of Fascism
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
, the Italian government started a program of forced italianization of the population, and most of the public positions were assigned to Italian-speaking citizens. In 1947 Opatija was given to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
; most of the Italian-speaking population, whose percentage had substantially increased in the past years, emigrated to Italy.
After the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991, the town became part of Croatia.
Main sights
The old 14th-century Benedictine abbeyAbbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
, Opatija Sv. Jakova ("Abbey of Saint James"), from which the town derives its name (opatija means "abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
" in Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
) is located in Park Svetog Jakova or Saint James's Park. Saint James's church, built in 1506 and enlarged in 1937, now stands on the same spot. The neo-Romanesque Church of the Annunciation with its pronounced green cupola, was designed in 1906 by architect Karl Seidl.
Another sight is the Villa Angiolina, built in 1844 by Iginio Scarpa. This villa, transformed into a hotel, gave a boost to tourism to this town.
Opatija is known for the Maiden with the seagull, a statue by Zvonko Car (1956), which is positioned on a promontory by the Juraj Šporer art pavilion. It has turned into one of symbols of Opatija. A gilded variant of the statue Madonna, that once stood here but was demolished by communists after the end of WWII, now stands in front of Saint James's Church.
The town park Angiolina contains many species of plants from all over the world. It has been protected since 1968. Close-by, vis-a-vis Hotel Imperial, stands the statue The Fountain - Helios and Selena, a work of the Austrian sculptor Hans Rathautsky from 1889. There is a 12 km-long promenade along the entire riviera, the Lungomare from Volosko
Volosko
Volosko is a part of the city of Opatija, located in the Kvarner Gulf in western Croatia. It is located in the north of Opatija, on the road towards Kastav and Rijeka.-People:* Amelia Milka Sablich, born there...
, via Opatija, to Lovran
Lovran
Lovran is a town in Istria, Croatia. It is situated on the western coast of the Kvarner Bay with a population of 3,241 . Its name derives from Laurel , as shown in the coat of arms....
.
People
- Theodor BillrothTheodor BillrothChristian Albert Theodor Billroth was a German-born Austrian surgeon and amateur musician....
(1829–1894), died in Opatija - Kosta HakmanKosta Hakman-Biography:He was born in 1899 in Bosanska Krupa on May 22, the son of a father who descended from Polish Catholic immigrants and a mother of Bosnian Serb descent from Sarajevo. He was baptised in the Serbian Orthodox faith. In 1914 Kosta Hakman was arrested by Austro-Hungarian occupiers as a...
(1899-1961, died in Opatija - Franz Graf von MeranFranz von MeranFranz Ludwig Johann Baptist Graf von Meran was an Austrian count .- Life :Franz was the only child of the morganatic marriage of Archduke Johann of Austria and Anne Marie Josephine Plochl, and a grandson of Leopold, Grand Duke Leopold of Tuscany and later Holy Roman Emperor...
(1839–1891), died in Opatija - Gustav MahlerGustav MahlerGustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
(1860–1911), vacationed several times in Opatija (Abbazia) - Leo SternbachLeo SternbachLeo Henryk Sternbach was a Polish-Jewish chemist who is credited with discovering benzodiazepines, main class of tranquilizers.-Biography:...
(1908–2005), inventor of valium, born in Opatija - Gyula SzapáryGyula SzapáryGyula Count Szapáry de Szapár, Muraszombat et Széchy-Sziget was a Hungarian politician who served as Prime Minister of Hungary from 1890 to 1892....
(1832–1905), died in Opatija
Twin towns — Sister cities
Opatija is twinned with:Castel San PietroCastel San Pietro
Castel San Pietro is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:Castel San Pietro is first mentioned in 1171 as Castellum Sancti Petri. A settlement near the village was mentioned in 865, when an Imperial knight named Sigeradus, granted the area to...
, ItalyIlirska Bistrica
Ilirska Bistrica
Ilirska Bistrica is a town and a municipality in Slovenia. It belongs to the traditional region of Primorska.The town of Ilirska Bistrica is the major economic centre of the district of the same name...
, SloveniaBalatonfured
Balatonfüred
Balatonfüred is a popular resort town in Veszprém county, in Hungary, with a population of thirteen thousand, situated on the north shore of the Lake Balaton. It is considered to be the capital of the Northern lake shore and has significant yachting life. It is also a favorite location for coarse...
, HungaryCarmagnola
Carmagnola
Carmagnola is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located 29 km south of Turin. As of July 11, 2007, it had a population of 27,043 and an area of 96.4 km²....
, ItalyBad Ischl
Bad Ischl
Bad Ischl is a spa town in Austria. It lies in the southern part of Upper Austria, at the Traun River in the centre of the Salzkammergut region. The town consists of the Katastralgemeinden Ahorn, Bad Ischl, Haiden, Jainzen, Kaltenbach, Lauffen, Lindau, Pfandl, Perneck, Reiterndorf and Rettenbach...
, Austria