City tower
The City Tower is located in the very heart of Korzo, Rijeka's main promenade. Although it is now seen as a picturesque landmark and symbol of Rijeka's urban identity, its history dates back to the Middle Ages, when it served as a city gate — a transit tower that marked the entrance to the then fortified city. It was probably built on the foundations of the late antique city gate, and over the centuries it has undergone numerous architectural modifications that have shaped its current appearance.
After the great earthquake of 1750, Empress Maria Theresa encouraged the reconstruction of the city, and as part of this process, the tower received a Baroque portal with relief busts of Emperors Leopold I and Charles VI, as a sign of gratitude for decisions that were important for the development of Rijeka, such as the proclamation of a free port. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it was further expanded by architects Antun Gnamb and Filibert Bazarig, which gave it its characteristic historicist appearance with a tambour and dome. The tower was protected as a cultural and historical monument in 1983.
One of the most interesting details of the tower is the relief of a double-headed eagle with the motto "INDEFICIENTER", which means "incessantly" or "inexhaustibly". This symbol of loyalty to the Habsburg Monarchy has a rich and turbulent history. During the 20th century, the fascists removed one of the eagle's heads in 1919, and after World War II, the communist authorities decided to remove the sculpture entirely. However, in 2017, ahead of the Rijeka - European Capital of Culture project, a new replica of the double-headed eagle was installed, made according to preserved archival designs. The sculpture is aluminum, 2.5 meters high, with a wingspan of 3 meters, and today it once again adorns the top of the tower, approximately 30 meters above the Korzo.
The interior of the tower hides an old clock mechanism from the 19th century, as well as a system for controlling public lighting and fountains. The passage under the tower leads to Rijeka's Old Town, and numerous memorial inscriptions and medieval stone details have been preserved alongside it. The city tower in Rijeka thus serves not only as a clock or a landmark in space, but also as a symbol of loyalty, history, political changes, and the city's enduring connection to its identity.
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