ST. JACOB`S CHURCH AND MONASTERY

The church and monastery of St. Jacob are first mentioned in "Liber civilum", where Anton de Reno, a notary public registers "abbot Jacob and his predecessor Radman in St. Jacob`s monastery - Abbazia st. Jacobi al Palo / di Preluca".

However, the monastery is perhaps older, maybe already from the 12th c. when a large number of Benedictine abbeys came to existence (around 20 in Istria), at the time when the order was developing intensive building activity. Since the abbey was in the area of Kastav parish, in 1490 statute of Kastav records the duties of abbot towards the manorial estate, and in 1584 the monastery complains to Archduke Karlo for high taxes imposed by Kastav district.

The complex is constructed at a very favourable position, in the immediate vicinity to a relatively low coast which here deeply protrudes into the sea. It is protected from the land with a wide, green area of a beautiful fostered park. The church has one nave, it is small in dimension and with regular orientation. Laterally, on the northern side ther is a bell tower leaning against the church. The bell tower is of Aquileian type, with open biforae above which there is a protruding cornice. Two stone inscriptions on the front testify about the works on this building: the first, on the portal lintel dating from 1506 during the time of abbot Simon, and the other, on the slab above the lintel, dating from 1793. With the last renovation in 1937 when it was expanded, the church considerably lost some of its originality.

"VILLA ROSALIA"

"Villa Rosalia" today "Casino Rosalia" is situated by the main road in a large park of imposing domestic greenery. It was constructed in 1896 for its owner, countess Henkel Danneamark from Pressburg. The name "Villa Rosalia" is named after a saint to which a former house chapel was dedicated. A famous Czech virtuoso Jan Kubelik bought the villa in 1922 and lived in it until 1930.

This building is a typical example of a luxurious villa from the end of the 19th c., built for Austrian aristocracy which promotes Opatija as an exclusive touristic place.

It was built in historical architectural forms. It is very complicated in its external features, with a monumental main entrance. The entrance leads from the park from the sea side across the wide staircase and a terrace directly into ground floor salons. The main characteristic of this object is particularly shaped terrace and a turret - belvedere.

The interior of the building is very rich and of a representative character, with a spacious entrance hall, wide staircase to the second floor. The rooms in the ground floor have ceilings decorated with stucco works. The rooms of the second floor are also representative and spacious, with wooden cassette ceilings.

It was built in 1889 in the center of Opatija, at the time of harsh political conditions, with the resources of Croatian inhabitants of Opatija. It was a cultural center of the Croats of the whole Liburnian coast. "Zora" society was founded in 1889.

The object is situated among the greenery, and it was built in simple architectural forms characteristic for the period it was built in, relying on a local tradition.

The church complex was constructed according to the project of C. Siedl in characteristic features of neo-Romanesque style. It is a one-nave building, made of brick with stone details. Interesting details from the front are hanging arcades under the cornice, a big stone rosette, pilasters in the corners etc. The access portico, having a triangular ground plan, is situated on the right to the church. A staircase is located by the front, with a colonnade approaching a low bell tower.

The walls inside the church have wooden panelling, while the sanctuary has a straight rear side with wooden ceiling. All details like doorframe, benches carved in wood and a wooden pulpit, are made according to architect`s project.

It was built from 1906 until the 20s of the 20th c., in stylized neo-Romanesque forms. It is monumentally conceived three-nave church with a dome. The interior walls are made of stone to the capital zone, and above the zone they are made of brick. The pillars support galleries over lateral aisles which are open by a line of biforae. Over the crossing of a transept and a nave there is a dome which has a wooden construction on the inside. Over the main altar there is a ciborium with capitals which represent a copy of early-Christian capitals.

From the exterior the transept is formed as a copy of the main front, with a large rosette. Between the transept and a front tower, there is the exterior gallery with pillars with different capitals. Stained-glass windows were made by glass and mosaic factory from Innsbruck.

Opatija