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Legends of Rijeka

IvanVuksa (CC0), Pixabay

Rijeka is a relatively small harbor city, but with rich history and legends! Here are some of the most famous ones:

Legend of 14 witnesses

In the garden of  Rijeka Maritime and Historical Museum, better known as the Governor’s Palace,  are 13 stone pillars in the form of different human figures.
Long time ago these columns stood before the building of State Archives, located neat he river shore.

The legend says that there was a famous and influential Adamić family who once lived in Rijeka. One member of the family, Simeon Adamić, who was a wealthy tobacco trader, had a grand estate on Martinšćica shore near Rijeka. There was an ancient chapel of St. Martina, and one day, while works were being done in the chapel, Simeon found the so-called “buried treasure”. Because of the envy, certain people who were against the Adamić family started the news that it was Simeon who found the gold, but he actually stole it because it is not his. Soon, Simeon ended up in prison. 14 witnesses gathered and witnessed against him. Immediately after the arrest, Adamić’s son Andrew Ljudevit went to Vienna to the emperor Josip II., who managed to convince the emperor that there was an error. Simeon Adamić, at the request of the Emperor, was immediately released from prison.
After leaving the prison, Simeon bought a garden and parcel and built his family home there. The house was built in it with 14 window frames in front of which it set 14 small pillars with carved heads of “his” witnesses. In that way, Simeon retaliated

Today, 13 pillars have been preserved, while one of them is lost.

Legend of Peter Lončarić

It is believed that the construction of church of St. Vitus in Rijeka lasted a very long time, some say more than a hundred years. It was believed that the fairies did not allow it to be finished.

The legend says that the present the church was built in the place of an old, smaller one. Back then, in front of the small church was some kind of tap house, and in front of that many sailors played games. Near  there was a cross with the wooden Jesus.
One day in the company that bowled outside was also Petar Lončarić, a sailor from Volosko. His associate lost all the parties that day, and Lončarić cwas so mad that he cursed a lot.
In the last game he had to score, otherwise he loses, and unfortunately he missed. Out of anger, he grabbed the stone and threw it hard on the cross. He struck Jesus straight into his chest and at that moment blood started running from the cross. The land under Lončarić opened and accompanied by great flames. Earth swallowed him immediately but interesting enough –  it  left only his hand with which he threw the stone. Legend says not even Earth wanted it. because he did

That crucifix still stands inside the church, and by that events many proverbs derived, like “FThere is nothing to him. He is some Petar Lončarić. ” or what mothers use to say to their sons: “Son, son, let go of cards and money, because you’ll end up like Petar Lončarić.”.

Legend of Moretto

Legend of the symbol of our city, moretto or morčić, related to the day when the “stones of heaven fell”.

It all began in the 1600s when the Turkish army was getting closer to the seaside ends. Nations have spread terrible stories about the consequences of their conquest in Lika and Gorski kotar. When they were assembled on Grobnik Field, the people of Rijeka began to pray St. Mihovil “to stone Turkish army from the sky”. One year later, the great Zrinski watched the Turks preparing for the final assault. Out of fear, people started to run in the mountains. They were not well equipped, since they only had tweaks and, at best, catapults. At the top of Mount Obruč two brothers were monitoring Turkish movements, and one asked another where to hit  pasha. Other replied – in his eye. So anyway, the pasha was hit in the temple and fell dead. At that moment the burning stones began to fall from the sky. All that was left of them were turbans.

In honor of this event, Morettists, the Rijeka goldsmiths, began to work earrings with a black figure with a Muslim turban on his head.

What do you think?

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Written by Lucija S.

Lucija Sucic - a skilled writer based in Croatia. She shares great love for all Slavic related things and enjoys the opportunity to write for Slavorum because of her passion for reading and writing.

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