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Rijeka – European Capital of Culture 2020 has a long tradition in shipbuilding. Many of these photographs are by the great photographer Viktor Hreljanović. More about the SMS Szent Istvan here
This gallery contains 84 photos.
Take a look at how the city of Rijeka – European Capital of Culture 2020 has looked over the last century…..
The image of a young, black, servant dressed in fine clothes, wearing a turban, encrusted with gold and jewels, was adopted as the symbol of the city of Rijeka.
Known locally as ‘morčić’ its origins could be dated back to the 17th-18th century and the Venetian ‘moretto’. This was the time when the nobility was obsessed with all things from the Orient and North Africa including Moorish slaves “imported” from Muslim countries. The Venetian nobility would dress-up their pages and servants in fine clothing and jewellery to show off their own wealth and extravagance. In their image various figurines and jewellery were designed and produced (a style later referred to as ‘Blackamoors’).
This symbol was soon transmitted to Rijeka (Fiume) where similar forms of jewellery were manufactured by local goldsmiths and this soon seeped into tradition among the women of the region, especially in the form of earrings.
Singularly worn earrings also became popular with their sons as well as sailors and fisherman for whom they became talismans and lucky charms. The ‘morčić’ became as symbol of wealth and prosperity and these pieces of jewellery were soon passed down through the generations from mothers to daughters throughout the Rijeka region.
Morčić earring – image via wikipedia
This tradition reached its peak in the mid-19th century with the establishment of the Gigante & Co. and their production of earrings, brooches, pins and necklaces.
After WWII many goldsmiths of the Rijeka region, who had been producing the now locally renowned pieces of golden jewellery, emigrated and so their skills and knowledge also disappeared. It has only been since the early 1990s that the morčić image and jewellery has been resurrected and adopted as the mascot of the city of Rijeka.
Moričić souvenirs on sale at the Mala Galerija shop in Rijeka
The morčić motif can be seen throughout the city and is widely recognised, and jewellery and souvenirs are once again being produced. During the annual Rijeka Carnival (Riječki Karneval) many participants and dignitaries can be seen dressed as ‘morčići’ reflecting the area’s centuries-old tradition.
My design above has appeared around the city, online and even as street art – this murale appeared in early 2024 near the train station 🙂
How are the Morčić souvenirs made? Watch the video…
During the Rijeka Carnival revellers dress as Morčići – pic via Roberta F. wikipedia
The morčić has also made its way into popular music – here’s Neno Belan’s “Rijeka Snova”, featuring scenes of Rijeka and the motif of the city, one of my favourites 🙂
More information about souvenirs:
http://www.mala-galerija.hr/morcici.html
http://www.rijecki-karneval.hr/en/
Tražim zaposlenje u području medija/tiska/izdavaštva:
e-mail
It was on the fateful night of the 14-15th April 1912 that the British passenger liner the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg, 375 miles from the coast of New Foundland in the North Altantic, and sank on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City.
Did you know that there is a connection between the Titanic and the city of Rijeka? (at that time known as ‘Fiume’, within the Austro-Hungarian Empire)
RMS Titanic
The connection is another liner the RMS Carpathia. This ship travelled regularly between Rijeka and New York when it would transport immigrants seeking a new life in America.
RMS Carpathia
On the night of the 14-15th April 1912 the Titanic sent out SOS distress calls for help after colliding with an ice berg which the Carpathia, which was at that time travelling from New York to Rijeka then picked-up and headed to its assistance. The Carpathia managed to save over 700 people (a handful of whom were Croats) from the icy waters who had escaped the sinking. Unfortunately the other 1,500 or so passengers and crew perished.
One crew member of the Carpathia, a Croat, Josip Car, held onto to a life jacket from one of the survivors of the Titanic and this historical item was later donated after his death to the Maritime and History Museum in Rijeka (PPMHP)
Titanic life jacket held in the Maritime and Historical Museum of the Croatian Littoral in Rijeka
There are several commemorative events of this tragic maritime event being held in the UK (where both ships were built) as well as an exhibition being staged at the Maritime and Historical Museum of the Croatian Littoral in Rijeka.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yW6EkLEGLg
The Peek & Poke Computer Museum in Rijeka also held a special event until 15th April 2012 on the Arca Fiumana boat, moored on Rijeka’s waterfront entitled ‘Carpathia 2012’: http://www.peekpoke.hr
For a superb selection of photographs visit: British Pathe collection
Titanic footage and survivors interviews. On 14 April 1912, on her maiden voyage, the passenger liner RMS Titanic hit an iceberg. More than 1500 men, women and children perished. This is a short television documentary about the sinking of the Titanic, including interviews with survivors talking about their experiences and their escape.
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Official commemorative postage stamps from the UK
RMS Titanic Centenary postage stamps
More info visit https://www.benham.co.uk/pd/Titanic-30th-Anniversary-of-Discovery-of-the-Wreck-GB-Customised-Stamp-Sheet_GBS0255.htm
Jeste li znali ….?
– da je u Rijeci 1909. godine snimljen prvi hrvatski igrani film
– da je prva TV antena na hrvatskim krovovima bila u Rijeci
– da je u Rijeci obavljena prva transplantacija bubrega u bivšoj Jugoslaviji (1971.)
– da je rt u Arktiku blizu Nove zemlje nazvan Rijeka po našem gradu.
– da je Roberto Bartini prvi Riječanin koji je konstruirao zrakoplov
– da je u Rijeci prvi put u povijesti fotografiran let puščanog zrna
– da je riječki manipulativni poštanski žig V: Fiume iz 1755. godine, najstariji do danas sačuvan poštanski žig na području Republike Hrvatske
– da se u Rijeci nalazi prsluk za spašavanje sa Titanika. Carpathijina (brod koji je spasio preživjele) ruta bila je New York – Rijeka.
– da je u Rijeci 1786. godine osnovana prva primaljska škola u Hrvatskoj
– da je riječki klub Husar bio prvi disko klub u ovom dijelu Europe
– da je Quorum Colours prvi i najveći hrvatski „underground“ klub
– da su prvi pravi R’n’R band u ondašnjoj državi – Jugoslaviji – bili “Uragani”
– da su “Parafi“ bili prvi punk band u Hrvatskoj, a s ljubljanskim “Pankrtima” i prvi punk Jugoslavije
– da je u Rijeci počeo hrvatski Hip-Hop
– da je u Rijeci održana prva speedway utrka u Italiji te da je utemeljitelj talijanskog speedwaya upravo naš Riječanin
– da je u Rijeci sagrađena prva bolnica za duševne bolesti na prostorima nekadašnje Jugoslavije
– da se u Rijeci nalazi najstarije dizalo u Hrvatskoj
– da je u Rijeci napravljeno prvo hrvatsko vozilo s oznakom “Made in Croatia“
– da Rijeka ispod naseljenog dijela ima špilju koja je proglašena geomorfološkim spomenikom prirode
– da je Rijeka imala svojeg Schindlera koji je spasio na tisuće Židova
– da je u Rijeci 1852. godine puštena u rad prva plinara u jugoistočnoj Europi
– da je Riječka tvornica konopa najstarije industrijsko postrojenje u povijesti Rijeke.
– da je na Pećinama 2 otvoren prvi sanatorij u Hrvatskoj
– da je 1920. godine prvi radio prijenos na ex-YU prostorima napravljen
u Rijeci. Prenošen je D’Annunzijev govor.
– da je 1949.godine u jednoj od najvećih sportskih nesreća svih vremena, stravičnoj avionskoj nesreći gdje je poginula kompletna momčad Torina bio i Riječanin. Tadašnji Torino smatran je jednom od najboljih svjetskih momčadi, koja je osvojila za redom 5 naslova prvaka Italije i čijih je čak deset igrača bilo u reprezentaciji Italije
– da je prvi hrvatski parobrod sagrađen u Rijeci te da je njime uspostavljena redovita putnička linija između Senja i Rijeke što se smatra početkom linijskog putničkog prometa na hrvatskoj strani Jadrana
– da je prvi zračni brod koji je srušen zrakoplovnom paljbom u povijesti bio talijanski ratni cepelin koji se je vraćao s bombardiranja Rijeke
– da je hrvatska himna napisana u Rijeci
– da je francuski pisac Henri Beyle Stendhal boravio u Rijeci
– da je Fiorello Henry La Guardia član Američkog senata i gradonačelnik New Yorka boravio u Rijeci kao američki konzul i igrao za riječki nogometni klub Atletico Fiumano
– da je naš Riječanin Pero Radaković 1962. godine na svjetskom nogometnom prvenstvu u Čileu, u četvrtfinalu protiv Njemačke zabio jedini gol na utakmici i tako osigurao Jugoslaviji 4. mjesto, što je njezin najbolji uspjeh. 
– da je Nikola Tesla imao sestru koja je živjela u Rijeci i da su D’Annunzievi legionari uništili sva njezina osobna pisma i ostale stvari koje su mogle završiti u muzeju
– da je Georg Ludwig Ritter von Trapp najodlikovaniji podmornički kapetan Austro-Ugarske Monarhije. pohađao srednju pomorsku školu i Pomorsku akademiju u Rijeci. Na porinuću podmornice u brodogradilištu na Kantridi upoznao se i zaljubio u unuku Robert Whiteheada, Agathu, te su se 10. 01. 1911. godine vjenčali u Rijeci. Šezdesetih god. Prošlog stoljeća snimljen je jedan od najboljih glazbenih filmova svih vremena o obitelji Von Trapp, Moje pjesme moji snovi.
– da su Riječani Gino i Oscar Jankovits 1937. godine dizajnirali, konstruirali, proizveli i testirali prvi automobil u Hrvatskoj. Riječ je o Alfa Romeo Aerospider. To je prvo vozilo na svijetu sa uklopljenim kvakama i svjetlima u karoseriju, prvi sa upravljačem po sredini, prvi s motorom postavljenim centralno otraga, prvi s vodoravno postavljenim hladnjakom… Postizao je brzinu od 230 km/h.
– da je u Rijeci, prvi u Jugoslaviji, 09. 06. 1969. godine započeo sa radom bibliobus, organiziran kao pokretna knjižnica za djecu i odrasle. Obilazi naselja u gradu Rijeci i okolici koja nemaju knjižnični ogranak na svojem području kako bi svim stanovnicima pružio knjižnične usluge.
You find out much more about Rijeka, its history, the people, the places and news as well as take part in forums at: http://www.lokalpatrioti-rijeka.com
Read this in English here
My collection of old postcards on youtube.
