Art & Culture OPATIJA ROYAL RIVIERA     Code trips: 2024/239 - individual tours

The modern history of the city began in 1844 when Iginio Scarpa (1794-1866), a wealthy merchant from Rijeka, had a villa Angiolina's castle built in a large park, received significant guests like Ban Josip Jelacic. In 1873, the Austrian Southern Railway Company from Vienna opened a subsidiary from Pivka to Rijeka via nearby Matulji, thus opening the way for tourism development in Opatija and neighboring Lovran. In 1882, the railway company bought Villa Angiolina, where Prince Rudolf and Stéphanie were appointed. At that time Friedrich Julius Schüler (1832-1884), the Southern Railway Executive Director, started building the hotel Quarnero (Hotel Kvarner) and Hotel Kronprinzessin Stephanie (now Hotel Imperial) and was responsible for the unique coasts and parks, and Carla Schubert , the director of the Vienna Imperial and Royal Parks Association). Villa Angiolina was later run by Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. In Angiolina Park today stands Schüler's bust, the work of sculptor Hans Rathausky. In 1887 Heinrich von Littrow founded "Union Yacht Club Quarnero" in Opatija (founded in June 1886) - the first sailing ship on the Adriatic coast. In 1889, the cisley government officially proclaimed Opatija (Opatija) the first climatic health resort (Seebad) on the Austrian riviera. After the hotel, a villa was built for the needs of the more demanding noblemen. The first Villa Amalia, near the hotel Quarnero, was built in 1890 as a hotel supplement. Austrian car Franjo Josip I spent a few months there in winter. March 29, 1894 met with German emperor Wilhelm II; other crowned heads that sought relaxation were Elisabeth from Austria and German Car Augusta Victoria, King Carol I of Romania and his spouse Elisabeth, King George I from Greece, King Albert Saska, Ambassador William IV from Luxembourg and Prince Nikola I Petrović. So far, many luxury hotels and villas have survived in the late 19th century.