A PALACE ABOVE THE CITY
The Noble Simplicity of the Governor’s Residence
The Governor’s Palace in Rijeka was constructed for the needs of Rijeka’s governors, who were heads of the Royal Governorship for Rijeka and the Croatian Littoral when the city was under direct Hungarian rule.
During tenure of Count Lajos Batthyány as governor, the old Governor’s Palace in the city centre was demolished, and the construction of a new one was entrusted to the esteemed Hungarian architect Alajos Hauszmann. At the time of construction, he was a professor at the Technical University of Budapest and engaged in the construction of an extension of the Royal Palace and the construction of the Royal Hungarian Courthouse (Kuria) in Budapest. He left a significant mark on Hungarian architecture at the time both as an instructor and designer. His work was grounded in historical styles.
For the needs of construction of the governor’s palace in Rijeka, Alajos Hauszmann chose the northernmost part of the city – the spot from which the building would dominate the city and from which its monumental façade would attract the attention of all of those sailing into the city’s harbour. Therefore the Persich family’s estate was purchased along with the neighbouring vineyards to provide space to arrange a square in front of the Palace.
In August 1893 the construction of the Palace commenced. It was designed to reflect the reputation of the Monarchy and its major port Rijeka with both its appearance and its amenities (1892, La Bilancia).
The roof was completed in 1894, and numerous notables, impressed by its monumental beauty, tipped their hats to its architect who gave this awe-inspiring monument the artistic look we admire for being nobly simple and classic, impressing lovers of classical, timeless art (1894, La Bilancia).
Courtly appearance
The construction of the complex was completed in June 1896, consisting of a central residential building (the Palace) and the side-, auxiliary buildings. Hauszmann designed the garden in front of the Palace and enclosed the complex by a stone and cast iron fence and two impressive gates.
At the request of the governor of the time, Lajos Batthyány, Rijeka’s Palace was designed in line the high-Renaissance architectural models, yet details show fin-de-siècle Art Nouveau elements.
Hauszmann used modern materials (glass and iron) in his design along with new construction techniques, like Monier’s reinforced concrete methods. The load-bearing walls were made from limestone quarried in the areas near Rijeka and Pula, with just a small portion of bricks. Instead of lime, Santorini earths were used for plaster, which was customary in Rijeka.
The monumental façade was made from white stone, with pilasters and large window openings ending with monumental entablature and an attic with a cartouche for the coat of arms above which there was a flag holder. The Palace was entered through an outstretched porch that also serves as a terrace entered from the 1st floor’s White Salon.