The Church of Our Lady of Trsat is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Croatia. According to the legend, angels transferred the Nazareth Tabernacle of the Holy Family to Trsat on 10 May 1291. where it remained until 1294. when angels transferred it to Loreto, Italy. The first church was built at the end of the 13th century, and in the 15th century, a new church and the Franciscan monastery were constructed. It has been enlarged and reconstructed several times since. The idea to add a Great Hall building to the complex is connected with the Pope’s visit to Rijeka. At the beginning of June 2003. Pope John Paul II has arrived in Croatia for the third time. Being only the second Pope to visit Croatia (the first, Alexander III was shipwrecked in the 12th century), his visits had a broader social significance. During his stay in Rijeka, he visited the Trsat church for private prayer, and on that occasion blessed the construction of the Monastery’s new building that would serve the pilgrims and house cultural activities of the monastery.
Credits
Architecture
Randić and Associates; Saša Randić, Idis Turato
Team members
Siniša Glušica, Gordan Resan, Iva Ćuzela-Bilać, Ana Staničić
Construction consultant
Aljoša Travaš
Client
Franciscan monastery Trsat
Year of completion
2008
Location
Rijeka, Croatia
Area
1048 m2
