The Capuchin Church of Our Lady of Lourdes

The grand neo-gothic edifice in red and white brick on the Žabica square, with two sweeping staircases leading to an upper level, is the church of Rijeka’s Capuchin order. Building started in 1904 and the lower level was completed four years later. The Capuchins were running out of money for the next phase, and apparently someone devised a cunning plan to continue building. Some luckless lady was heralded as a miraculous saint who sweated blood. Of course, people were clamouring to part with their hard-earned money to see this freak show, so the church got its upper part, completed in 1929. Meanwhile, the miraculous “saint” got a jail sentence. Despite this colourful story, the church never got the bell tower originally planned, but it’s an imposing piece of architecture anyway, and the landing at the top of the staircases is a good spot to get a view over the city centre and the port in front of you. Mass: 07:30 and 19:00, Sun 07:30, 10:00, 12:00 and 19:00.