THE RIJEKA-BAKAR DISTRICT

Set off for your nostalgic journey along the Louisiana starting from Rijeka, just like general Vukasović started the road's tracing and construction in 1803. The Rječina canyon and the ascent to Gornje Jelenje were the first great challenges faced by him and his workers. As the chroniclers of the time wrote, sometimes „whole mountains had to be perforated, sometimes enormous sloping ground had to be filled in“.

ON LOUISIANA
On Fiumara, in the heart of Rijeka, along the Rječina, you will find a plane-trees lined path – this is where the Louisiana starts! You will cross the Rječina and climb slowly through its canyon to meet with the first construction masterpiece – a road engraved in the Rječina canyon and through the cutting Banska vrata. Many doubted that a road could be perforated there, since the canyon was impenetrable even for goats. When the road was completed, Vukasović suggested to put a plate on Banska vrata with the inscription: „To the doubters“.


Having reached Čavle, it is worth stopping and taking a walk – visit the Čebuhar house and go to the mile-stone, paying attention at the same time to the row of houses built at the time of construction of the Louisiana.

Leaving Čavle, you will see Grobničko polje. Louisiana passes along its eastern side, where the Society planted a poplar-trees alley. Across the constructed bridge it slowly climbs up the Circle – a big underpinned curve where large surfaces had to be filled with earth.ts eastern side, where the Society planted a poplar-trees alley. Across the constructed bridge it slowly climbs up the Circle – a big underpinned curve where large surfaces had to be filled with earth.

On Kamenjak the remains of the so called štacija (station) – one of the most beautiful inns on the road, and the water tank, which got water by pipeline from the surrounding mountains, wait for you.

You will notice altimeters in Gornje Jelenje and Ravno Podolje. Stone windbreaks will protect you from the strong wind, and if you stop at Škrebutnjak when the strong bora is blowing, you will understand why the spot used to be called „the place where bora was born“.


COME CLOSER
get to know us better

Trsat and the Trsat steps
Near the bridge across the Rječina, where the roads Louisiana and Carolina split, start 500 steps leading to Trsat, famous for its Franciscan monastery and for the Frankopan castle. The Church of St. Mary of Trsat is a renowned pilgrimage destination. The chapel is an integral part of the monastery, contains an exhibition of numerous votive gifts donated by pilgrims and seafarers.


Visit other sights on the so-called tourist main road. You can get related information at the Tourist Information Centre, situated on Korzo, the main road in the centre of Rijeka.

The Rječina canyon
A marked path leads to the Rječina canyon where you will experience best the monumentality of the Louisiana underpinning masonry and understand why many did not believe that a road could pass through this canyon, impenetrable even for goats. The construction works were extremely hard, even dangerous in rainy weather and yet the builders could hardly support their families with their earnings!

Grobničko polje
Louisiana passes by the eastern side of Grobničko polje, field of battles against Mongols and Turks, so that the medieval owners, the Frankopans, had to fortify themselves well there. Be sure to visit the renewed Frankopan castle and the old town nucleus of Grobnik.

In Gornje Jelenje turn towards Bakar, a port to which the road connection to the Gorski kotar hinterland had brought economic prosperity, transforming it into a shipbuilding, shipping and commercial centre.


COME CLOSER
get to know us better

The town of Bakar
In 1728, Charles IV, coming to grips with the economic recovery of the Habsburg Empire, after signing the peace deal with the Turks ordered the construction of a port for the biggest ships in Bakar and the linking of Bakar to Rijeka by road. Thus Bakar became the centre of shipbuilding, shipping and trade. It can be reached by the old road Carolina from Rijeka, through Sušak and Sv. Kuzam or from the Louisiana through Cernik, turn at Čavle. We certainly recommend to drive from Gornje Jelenje towards Bakar, along the connection road built by the Louisiana Society. The main toll-gate was located in Meja. Carolina from Rijeka, through Sušak and Sv. Kuzam or from the Louisiana through Cernik, turn at Čavle. We certainly recommend to drive from Gornje Jelenje towards Bakar, along the connection road built by the Louisiana Society. The main toll-gate was located in Meja.

They say that the Bakar inhabitants liked this road because it provided easy access to the vineyards, that gave origin to the then well known Bakarska vodica. The old town and the third late-baroque church by size in Croatia are worth a special drive to the Bakar District.

STAY
a few days longer

Platak and Snježnik
Continental and Mediterranean climate meet on the steep slopes and the rounded, grass-covered ridge, so that the vegetation cover is exceptionally luxuriant and varied. You can reach Platak by road, and from there, taking one of the marked paths, set off for Risnjak (3 hours), Snježnik (about 1.30 h), while - to the more ambitious ones - we propose a circular mountain path that in 50 km (12 hours) goes around mountain ridges and peaks of the Snježnik mountain chain. If you take the Louisiana in winter, take your skies along, a modern ski centre waits for you on Platak.