EN

The previous Royal hotel can be recognised in the building which today houses the Karolina Riječka commercial centre and the seat of the Primorje-Gorski kotar County. The building appeared on Rijeka’s Korzo in 1906 and was constructed by upgrading and redesigning the more modest house located on the site. The construction was ordered by Francesco Rauschel who wanted to accentuate the beauty and width of Rijeka’s central promenade with his hotel building. The architect Emilio Ambrosini offered an Art Nouveau solution. The building’s front facade has a series of open balconies with semi-circular loggias, wrought iron balcony railings and barriers with motives of flowers and meanders, as well as relief decorations in the form of wreath with a chestnut leaf motif. Ambrosini was the author of one of the most picturesque Rijeka's Art Nouveau facades, which, over time, has become another reason for Rijeka to be included in the association of the European Art Nouveau cities.