#3 Rijeka – candidate city for ECoC 2020 Mystery Cache

Support the candidacy of Rijeka for European Capital of Culture 2020.

Rijeka je grad poznat po svojoj multikulturalnosti, stoga se ponosi i, po mnogima, najljepšom džamijom u Europi, otvorenom 2013. godine. Islamski centar sa džamijom smješten je na području Gornjeg Zameta s kojeg se pruža prekrasan pogled na Kvarnerski zaljev. Lokacija, ali prvenstveno arhitektonsko rješenje, zaslužni su da posjetiteljima na tren zastane dah. Džamija je djelo suradnje kipara Dušana Džamonje, koji, nažalost, nije dočekao njezino otvaranje, te arhitekata Branka Vučinovića i Darka Vlahovića iz biroa »ADB« u Zagrebu. Velika želja kipara Džamonje bila je izgraditi džamiju i često je govorio da će izgledati kao skulptura, a ona upravo tako danas i izgleda. Monumentalna razvedena kugla s plaštom od inoksa, komponirana od šest kalota u čijim se obrisima i staklenim procjepima pojavljuje islamski simbol polumjeseca, izranja iz trga popločenoga kamenim travertinom, koji je umjetnika asocirao na pustinjski pijesak. Trg ispod kojeg se nalaze podzemne etaže Islamskog centra zamišljen je kao postament u čijem je središtu džamija s minaretom visokim 23 metra. Kompleks krase i tri fontane, jer element vode, kao simbol čistoće, u islamskoj arhitekturi ima posebno značenje. Na prvoj etaži pod džamijom smješteni su ugostiteljski objekti otvoreni za sve posjetitelje, polivalentna dvorana za razna društvena i kulturna okupljanja, uredski prostori i divanhana – posebna prostorija namijenjena ženskim razgovorima. U Islamskom su centru i učionice za vjeronauk te vrtić za djecu predškolske dobi. Kompleks ima i podzemnu garažu, te vanjski prostor za šetnju. Molitveni dio može primiti do 1400 vjernika.

The city of Rijeka is renowned for its multiculturalism, and it proudly holds, according to many, one of the most beautiful mosques in Europe; which was opened in 2013. The Islamic Centre Rijeka with its mosque is located at the area of Gornji Zamet that offers a spectacular view of the Kvarner Bay. The location or, more importantly, the architectural solutions are responsible for taking the visitor's breath away. It is a collaboration between the sculptor Dušan Džamonja, who sadly passed away before it was opened, and architects Branko Vučinović and Darko Vlahović from the “ADB” bureau in Zagreb. The great wish of Džamonja was to build a mosque and he often said it should look like a sculpture, as is the shape of Rijeka's current mosque. The monumental indented sphere with a stainless steel protective layer, composed out of six spherical sections in the contours and glass crevices in which appears the Islamic half-moon symbol, rises from the square paved in Travertine stone which reminded the artist of desert sand. The square underneath the underground level of the Islamic Centre was conceived as a pedestal in the centre of which is the mosque with a 23 metres high minaret. The complex is decorated with three fountains since the element of water has a special meaning as a symbol of purity in Islamic architecture. The first level under the mosque contains hospitality facilities open for all users, a multi-purpose hall for various social and cultural gatherings, offices and verandas - special rooms intended for discussions amongst its female attendees. The Islamic centre includes classrooms for religious classes and a kindergarten for preschoolers. The complex has an underground garage and an outer area for walks. The section for prayer can hold up to 1,400 people.