The historical significance of these places is difficult to overestimate even for history experts. Archaeological excavations show evidence of life here in the stone age. Before our era, there was a Celtic settlement of Tarsatika. And after the Romans, the Slavs came. Nowadays, tourists are attracted to the well-preserved castle of the XIII century Trsat.

The famous steep stone staircase, consisting of more than five hundred steps, leads directly to the castle on the hill. It was built in 1531 by order of the Croatian military commander Petar Kužić to facilitate the way of pilgrims to the Holy places. There is even an eighteenth-century painting that depicts a procession of priests walking up the famous staircase.

The entrance to Trsat is guarded by the stone winged Venetian lion of Saint Mark. And in the courtyard of the fortress, there is a copper sculpture of a Basilisk, a mythical character with the head of a cock and the body of a dragon. The castle survived many wars and battles, as well as a strong earthquake of the XVIII century. But thanks to the efforts of the Venetian architect Giacomo Paronuzzi, all the buildings were not only perfectly restored, but also acquired features of the neo-Gothic style. Today it is the most well-preserved monument of the middle ages on the Adriatic coast.

According to the legend, a real miracle happened on the territory of the fortress in the XIII century. The Virgin Mary herself appeared to the local Bishop. And her home from Nazareth was moved by the angels to the vicinity of the castle. Three years later, in the same miraculous way, the house was transferred to the Italian city of Loreto. Since then, faithful Catholics of all countries regularly make pilgrimages to these places.

Today, Trsat is a significant religious center of Catholic pilgrimage, as well as a popular tourist attraction. It is possible to take long interesting excursions around its common property, which includes several objects at once, such as the famous staircase, the сhurch of Our Lady of Trsat and the castle itself. Or you can just go to the observation deck of the main tower of the fortress and enjoy the city panorama and the water area of the port. Also from the top of the hill, you can enjoy a wonderful view of the island of Krk, a deep canyon and the river Rječina. This is probably the best place to capture your journey through the Croatian city of Rijeka.