History

The mosque is the first mosque that been built on the shores of Adriatic since 5 centuries, the ottomans were the last who built a mosque on the shores of the Adriatic. Dušan Džamonja probably had in mind the rich tradition of dome construction of Ottoman mosques on the shores of the Mediterranean. With his sculptural approach he gave 'the new meaning to the old theme'.

Urban and Architectural

The mosque consists of five domes and semi domes that visually constitute a single object done with reinforced concrete. The façade consists of metal sub-construction covered with ventilated stainless-steel plates. The 23 meters high minaret is the dominant element on the plateau; it consists of central conical steel cylinder and sheet-steel mantle.

The center has four levels: a gallery, ground floor and two floors, the facilities in the center are congress center, restaurant, apartments, guest rooms, and an underground car park. 

Description

It is the third mosque in Croatia and the first in the city. The mosque is the result of decades-old aspirations of Muslims in Rijeka to have an adequate religious space.

This is a building of high international artistic relevance designed by the famous late sculptor Dušan Džamonja, in collaboration with architects Darko Vlahović and Branko Vučinović. The sculptor created a miniature model of the mosque, reflecting his well-known abstract sculptures. Later, the architects have undertaken the task to implement this conceptual idea in order to achieve the superior aesthetics of the project. The successful 'playing' with basic geometric shapes led to the fact that the building is considered more as a functional sculpture, intended for culture and religion, rather than the usual architectural building.

Located on a 10,800 m2 site placed on a large plateau, the Centre was conceived as a large sculpture on a wide base, and has become a landmark of Croatia's busiest port and one of the most beautiful religious buildings in Europe. A spiritual rather than a formal Islamic expression was intended, so traditional decor was avoided, showing the flexibility and willingness of a traditional Islamic community to establish itself as part of modern society. The construction of the Mosque was mainly sponsored by the state of Qatar.

References

Dušan Džamonja, Palagani Rahul · The Islamic Center of Rijeka مسجد · Divisare

Crowds Attend Mosque Opening in Rijeka, Croatia | Balkan Insight

The Mosque In Rijeka – A Masterpiece Of Contemporary Architecture - Magazine | Islamic Arts Magazine

Islamic Center Rijeka | Sightseeing | Rijeka (inyourpocket.com)

Rijeka Islamic Centre | Archnet