You’ve arrived at the mysterious Rijeka Tunnel, a passageway with more secrets than an old spy novel-though the Italian army probably wished not so many people would find out about it! Dug out between 1939 and 1942, the tunnel stretches 350 meters under Rijeka’s Old Town, from St. Vitus Cathedral to Dolac Primary School. Imagine the tense air of World War II as Allied planes thundered overhead. Civilians would scramble into this tunnel, finding momentary safety underneath the ground. While today’s biggest danger might be tripping over a selfie stick, back then, survival meant everything.
Take a look around and you’ll spot signs reading “Riservato all U.N.P.A.”-that’s Italian for “Reserved for the Anti-aircraft Corps.” It’s like a preserved label from a time when the city’s fate was anything but certain. For 75 years, this tunnel was sealed off, holding onto its mysteries in silence. But in 2017, it opened to the public again, letting visitors like you stroll where fear, hope, and courage once mingled.
And, by the way, don’t worry about sneaking in-a €1.5 ticket will do the trick! Nowadays, Rijeka’s residents cross here for fun, not fear. The only thing you need to dodge are echoes of giggles, not air raids.
