Has it ever crossed your mind that there might be a Palace hiding the sweetest history of a city? We all have a bit of a sweet tooth, which is why we affectionately call our Palace, the former sugar refinery headquarters, the Sugar Palace!
The sugar refinery is the first and oldest industrial plant in Rijeka. It was established in 1750 for the purpose of processing sugarcane and raw sugar. Since it was situated on the shore, the raw material was unloaded in front of the factory entrance. In 1786 its administrative offices were relocated to a grand Baroque palace. The sugar refinery was operational until 1828 and was succeeded by the tobacco factory, which was the largest tobacco-processing plant in the Monarchy following the expansion of the complex. The Rikard Benčić engine factory was housed in the complex after World War II.
The late-Baroque palace, with plenty of preserved painted walls and relief decorations, stands as a testament to the Sugar Refinery. Since late 2020 it has been the home of the City Museum of Rijeka with a permanent exhibition spanning two floors! Come and learn more about the sweet history of Rijeka!
