Not far from the city centre, on the banks of the Rječina is a disused factory. It once employed over 1000 people and produced thousands of tons of fine cigarette paper, exported all over the world. Founded in 1823, it was one of the most successful industries of both the former Yugoslavia and Austro-Hungarian empire. It was founded by Andrije Ljudevit Adamić, father of the Šimun with his witnesses (see above). In 1829, he sold it to a pair of entrepreneurs from France and England who installed the first steam engine in southeast Europe in 1833. In 1991, the factory was the second largest manufacturer of cigarette paper in Europe, and had won many awards – see the medals in the City Museum. The industry was devastated by war and economic and political changes, and the company went bankrupt in 2002, leaving many jobless. Since the buildings are so important to Rijeka’s development and the industrial history of Europe, there are moves to preserve and perhaps convert them into a cultural centre: there are already concerts and parties being held in “Tvornica papira Hartera”.
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