The sea promenade Riva
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The sea promenade called Riva is a wonderful place to walk around and enjoy its beautiful green parks and palm trees.
Riva is a city promenade with a view of the Zadar Channel, the islands of Ugljan and Pašman and the open sea to the northwest.
The promenade was constructed in 1874 after the city fortification walls were torn down and the city´s outright development towards the sea began. Instead of city walls, the new town quay was built, a fashionable promenade with eighteen residential and public palaces. A large stone embankment (pier) was built, as a place for anchoring of fast coastal steamships, such as the famous Baron Gautsch. Despite immeasurable loss due to dismantling of the ramparts, the New Town Quay (Nova riva) has changed the panorama of the city and become its new asset. The public life of Zadar was thus relocated from the squares and streets to the quay, with a number of fashionable hotels, restaurants, coffee houses, public and cultural institutions, but also because of the attractiveness of huge steamships coming into dock, first-class social events and picturesque sailing boats. During World War II many of these buildings were damaged or destroyed in the bombardment, and were later either reconstructed or partially replaced by horticulture.
The Sea Organ was constructed on 2015 and it successfully brought to life the far end of the Riva, drawing tourists and locals alike. It is a center for gathering, a good destination on a walk through town, and also a great place to enjoy Zadar´s exceptional sunset.
It may be that the loveliest inscription of this hypnotic visual sensation was written by the famous Alfred Hitchcock. On the occasion of his visit to Zadar, in May 1964, while observing the luxurious game played by the sun the Maestro said: »Zadar has the most beautiful sunset in the world, more beautiful than the one in Key West, in Florida, applauded at every evening.« From room 204 of the former Hotel Zagreb, the great film master of suspense, enthusiastic and overcome by this notion, tried to catch the beatuy of the sunset with his camera. His visit of the city and his words are a memento to the Sun that never dies while casting its last rays. As does not die the memory of the great Hitch´s visit. The following morning, after having slept and rested, Hitchcock stood in front of the lens of the famous Zadar photographer, Ante Brkan. On Brkan´s photograph »Alfred Hitchcock in the Sky« you can recognize the satisfaction of the classic of film art. »Drama is life with the boring part left out« Hitchcock said on one occasion. He could have said the same for all the drama of the suset, symbol that has always remained in Zadar´s company.
Info: http://www.zadar.travel/en/city-guide/attractions/15-07-2007/riva
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