The San Giovanni fortress, registering it in the Croatian Cultural Heritage Register
After discovering the underground San Giovanni fortress on Rujevica Hill and launching the Adventurer project, the most challenging part was dealing with bureaucratic hurdles. We navigated through numerous institutions, including the City of Rijeka, Civil Protection, the Ministry of State Property, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection. We even sent letters to a government minister (who did not respond) and the President of the Republic, but it wasn’t until we reached the Ministry of Culture that we made real progress. They directed us to the Conservation Department in Rijeka.
After establishing contact with the head of the Conservation Department, her team conducted a field visit and issued temporary cultural heritage protection for the San Giovanni fortress, registering it in the Croatian Cultural Heritage Register, with the Adventurer project designated as its official guardian and caretaker. We then obtained permission to equip the underground facility and to present it to the public.