History
A journey through more than a century
A Timeline of Heritage
Key moments in the villa's story
The Villa is Built
The house, built in 1906, by the architect Giovanni Maria Curet is a fine example of Austro-Hungarian architecture. Its spacious rooms boast ornate tiled stoves and south-facing balconies while outside handsome stone steps lead through the terraced gardens of rosemary, bay and lavender down to the limestone cliffs and beaches which front the ever-changing sea.
A Union of Families
Capt. Emanuel von Dworski from distant Lwów (Lviv) married Nada, youngest daughter of the highly successful entrepreneur Gjuro Ružić of Sušak (in today's Rijeka).
An Era of Change
1914 heralded an era of change. The splendid Biedermeier 'salon' and the family portraits gracing the walls have silently borne witness to the caprices of history, and the rich archive of photographs, personal letters and official documents contained in multiple japanned boxes reveal tales of both war and domesticity.
A New Home
Emanuel and his wife Nada first bought the house in 1928.
Honorary Polish Consulate
During the 1930s it also served as honorary Polish consulate.
A Centenary Celebration
Soon we shall be celebrating both a centenary in Villa Dworski and a fifth generation to belong to it.