Since 2006, the cemeteries Kozala and Trsat in Rijeka have been permanently protected as cultural and historical complexes and have the characteristic of cultural heritage.

The Kozala cemetery was founded on the basis of a design prepared by Luigi Emily dated back to 1856, who also designed the separate part of the Jewish cemetery (1885), built the Chapel of St Michael and the auxiliary buildings. The central part of the cemetery (the so-called horseshoe) and peripheral parts on different levels were designed by Venceslao Celligoi  1886/1892. This idea was realised between 1895 and 1915.

At the cemetery, there is a large number of quality architectural and sculptural pieces on crypts and tombs, realised according to projects prepared by renowned architects and sculptors from Rijeka. There is a large number of graves of persons of importance for Croatian history (the Whitehead family, Erazmo Barčić, the Meynier family and others). Grave horticulture plays an important role in landscape architecture. In the territory of the cultural and historical complex of the Kozala cemetery, the following mausoleums are protected cultural goods: Gorup, Manasteriotti and Whitehead.

The Trsat cemetery in Rijeka was opened in 1901. The cemetery contains a large number of quality crypts and tombs built according to projects of renowned Croatian and local architects and sculptors from Rijeka and Sušak. There is a large number of graves of persons of importance for Croatian history (Trnski, Ramous, Turković, Ružić etc.). As a memorial park, its grave horticulture plays an important role in landscape architecture.

With the aim of recording, conserving and protecting the cemeteries, the City of Rijeka entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Culture, the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage – Conservation Department in Rijeka for the preparation of architectural heritage surveys of the Kozala and Trsat cemeteries. The surveys have an exceptional value and importance to the City of Rijeka and the Republic of Croatia in the sense of conserving and protecting national and European cultural heritage.

Since 2005, the City of Rijeka has continuously co-financed from funds collected on behalf of the monument annuity the implementation of protective works on the conservation of the architectural heritage of the Kozala cemetery carried out by the utility company Kozala. In 2006, the Kobler crypt was restored and maintenance works were carried out and the chapels “Smith-Maynier” and “Branchetta” were restored, as well as the crypts “Ciotta”, “Lengyel Camillo” and “Hajnal Antal and Mario”.

During 2007, mausoleums Whitehead and Gorup were restored as well as the Manasteriotti monument. In 2008, a conservation survey was drawn up and restoration and reconstruction project documentation for the Kopaitić-Battagliarini mausoleum.