The building of the Reading Room in Gornja Podstrana was built in 1912 at the initiative of the priest Petar Car who , together with the Church council of the day, decided to build a common aegis for all cultural and social events in Podstrana in place of the ramshackle church building.

A solid two-storey building made of stone was erected, and a local music society – The Croatian Catholic Educational Society, founded in 1907 – immediately began making use of it. In addition to music events, various folk plays were also held in the building of the Čitovnica.

Multiple cultural events of all kinds – art exhibitions, poetry evenings, music events and theatre plays with sets that are not too demanding  – utilise the rooms of this building and the open terrace on its east side.

The air of elegant simplicity of this historic building, the beautiful view of the sea and Perun Hill that its windows and terraces offer, and the authenticity of the profane and sacred architecture in its immediate vicinity together create the unique, magical atmosphere of the Reading Room as a hub of cultural life in Podstrana.