Culture of Croatia 474950 225093494 2008-07-11T21:09:10Z Sulejman 1775201 {{Croatian Culture}} The [[culture]] of [[Croatia]] has roots in [[History of Croatia|a long history]]: the [[Croats|Croatian people]] have been inhabiting the area for fourteen centuries, but there are important remnants of the earlier periods still preserved in the country. == Ancient Heritage == Ancient monuments from the [[Paleolithic]] era are very poor and consist of simple stone and bone objects. Some of the earliest remaining historical features include 100,000 year old bones of a [[Neandertal]] man near [[Krapina]] ([[Krapina-Zagorje county]]). The most interesting [[Copper Age]] or [[Eneolithic]] finds are from ''Vučedol culture''. Out of that culture sprung out [[Bronze Age]] ''Vinkovci culture'' (named after city of [[Vinkovci]]) that is recognizable by bronze fibulas that were replacing objects like needles and buttons. [[Bronze Age]] culture of [[Illyrians]], ethnic group with distinct culture and art form started to organize itself in 7th century BC. Numerous monumental sculptures are preserved, as well as walls of [[citadel]] ''Nezakcij'' near [[Pula]], one of numerous Istrian cities from [[Iron Age]]. [[Image:SPLIT-Hebrard overall color restitution.jpg|left|thumb|260 px|Restitution of Emperor [[Diocletian]] Palace in [[Split]], c. 300 AD]] Greeks from [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] in [[Sicily]] in 390 BC came to islands of [[Vis]] (''Issa''), [[Hvar]] (''Pharos'') and [[Korčula]] (''Corcyra Nigra'') and there have founded [[city-state]]s in which they lived quite isolated. While the [[Greek colonies]] were flourishing on the island, on the continent the Illyrians were organizing their centers. Their art was greatly influenced by Greek art, and they have even copied some. Illyrians even conquered Greek colonies on Dalmatian islands. Famous was the queen [[Teuta]] of ''Issa'' (today island of [[Vis]]) which waged wars with the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]]. But finally, Rome subdued the Illyrians in first century, and after that the history of these parts is a history of [[Illyrian provinces]] of [[Roman Empire|Rome]] and [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantium]]. The Romans<ref>[http://www.artchive.com/artchive/R/roman.html Roman Art]</ref> organized the entire [[coast]]al territory by transforming [[citadel]]s to urban cities. There have been at least thirty cities in [[Istria]], [[Liburnia]] and [[Dalmatia]] with Roman citizenship ([[civitas]]). The best-preserved networks of Roman streets (decumanus/cardo) are those in ''Epetion'' (Poreč) and ''Jader'' ([[Zadar]]). The best preserved Roman monuments are in ''Pola'' ([[Pula]]) including an [[Amphitheater]] (an [[arena]]) from the 2nd century). In the 3rd century AD the city of [[Salona]] was the largest (with 40,000 inhabitants) and most important city of Dalmatia. Near the city emperor [[Diocletian]], born in Salona, built the [[Diocletian's Palace]] (around year 300 AD),<ref>[http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17691 C.Michael Hogan, "Diocletian's Palace", The Megalithic Portal, A. Burnham ed., Oct. 6, 2007]</ref> which is largest and most important monument of late antique architecture in the World. In the 4th century Salona became the center of [[Christianity]] for entire western [[Balkans]]. It hade numerous [[basilica]]s and necropolises, and even two saints: ''Domnius'' ([[Duje]]) and [[Anastasius the Fuller|Anastasius]] (''Staš''). One of few preserved basilicas in western Europe (beside ones in [[Ravenna]]) from the time of early [[Byzantium]] is [[Euphrasian Basilica]] in [[Porec|Poreč]] from 6th century. [[Image:Zadar - église Saint-Donat.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Pre-Romanesque]] Church of St. Donatus in [[Zadar]], from the 9th century]] The early Middle Ages brought the [[Migration Period|great migration of the Slavs]] and this period was perhaps a ''[[Dark Age]]'' in the cultural sense until the successful formation of the Slavic states which coexisted with Italic cities that remained on the coast, each of them were modelled like [[Venice]]. == Croatian Art == {{main|Art of Croatia}} [[Image:1240 portal Trogir.jpg|thumb|left|Portal of [[Trogir]] chatedral by sculptor [[Radovan]], c. 1240]] In the 7th century the [[Croats]], with other [[Slavs]] and [[Avars]], came from Northern Europe to the region where they live today<ref>[http://www.rastko.org.yu/arheologija/vsedov-slavs_2.html Valentin V. Sedov, ''Slavs in the Early Middle Ages'']</ref>. The [[Croats]] were open to [[roman art]] and culture, and most of all to [[Christianity]]. First churches<ref>[http://www.culturenet.hr/v1/english/panorama.asp?id=56 The First Croatian State]</ref> were built as royal sanctuaries, and influences of Roman art was strongest in Dalmatia where urbanization was thickest, and there was largest number of monuments. Gradually that influence was neglected and certain simplification, alteration of inherited forms and even creation of original buildings appeared. The largest and most complicated central based church from 9th century is [[St Donatus]] in [[Zadar]]. From those times, with its size and beauty we can only compare the chapel of [[Charlemagne]] in [[Aachen]]. [[Altar]] enclosure and windows of those churches were highly decorated with transparent shallow string-like [[ornament]] that is called '''Croatian pleter''' (meaning to weed) because the strings were threaded and rethreaded through itself. Sometimes the engravings in early Croatian script – [[Glagolitic]] appeared. Soon, the glagolic writings were replaced with [[Latin]] on altar boundaries and [[architrave]]s of old-Croatian churches. [[Image:Dubra.JPG|right|thumb|260 px|The Walls of [[Dubrovnik]], [[UNESCO]] Heritage]]By joining the [[Hungary|Hungarian state]] in the [[12th century|twelfth century]], Croatia lost its independence, but it didn't lose its ties with the south and the west, and instead this ensured the beginning of a new era of [[Central Europe]]an cultural influence. Early [[Romanesque art]] appeared in Croatia at the beginning of 11th century with strong development of [[monasteries]] and reform of the church. In that period many valuable monuments and artefacts alongside Croatian coast were made, like [[Cathedral of St. Anastasia, Zadar]] (natively - St. Stošija) in Zadar (13th century). In Croatian [[Romanesque sculpture]] we have a transformation of decorative interlace relief (Croatian pleter) to figurative. The best examples of Romanesque sculpture are: ''wooden doors of Split cathedral'' done by [[Andrija Buvina]] (c.1220) and ''Stone portal of Trogir cathedral'' done by artisan [[Radovan]] (c. 1240). Early [[frescoes]] are numerous and best preserved in [[Istria]]. On them we can evidence the mixing of influences of Eastern and Western Europe. The oldest [[miniature]]s are from 13th century – [[Gospels|Evangelical]] book from Split and Trogir. [[Image:Katedrala sv Stjepana Zagreb.jpg|left|thumb|Cathedral of [[St Stephen]] in capital of Croatia, [[Zagreb]], interior from 14th century]] The [[Gothic art]] in 14th century was supported by culture of cities councils, preaching orders (like [[Franciscans]]), and [[knight]]ly culture. It was the golden age of free Dalmatian cities that were trading with Croatian feudal nobility in the continent. Largest urban project of those times was complete building of two new towns – ''Small and Large [[Ston]]'', and about a ''kilometre of wall'' with guard towers between them (14th century). After [[Hadrian's wall]] in [[Scotland]], the longest wall in Europe. [[Tatars]] destroyed Romanesque cathedral in Zagreb during their scourge in 1240, but right after their departure Zagreb got the title of a free city from [[Hungary|Hungarian]] king [[Bela IV]]. Soon after [[bishop]] Timotej began to rebuild the cathedral in new [[Gothic architecture|Gothic style]]. [[Zadar]] was an independent [[Republic of Venice|Venetian]] city. The most beautiful examples of gothic humanism in Zadar are reliefs in [[gilded]] metal as in ''Arc of St Simon'' by artisan from [[Milan]] in 1380. Gothic [[painting]] is less preserved, and finest works are in Istria as [[fresco]]-cycle of ''Vincent from Kastv'' in ''Church of Holy Mary'' in ''Škriljinah'' near ''Beram'', from 1474. From that times are the two of the best and most decorated [[illuminated]] [[liturgies]] done by monks from Split, – ''Hvals’ Zbornik'' (today in Zagreb) and ''Misal of Bosnian duke Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić'' (now in [[Istanbul]]). [[Image:St Jacobs Cathedral 2.JPG|thumb|left|Cathedral of St Jacob in Šibenik from 1555, UNESCO World Heritage]] [[Image:Giulio Clovio 001.jpg|thumb|right|An illuminated page from Juraj Klović's Colonna hours, [[John Rylands Library]], Manchester.]] In 15th century, Croatia was divided between three states – northern Croatia was a part of [[Austrian Empire]], Dalmatia was under the rule of [[Venetian Republic]] (with exception of [[Dubrovnik]]) and Slavonia was under [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] occupation. Dalmatia was on the periphery of several influences so religious and public architecture with clear influence of [[Italian renaissance]] flourished. Three works out of that period are of European importance, and will contribute to further development of [[Renaissance]]: [[Cathedral of St. James, Šibenik|Cathedral of St.Jacob]] in [[Šibenik]], in 1441 by [[Juraj Dalmatinac]]; ''chapel of Blessed John from Trogir'' in 1468 by [[Nikola Firentinac]]; and ''Sorkočević’s villa'' in ''Lapad'' near Dubrovnik in 1521. In northwestern Croatia, the beginning of the wars with the [[Ottoman Empire]] caused many problems but in the long term it both reinforced the northern influence (by having the [[Habsburg|Austrians]] as the rulers). The Ottoman advance was known for its violence.<ref>[http://www.hercegbosna.org/engleski/crootto.html ''CROATS AND THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE'', Ive Mazuran]</ref> With permanent danger by Ottomans from east, there was modest influence of renaissance, while [[fortification]]s thrived, like fortified city of [[Karlovac]] in 1579 and fort of Ratkay family in ''Veliki Tabor'' from 16th century. Some of the famous Croatian renaissance artists lived and worked in other countries, like brothers [[Laurana]] (natively - Vranjanin, Franjo and Luka), miniaturist Juraj Klović (also known as [[Giulio Clovio]]) and famous mannerist painter [[Andrija Medulić]] (teacher of [[El Greco]]). [[Image:Svvlaho photo.jpg|thumb|260 px|left|The church of St Vlaho ([[Saint Blaise|St Blasius]]) in Dubrovnik by night]] In 17th and 18th century Croatia was reunited with the parts of country that were occupied by [[Venetian Republic]] and [[Ottoman Empire]]. The unity attributed to sudden flourishing of Art in every segment. Large fortifications with radial plan, [[ditches]] and numerous towers were built because of constant Ottoman threat. The two largest ones were [[Osijek]] and [[Slavonski Brod]]. Later they become large cities. Urban planning of Baroque is felt in numerous new towns like [[Karlovac]], [[Bjelovar]], [[Koprivnica]], [[Virovitica]] etc. Cities of Dalmatia also got baroque towers and [[bastions]] incorporated in their old walls, like the ones in [[Pula]], [[Šibenik]] or [[Hvar]]. But biggest baroque undertaking happened in [[Dubrovnik]] in 17th century after catastrophic earthquake in 1667 when almost entire city was destroyed. Wall painting experienced flourishing in all parts of Croatia, from illusionist frescoes in ''church of Holy Mary'' in [[Samobor]], [[St Catherine]] in [[Zagreb]] to Jesuit church in Dubrovnik. An exchange of artists between Croatia and other parts of Europe happened. The most famous Croatian painter was [[Federiko Benković]] who worked almost his entire life in Italy, while an Italian – ''Francesco Robba'', did the best Baroque sculptures in Croatia. In [[Austria]]n countries on the beginning of 19th century [[Romanticism|Romantic]] movement in Croatia was sentimental, gentle and subtle. At the end of 19th century architect [[Herman Bolle]] undertook one of the largest projects of European historicism – half-kilometer long neo-renaissance arcade with twenty domes on Zagreb cemetery [[Mirogoj]]. At the same time the cities in Croatia got important urban makeover. Pseudo building that emphasizes all three visual arts is former building of ''Ministry of Prayer and Education'' (so called "Golden Hall") in Zagreb (H. Bolle, 1895). [[Vlaho Bukovac]] brought the spirit of [[impressionism]] from [[Paris]], and he strongly influenced the young artists (including the authors of “Golden Hall”). On the ''Millennium Exhibition'' in [[Budapest]] they were able to set aside all other artistic options in [[Austro-Hungary]]. The turbulent twentieth century re-oriented Croatia politically on many occasions and affected it in many other ways, but it couldn't significantly alter its already peculiar position at the crossroads of many different cultures. ==Education== {{main|Education in Croatia}} <!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Zg sveuciliste.jpg|right|260 px|thumb|Zagreb University building]] --> People in Croatia enjoy free government-sponsored education at the primary and secondary level, and partially free university education. There are over 800 [[primary school]]s and over 400 [[secondary school]]s in the country. The higher education is also government-sponsored, and mostly free for students who enroll with better results. There are thirty two various [[polytechnic]] schools, as well as seven [[university|universities]] in seven larger cities: [[University of Zagreb|Zagreb]], [[University of Split|Split]], [[University of Rijeka|Rijeka]], [[University of Osijek|Osijek]], [[University of Zadar|Zadar]], [[University of Dubrovnik|Dubrovnik]], [[University of Pula|Pula]]. Each of the universities in Croatia is composed of many independent "[[Faculty (university)|faculties]]" (Croatian ''fakultet'', meaning college or department), which focus on specific areas of learning: Natural Sciences, Philosophy, Law, Engineering, Economy, Architecture, Medicine, and so on. There are also a number of other educational and scientific institutions, such as [[institute]]s (most notably the [[Ruđer Bošković Institute]]) or the [[Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts]], a learned society promoting language, culture, and science from its first conception in 1836. The [[Roman Catholic Church]] was instrumental in the founding of many educational facilities in Croatia. The [[Catholic Church in Croatia|Church]] continues to maintain numerous seminaries and theological faculties in the country, as well as the [[Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome]] for Croatian students in Rome. ==People==<!-- This section is linked from [[Croatia]] --> [[Image:King Tomislav.jpg|thumb|right|260 px|Statue of King Tomislav by [[Robert Frangeš Mihanović]] in Zagreb]] Some of the people Croatians take special pride in include: * prince [[Domagoj]] of Croatia * first independent ruler, prince [[Branimir]] of Croatia * founder of the first Croatian kingdom [[King Tomislav]] * king [[Petar Krešimir IV]] of Croatia, "the Great" * king [[Dmitar Zvonimir]] of Croatia * "father of the nation" [[Ante Starčević]] * statesman and soldier [[Nikola Šubić Zrinski]] * poet [[Marko Marulic|Marko Marulić]] * playwright and prose writer [[Marin Drzic|Marin Držić]] * inventor of parachutes [[Faust Vrancic|Faust Vrančić]] * physicist and diplomat [[Rudjer Boskovic|Ruđer Bošković]] * poet [[Ivan Gundulic|Ivan Gundulić]] * army general [[ban (title)|ban]] [[Josip Jelacic|Josip Jelačić]] * sculptor [[Ivan Mestrovic|Ivan Meštrović]] * physicist and engineer [[Nikola Tesla]] (ethnic [[Serb]]) * inventor of torpedoes [[Ivan Lupis|Ivan Lupis-Vukić]] * chemist [[Lavoslav Ruzicka|Lavoslav Ružička]] * inventor of ink pens, bluing detergent (Windex), the rail-car brake, the hot water bottle, and the anode battery, [[Eduard Slavoljub Penkala]] * [[Croatian Parliament|parliamentarian]] [[Stjepan Radic|Stjepan Radić]] * writer [[Ivo Andric|Ivo Andrić]] * writer [[Miroslav Krleža]] * writer [[Vladimir Nazor]] * historian and first president of the [[Republic of Croatia]] [[Franjo Tudjman|Dr. Franjo Tuđman]] This list is far from inclusive: the [[list of Croatians]] includes all the people who influenced the Croatian culture and history. ==Places==<!-- This section is linked from [[Croatia]] --> [[Image:St Jacobs Cathedral 1.JPG|thumb|left|200px|[[Cathedral of St. James, Šibenik|Cathedral of St. Jacob]] in [[Šibenik]]]] [[Image:Plitvice lakes.JPG|thumb|right|Plitvice Lakes, [[IUCN]] Category II ([[National Park]])]] The [[UNESCO]] has marked six places in Croatia as ''[[World Heritage Sites|World Heritage]]'': * Episcopal complex of the [[Euphrasian Basilica]] in the historic centre of [[Porec|Poreč]] * The [[cathedral]] of St. Jacob in [[Sibenik|Šibenik]] * Historic city of [[Trogir]] * [[Diocletian's Palace|Palace]] of [[Diocletian]], built by Roman Emperor [[Diocletian]] * Old city of [[Dubrovnik]] * [[Plitvice Lakes]] Regarding conservation and natural beauty, Croatia has [[List of national parks of Croatia|eight national parks]], mostly situated along the [[Adriatic]] coast. {{World Heritage Sites in Croatia}} {{National parks of Croatia}} ==Cuisine== {{main|Croatian cuisine}} Croatian cuisine is heterogeneous, and is therefore known as "the cuisine of regions". Its modern roots date back to proto-Slavic and ancient periods and the differences in the selection of foodstuffs and forms of cooking are most notable between those on the mainland and those in coastal regions. Mainland cuisine is more characterized by the earlier proto-Slavic and the more recent contacts with the more famous gastronomic orders of today - Hungarian, Viennese and Turkish - while the coastal region bears the influences of the Greek, Roman and Illyrian, as well as of the later Mediterranean cuisine - Italian and French. A large body of books bears witness to the high level of gastronomic culture in Croatia, which in European terms dealt with food in the distant past, such as the Gazophylacium by Belostenec, a Latin-Kajkavian dictionary dating from 1740 that preceded a similar French dictionary. There is also Beletristic literature by Marulić, Hektorović, Držić and other writers, down to the work written by Ivan Bierling in 1813 containing recipes for the preparation of 554 various dishes (translated from the German original), and which is considered to be the first Croatian cookbook. ==Sports== {{main|Sport in Croatia}} * [[Croatia at the Olympics]] * [[Football in Croatia]] * [[:Category:Basketball in Croatia]] ==Entertainment== * [[Science fiction in Croatia]] * [[List of Croatian language television channels]] ==Architecture== {{main|Architecture of Croatia}} ==Line notes== {{reflist}} ==External links== *Arts and literature ** [http://www.culturenet.hr/v1/english/panorama.asp?id=54 Prehistory art in Croatia] ** [http://www.culturenet.hr/v1/english/panorama.asp?id=55 Antiquity in Croatia] ** [http://www.mythinglinks.org/euro~east~Balkans~Croatia.html Croatian Culture Links] ** [http://www.early-croatian-art.net/Predromanika/index/first.asp Preromanesque art of coastal Croatia] ** [http://www.settlement.org/cp/english/croatia/arts.html Croatia Arts and Literature] ** [http://www.croatianhistory.net/etf/art.html Croatian cultural heritage] ** [http://www.ffzg.hr/infoz/dzs/popis.htm Online library of major Croatian literary works from Renaissance to Modernism. In Croatian only] *Education ** [http://www.mzt.hr/mzt/eng/activities/science/science.htm Ministry of Science: the list of institutes and general survey] ** [http://www.mzt.hr/mzt/eng/activities/highedu/higher.htm Higher Education: Complete directory of higher education institutes in Croatia] *History ** [http://www.mhas-split.hr/ Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments] ** [http://www.ief.hr/ Institute for Ethnology and Folklore] ** [http://www.lado.hr/lado.htm Lado National Folklore Ansamble] ** [http://www.cosy.sbg.ac.at/~zzspri/lifestories/Cravatte/Cravatte.html The History of Necktie] *Nature Protection ** [http://www.dzzp.hr State Institute for Nature Protection - Croatia] {{Culture of Europe}} [[Category:Croatian culture| ]] [[fr:Culture de la Croatie]] [[pt:Cultura da Croácia]]