| GENERAL DATA |
CROATIAN STATE ARCHIVES Marulić square 21 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia |
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| telephone numbers: fax: |
+385 1 4801 999 (Reception Desk) +385 1 4801 921 (User Service) +385 1 4801 901 (Main Office) +385 1 4829 000 |
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| e-mail: hda@arhiv.hr | |||||||
| OPENING HOURS – |
professional guide: Monday – Friday (and second Saturday in Month with advance notification on telephone
+385 1 4801 981) at 10 a.m., 1
p.m., 2 p.m. Croatian State Archives is closed on national holidays |
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| ENTRANCE FEES – |
20 kn 10 kn – school children, students, pensioners |
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| At the User Service Croatian State Archives brochure (croatian/english) can be bought. | |||||||
| The building of the CSA is one of
the most beautiful sites of the art nouveau architecture in Croatia,
built in 1913 by the architect Rudolf Lubynski |
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| The construction of the Royal University Library and Royal State Archives began on February 21st 1911 based on the competition winning project by the architect Rudolf Lubynski. The building was delivered to use on November 29th 1913. Rudolf Lubynski (1873-1935) was a student of the well-known architect J. Durm on the High Technical School in Karlsruhe, and his co-operator on the construction of the University Library in Heidelberg. He worked in Offenberg, Köln and Freiburg, and was one of the most productive Zagreb architects. | |||||||
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| This, to the present day leading mansion
of the Croatian art nouveau, a successful junction of the early Viennese
art nouveau and modern European, especially German architecture from
the beginning of the 20th century. It was planned as a substantive
building in the park (80 m long and 46 m wide, of reinforced concrete
and iron construction), well incorporated in the town-planning model
of the Lower city (Zagreb green horseshoe). The high dome above the
central large reading room in the axis of the mansion, with four pillars
where four owls carrying globes are situated, perfectly presents library
identity. The facades with allegories of four collegiate sciences
(philosophy, medicine, law and theology) by Robert Frangeš and the
pediment of the south façade with bookselling allegory by Rudolf Valdec,
are harmoniously integrated in complete, though simple, and at the
same time monumental vision of architecture. On the south wall of the main reading-room (above the gallery where, since 1997, some of the oldest library holdings from CSA Library have been placed) is a large painting Evolution of the Croatian culture by Vlaho Bukovac (Prague 1913). Above the main exit after the renovation there will be reposted paintings by Mirko Rački (which were put away during the Croatian War of Independence) Science in Antiquity, Science in the Middle Ages and Science in the Modern age. Thirty-two ornamental decanted relieves by Mila Vodsedalekova in wooden lining with motive variation of a boy with a book and four images of philosophers. Alongside with 51 art nouveau chandeliers in the line below the gallery and 130 desks lamps, two central magnificent art nouveau chandeliers dominate the room, each about 3 m wide, with 16 small chandeliers. The Hall is glazed with 25 bigger and 10 smaller windows with stained-glass windows in the north, west and east sides and with stained-glass windows on the ceiling. |
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| The professor’s reading room is ornamented
with metallic lockets with vignette, mosaic on the walls by Koch and
Marinković, ornamental metallic trellis on the radiators, stained-glass
windows (C. Geyling from Vienna) and oval glazed ceiling (the stained-glass
wings are currently taken off). It is worth to point out 4 art nouveau
chandeliers and 8 desk lamps as well as two cloths by I. Tišov Scientiae
Naturales/Scientiae Scholasticae, (Paris 1913) and Artes Liberales
(Paris 1914) and also one cloth by R. Auer Pallas Athena (Zagreb 1913). Until 1996 the Croatian State Archives has been located in the eastern wing of the building. By executing the Law on transfer of ownership and founder’s privileges over the National and University Library in Zagreb to Republic of Croatia (NN 21/1995) the whole building was given to the Archives “until the construction of the new building for the CSA”. According to the expert’s estimation, the residence of the Croatian State Archives is an inspired and unique example of the permeation of creative architecture, decorative symbolism and functionality. In recent survey by magazine Man and space several respectable architects proclaimed this very building “the realization of the 20th century” in Croatia. It is often a subject of expertly visits by architects, building constructors and art historians from all over Europe. It is also a great responsibility to protect the building as a part of Croatian cultural heritage. By systematic actions (restoration, preservation and renovation as well a promotion pf public user’s roles) its former shine will completely be restore and a humanistic message will be kept for further generations. |
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