Page 168 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

166  CRO A TIA AREA B Y AREA

o Mimara Museum
Muzej Mimara
Rooseveltov trg 5. Tel (01) 482 81 00.
Open Oct–Jun: 10am–5pm Tue,
Wed, Fri & Sat, 10am–7pm Thu,
10am–2pm Sun; Jul–Sep: 10am–7pm
Tue–Fri, 10am– 5pm Sat, 10am–2pm
Sun. Closed Mon. & 8 =
∑ mimara.hr
In 1973, Ante Topić Mimara,
a businessman who was
also a collector, painter and
restorer, donated his extensive
collections to Croatia, and the
Mimara Museum was set up for
their display. The museum is
The Neo-Baroque building housing the Croatian National Theatre housed in an enormous Neo-
Renaissance building built in
u Croatian National i Museum of Arts 1895 by the German architects
Theatre and Crafts Ludwig and Hülsner.
Hrvatsko narodno kazalište Muzej za umjetnost i obrt The works are displayed
chronologically from the
Trg maršala Tita 15. Tel (01) 488 84 18. Trg maršala Tita 10. Tel (01) 488 21 11. prehistoric era to the present
Open for performances only. Open 10am–7pm Tue–Sat, 10am– day. The archaeological section
Closed public hols. ∑ hnk.hr 2pm Sun. & 8 by appt. = 0 ^
∑ muo.hr is particularly fascinating, with
The Croatian National Theatre important finds from ancient
stands in the square marking This museum was first Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia and
the beginning of a U-shaped established in 1880 to house Pre-Columbian America, as well
series of parks and squares collections of artworks by as the Middle and Far East
forming a “green horseshoe”, craftsmen and artists. The (Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia
the design of the engineer building was designed by and India are represented).
Milan Lenuci (1849– Hermann Bollé and was The icon collection not only
1924). The theatre, one built between 1887 and contains Russian pieces, but
of a number of imposing 1892. More than 3,000 also has icons from Palestine,
buildings in the square, objects of applied arts Antioch and Asia Minor dating
was completed in from the Gothic from the 6th to the 13th cen-
1895 and is a blend period to the present turies. There are ancient Persian,
of Neo-Baroque provide an overview Turkish and Moroccan carpets,
and Rococo. It of Croatia’s cultural and about 300 exhibits cover
was designed by history and its over 3,500 years of the develop-
the Viennese A 19th-century close ties to the ment of Chinese art, from the
architects Hermann clock, Museum of rest of Europe. Shang to the Qing dynasties.
Helmer and Ferdinand Arts and Crafts The collections offer More than 650 glassware
Fellner. The roof has an insight into the exhibits come from Europe, as
two small domes at the Croatian and European well as Persia and Egypt. About
front and a higher dome production of arts and crafts, 1,000 objects of applied arts
further back. The exterior is spanning from late Medieval
ornamented with two orders times to Art Deco and right up
of columns running along its to the more contemporary era.
entire length. The collections housed at the
The interior is richly museum include religious art,
decorated with works by Judaica, and items including
Croatian and Viennese artists. clocks and watches, ivories,
Five stage backcloths include metalworks, glass, ceramics,
one called The Croatian textiles and fashion. As the
Renewal, a splendid work by museum is supported by
Vlaho Bukovac. international backing,
In the area in front of the impressive temporary
theatre stands a masterpiece exhibitions from abroad
by Ivan Meštrović, The Well of occasionally take place here.
Life, which consists of a group The adjacent library has a
of bronze figures huddled total of 65,000 books on The Bather by Renoir (1868),
around a well. arts and crafts. Mimara Museum
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp230–31 and pp245–7

166-167_EW_Croatia.indd 166 20/10/16 12:29 pm