Croatia

The arts

Croatians take pride in their literary tradition, which dates to about 1100, with the dedication of the Baška Tablet (Bašćanska Ploča), a stone monument inscribed with Glagolitic script that was found in the 19th century on the island of Krk. The first printed book in the Croatian language was Hrvoje’s Missal, a liturgical text printed in 1483. Among the 20th-century giants in Croatian literature are the much-translated novelist, poet, essayist, dramatist, polemicist, and critic Miroslav Krleža (1893–1981) and the lyric poet, essayist, and translator Tin Ujević (1891–1955), both of whom treated psychological and sociopolitical struggles at individual and universal levels.

The monumental sculptures of the Croatian-born American artist Ivan Meštrović (1883–1962), whom the French sculptor Auguste Rodin once called “the biggest phenomenon among sculptors,” synthesize a particularly Croatian national romanticism with the entire European tradition. His works include many religious reliefs and figures carved in walnut. Meštrović designed his own house in Split, now used as a museum for his works.

Croatian visual artists also have been active in several other genres. Hundreds of painters and photographers are represented in galleries throughout the country, and traditional Croatian arts, including fine textile and lacework, can still be seen. Croatian naive painting, through a simple depiction of the timeless concerns of men and women, struck a universal chord in the mid- to late 20th century and brought worldwide fame to its main exponents, Ivan Generalić, Ivan Rabuzin, and Ivan Lacković-Croata.

Film enjoys a particularly important place in contemporary Croatian culture. The Zagreb school of film animation has acquired world renown and recognition, including an Academy Award in 1961 for Dušan Vukotić’s animated film The Substitute. Since 1972, Zagreb has periodically hosted an international animated film festival. Acclaimed Croatian filmmakers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries include Dejan Šorak, Krsto Papić, and Zrinko Ogresta.

Croatians enjoy music of many varieties, ranging from folk to opera, jazz, and rock. In Croatia and among the Croatian diaspora, traditional music featuring the tamburitza, a stringed instrument similar to a mandolin (see also tanbur), has a fervid following. In addition, the traditional kolo dance is still performed at weddings and festivals. Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik teem with nightclubs that showcase local musical talent. Tereza Kesovija, arguably Croatia’s most famous singer, first received acclaim in the 1960s as a singer of French chansons. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries Sandra Nasić sang and wrote lyrics for Guano Apes, one of Germany’s most popular rock groups.

Cultural institutions

UNESCO has inscribed several sites in Croatia on its World Heritage List. These include the old city of Dubrovnik and the historical area of Split that contains ruins of the palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Zagreb hosts the National Theatre, the National and University Library, and a concert hall named after the 19th-century Croatian composer Vatroslav Lisinski.

Sports and recreation

Like most Europeans, Croatians are passionate about football (soccer). Since independence, Croatia’s national team, made up largely of players from Zagreb and Split, has performed with great distinction. Basketball is also widely popular, with Croatian club teams winning several European championships. The well-known basketball player Dražen Petrović played for Croatia’s Olympic team in 1992 as well as in the National Basketball Association. Croatian tennis players have performed well in international competitions; in particular, Goran Ivanišević won the men’s Wimbledon championship in 2001.

Croatian athletes participated on Yugoslavia’s Olympic team from 1948. The independent Republic of Croatia formed a national Olympic committee in 1991, and its athletes competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where its basketball squad earned the silver medal. The country’s greatest Summer Olympics strengths are handball (for which it won gold medals in 1996 and 2004) and weight lifting (one gold in 2000), as well as rowing, water polo, sailing, swimming, and gymnastics. Croatia also has performed well in the Winter Olympics, with Alpine skier Janica Kostelić winning a total of four gold medals in 2002 and 2006 and her brother, Ivica Kostelić, winning silver medals in 2006 and 2010.

Croatia has a number of national parks and reserves that are popular with hikers and other nature enthusiasts. Plitvička Lakes National Park features an extensive waterfall system. The stunning natural beauty of many of Croatia’s islands is preserved in the national parks of Brijuni, Kornati, and Mljet. The North Velebit, Paklenica, and Risnjak national parks encompass mountainous terrain, while the Krka National Park is centred on the river of the same name.

Media and publishing

During the 1990s, the Croatian media appeared to be easily influenced by the political agenda of the government. Although media freedom and independence have progressed significantly since that time, market pressures now may pose a greater threat to media freedom. Several newspapers, based in various cities, focus on politics or business, but a number of the daily papers are tabloids. Croatia’s well-respected independent weekly newspaper, Feral Tribune, closed down in 2008 because of financial problems. The departure of Feral left Nacional, another weekly, as the main source of independent commentary. However, the assassination of its editor in 2008 revived concerns about freedom of the press.

Television is dominated by the state provider, Croatian Radio-Television (Hrvatska Radiotelevizija; HRT), which derives a good portion of its revenue from a compulsory subscription fee. It has some respected current affairs programs but largely focuses on sports and entertainment. Two significant privately owned channels are Nova TV and RTL; both tend toward sensationalism. In addition to the HRT-run radio networks, there are a few private radio operations.