Exhibition concept: Nada Premerl
Exhibition design: Joža Ladović
The exhibition The Old Town of Zagreb – another victim of an irrational war is the expression of our protest and bitterness brought about by the insane destruction of the heart of the Croatian capital. It has withstood many fires and earthquakes, but it was not spared the barbarian hand which – at 15.10 on October 7 – strewed bombs and rockets on the political seat of Croatia and its President, on the cultural and political tradition of the Croatian state.
The prime target was the Vice-Roy's Palace, Banski dvori, but the air raid also damaged more then seventy other buildings in the Upper Town, an invaluable urban ensemble and protected monument of culture of the highest international category.
The Zagreb City Museum, which preserves and presents the cultural and historical past of Zagreb as well as its present, has staged this event in order to demonstrate the consequences of the insane attack aimed at the very heart of Grič, the old part of Zagreb, a district which no one has dared to destroy throughout its long history encompassing 750 years and which has always proudly withstood all onslaughts and repulsed all invaders.
The Vice-Roy's Palace has been the venue, for close to two houndred years, of all the major events in the history of the Croatian state. It also accommodated, for half a century, the Hall of the Croatian Diet. It was the residence of the Croatian Vice-Roys (Bans) as well as of European royalty during their official visits to Croatia.
The new Croatian government has recently restored the Palace and its historical inventory so that this “State House” could again serve its historical purpose. We hope that the Republic of Croatia will soon, lovingly and sparing no effort, rebuild its destroyed towns and villages, and restore the Vice-Roy's Palace.
In addition to photographs and slides, this exhibition also presents a variety of destroyed items from the Palace and from private collections and homes. They bear the most eloquent witness to the deliberate destruction of Zagreb's Old Town whose cultural steadfastness irritates the aggressor and, in all likelihood, prompts the occupying soldiery to choose it for a target.
Nada Premerl
Pictures from the exhibition
photo Josip Vranić, ZCM
