Museum of Illusions Zadar

Zadar has a unique combination of architecture and music, the wordly known Sea Organ. It is located next to the installation Greeting to the Sun, and it represents an organ whose sound is produced under the influence of the energy of the sea, rather waves and tides. The Sea Organ has been gently formed out of stone and returned to the sea. It stretches out on a surface of seventy meters of Zadar's coast, under which on the level of the lowest seated 35 pipes of different lengths, diameters and descent are installed. When the most beautiful sunset illuminates the waterfront, the play of light of the Greeting to the Sun accompanies the rhythm of waves and the sounds of the Sea Organ. https://zadar.travel/attractions/attractions/sea-organ

This new symbol of Zadar is located in the Zadar port on the western point of Zadar Peninsula. The Greeting to the Sun is overlooking the Zadar Channel, the islands and the widely known sunset. With this installation, Zadar has got a new tourist attraction. The modern installation Greeting to the Sun is made of 300 multilayer glass solar panels in the shape of a circle of a diameter of 22 meters. Throughout the day it collects the energy of the sun and transforms it into the electricity, which is consumed in and around the installation throughout the night. The Greeting to the Sun in the immediate proximity of the Sea Organ, the second modern intervention on Zadar's waterfront, and both of them brought Zadar to the front covers of all the world media. https://zadar.travel/attractions/attractions/the-greeting-to-the-sun

On the glass face of the Archeological Museum in Zadar, you can see the reflection of the Forum and Saint Donatus, with which the Museum is unbreakably connected. Since 1880 works of protection and restoration have been done in Saint-Donat with the idea to place the Archeological Museum in it. The Archeological Museum is the oldest museum in Zadar and the second oldest in Croatia. It was founded in 1832., and today it keeps more than 100.000 archaeological objects from all the cultural and historical periods from the Paleolithic to the end of 11th century. The museum has its journal and for almost 60 years in a preparatory workshop, it has been producing hand-made souvenirs- amphoras, recipients, fibulas (brooches), jewellery and other valuable museum material. https://zadar.travel/attractions/museums/archeological-museum

In the near future, the International Centre for Underwater Archeology Zadar will have a Museum of underwater archaeology that will be collecting, preserving, keeping, elaborating and exposing this attractive museum material. The International Centre for Underwater Archeology in Zadar has the status of a UNESCO centre of the second category, with the prospect of preservation and promotion of the underwater cultural heritage of Croatia, the Mediterranean and Europe. The centre has several departments – like the departments for education, conservation, restoration, presentation, underwater heritage and other- that are located at the spot of the former convent of Saint Nicholas where the remains of the medieval church of the same name can be found. https://zadar.travel/attractions/museums/the-international-centre-for-underwater-archeology

Everything that ever mattered in Zadar, since the medieval period, happened or was heard of on the People's Square. It is the centre of urban life, a source that sucks you in with its energy and beauty, and then leaves the people passing-by to some of the other urban sensations. The People's Square in Zadar is the medieval Platea Magna, the centre of life and nowadays centre of town administration together with the City Loggia. From the People's square all the ways lead in all directions; to the Kalelarga, the Waterfront, the Five Wells Square or to the market and fish market. In The City Loggia on People's Square, that was built already in the 13th century, Zadar inhabitants have been gathering and have been discussing the most important city matters, while on the other side can be found the City Guard from the second half of the 16th century with a watch on a tower that has been in function incessantly since 1803. https://zadar.travel/attractions/attractions/peoples-square

The forum in Zadar has been built by the first Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian of what the inscriptions in stone dating back to the 3rd century give evidence when the construction came to an end. It was once closed by a portico with galleries on the first floor, and under the portico there were shops. Since the first century B.C. the forum has been the main gathering place for Roman soldiers, religious people, bureaucrats of the Republic and later of the Empire, as also for traders and all Zadar citizens in ancient times. In the time of its full glory, the forum was surrounded from three sides by a magnificent portico. It is indispensable for a walk and also one of the symbols of the city. https://zadar.travel/attractions/attractions/forum

The stories about the sphinx in Zadar and the treasure buried under it were the inspiration for many fantasies of generations of Zadar inhabitants. The replica of the Egyptian Sfinx in Zadar had the relief of an eagle, and instead of claws, it had fingers with which it was once holding a big sword for the protection of a shell with a little fishpond. Devastated by the pain because of the premature loss of his wife Attilia, the famous Zadar citizen Giovanni Smirić in 1901 built a sphinx made of concrete in her honour. It can be found in the part of the city called Brodarica, within the space of the Villa Atilia and the park in the bay Maestral, and according to a legend it fulfils love wishes to romantic souls. https://zadar.travel/attractions/attractions/sphynx

The Croatian National Theatre has its ensemble that was founded 14 years ago when it starts with professional productions with Zadar acting forces. It has a prepaid and not prepaid programme as also the Zadar Theatre Summer. Croatian medieval liturgical dramas and liturgical games have been performed in Zadar already in the 11th century, so it is since then that begins the history of Croatian theatre. The first modern theatre dates back to the year 1783 (Nobile Teatro), while the New Theatre from the year 1865 was the most beautiful theatre building in Zadar. The first professional theatre from 1945 carries the name National theatre (Narodno kazalište), and today Croatian National Theatre (Hrvatsko narodno kazalište) Zadar. The total percentage of visits to its programmes is 85 per cent. https://zadar.travel/attractions/attractions/croatian-national-theatre

From the most ancient times in Zadar as the Via Magna, Strada Grande or Ruga Magistra, Kalelarga of Zadar is the main street of the city. For the inhabitants of Zadar, it is even more than that; it is the main urban artery, a cult space and the symbol of the city to which the most beautiful souvenirs are connected to. In Zadar, it is officially called Široka ulica (Wide Street) (Calle Larga, Kalelarga), and it was sung about in many songs like no other street or symbol of the city. It has its anthem, it is the place of every serious city gossip or news. On the Kalelarga and the neighbouring People's Square great sport successes of Zadar's clubs are awaited and celebrated, as with the first-morning coffee, former loves are gently mourned. https://zadar.travel/attractions/attractions/kalelarga

The Museum of ancient glass in Zadar has a souvenir shop with a very rich offer in which one can buy publications and especially souvenirs like replicas of ancient glass made in glassmaking museum workshops with the method of hand blowing. The Museum of Ancient Glass is a contemporary and unique cultural institution in the world, and it has a specialized archaeological collection of more than 5.000 glass objects from the period of Antiquity from the first century B.C. do the 5th century A.D. in its possession. It has a permanent display and an attractive glassmaking workshop in which by manual blowing technique replicas of ancient glass are made. https://zadar.travel/attractions/museums/museum-of-ancient-glass

Church of St.Donat is round pre-Romanesque church which was called the Church of the Holy Trinity until the 15th c., and from that time on carries the name of Saint Donat, by the bishop who had it built. https://www.zadar.travel/en/city-guide/historical-monuments/22-05-2007/st-donatus-church#.Wk4fl1T1VsM

Historical sources mention Rector´s Palace in Zadar as soon as the 13th century. From that time until today the edifice has gone through many changes including the last reconstruction and the opening on February 10th 2017. https://www.zadar.travel/en/city-guide/museums/22-12-2010/zadar-city-museum#.Wk4gx1T1VsM

Zadar City Museum was founded in 1960 and in 1962 it was integrated into the National Museum Zadar under the name the Cultural-Historical Department. Zadar City Museum is located in the building which up to the time of Napoleon was the monastery of St. Krševan. http://nmz.hr/en