Croatia opens first national anthem square in town where its melody was born
- by croatiaweek
- in News
(Photo: Grad Glina)
ZAGREB, 7 Aug (Hina) – The first Croatian Anthem Square was opened in Glina on Thursday, marking the town’s day and the 180th anniversary of the creation of the melody of the national anthem, composed in the town in 1846 by Josip Runjanin.
“The anthem is a symbol of our statehood and of the unity of all of us who stand under the Croatian flag and love our homeland. We feel that unity particularly strongly today, as we remember returning to Glina 31 years ago after Croatian defenders liberated the town in Operation Storm,” Mayor Ivan Janković said.
He said the square would serve as a meeting place and a symbol of unity as the they continued to rebuild and develop Glina.
The opening also highlighted Glina’s historical connection with the creation of the anthem’s melody and added to the town’s cultural and tourist offering, Janković said.
(Photo: Grad Glina)
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the state, regional and local authorities, cultural institutions, invited guests and residents.
The newly renovated square is located near the Croatian Anthem House, a building of exceptional importance to Croatia’s cultural heritage.
(Photo: Grad Glina)
According to historical records, Runjanin, then an officer in the Glina garrison, composed the melody for Antun Mihanović’s poem Horvatska domovina there in 1846.
At the time, the commander of the First Ban Regiment in Glina was Josip Jelačić, who later became Croatia’s ban and served in the town from 1841 to 1848. Mihanović’s poem later became Croatia’s national anthem, Lijepa naša domovino.
(Photo: Grad Glina)
Military and civilian figures in the town also met there to discuss cultural and social issues. It was in this environment that the Croatian National Revival gained strength in the mid-19th century, giving rise to the poem that would later become the national anthem.
(Photo: Grad Glina)
The Croatian Anthem Square has been laid out in the courtyard of the former Glina garrison building, which now houses the town administration.
