Motif: the interior of the HAZU building; photograph by Damir Fabijanić The highest national scientific and artistic institution– Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) – marks in 2011 its 150th anniversary. Its basic mission is contained in following tasks: • Promotion and organisation of the scientific research and the application of the results achieved, development of cultural and artistic activities and taking care of Croatian cultural heritage and its affirmation in the world; • Publishing of the results of scientific research and artistic creation; • Making proposals and giving opinions on the promotion of sciences and arts in the fields of special importance for the Republic of Croatia. Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the oldest Academy in the South-East Europe that has gradually developed into a respectful institution with nine scientific and artistic departments, 15 scientific councils and about twenty science, research and artistic units throughout Croatia - an institution with rich publishing activity and a widely established cooperation network with many European and world Academies and scientific institutions. The members of the Academy are honorary, full, associate and corresponding. In the beginning, in 1866, the Academy had 16 full members. Full members have the title akademik (Academician) and make part of the regular work organisation of the Academy. After the electing session held in 2010, the Academy numbered - at the end of that year, 138 full members, 137 associate members and 91 corresponding members. The Day of the Academy is celebrated in the memory of 29 April 1861, when the great patron and Bishop J. J. Strossmayer, held his famous speech in Croatian Parliament proposing the founding of the Academy and a modern university in Zagreb. Under the leadership of Strossmayer and Rački the Academy gradually developed into a respectful scientific institution that established cooperation with all older European academies. Strossmayer named it the Academy of South Slavs wishing to help scientific and cultural development of other South Slavic nations. Though, already from the very beginning the Academy in Zagreb was and has remained by its composition and working members and by its activities Croatian Academy. All scientific and publishing activities of the Academy in Zagreb have been permanently and primarily oriented towards researching Croatian history, culture, language and natural heritage. First president of the Academy, Dr. Franjo Rački, was an excellent organiser of scientific activities. Under his leadership numerous academic editions and publications were started and prepared. Thus already in 1867 the first number of the scientific periodical Rad (Monographies) was published. The scientific series Rad (Monographies) is the most encompassing and the oldest edition by the Academy, publishing scientific works by Academy members and other scientists. During more than 140 years of publishing of Rad (Monographies) more than 3000 scientific works in which creation there participated about 1 600 authors, have been published. After Rad (Monographies) many editions in all fields of science and art were initiated so that today the Academy has more than 100 current publishing series and periodicals. In several recent years HAZU has been issuing more than 100 titles per year, and from its founding till today has published more than 5600 book volumes, periodicals, dictionaries, art monographies and exhibition catalogues. First seat of the Academy was in the palace in Opatička 18, known under the name The National House. Bishop Strossmayer initiated also the building of the Academy Palace in the Zrinjevac Park, which was to house also his gallery of paintings. According to his wish the Palace was built in the Florentine Renaissance style. The building began in August 1877, and was accomplished in summer 1880. Bishop Strossmayer donated one fourth of the total amount needed to build the Palace. Four years later the Academy accommodated under its roof a new and the greatest present by its sponsor: 256 works of art, whereof the majority were paintings (total 235), mostly works by different Italian painting schools. In Strossmayer’s presence on 9 November 1884 in the Academy Palace the Strossmayer Gallery was festively inaugurated. Recently HAZU has been making important steps to open the Academy as much as possible for different activities concerning media and thus the wider public. In 1990-ties Croatian Academy initiated a unique publishing project – the publishing of the edition HRVATSKA I EUROPA (CROATIA AND EUROPE) – with the intention to present in five volumes the synthesis of the entire Croatian culture, art and science and their undetachable connection with the equivalent European flows.
